‘HTTPS’ is the acronym for ‘Hypertext Transport Protocol Security’. This is a way of ensuring that the information shared between the browser (user/customer) and a web server is secure through authentication and encryption. Most websites that contain or store sensitive information are usually HTTPS, this is now easy to implement, and becoming a standard or ‘norm’

HTTPS adds a layer of security to your website. Any information shared cannot be used if accessed, for example credit card information, browsing history, logins or email addresses. This is because all the communication, including the URLs are encrypted and protected and are therefore secure. With this level are security, your users and their browsers are likely to prefer an HTTPS site over an HTTP site.


The importance of HTTPS also goes beyond the security of the website, having a positive impact on SEO. Converting your website to HTTPS is simple by purchasing and installing the SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. An SSL certificate also affects search engine rankings in a good way.

Since 2014, HTTPS has been included as a factor in Google’s ranking algorithm. So much so, that you may notice that more than 40% of the websites listed on the first page of Google are HTTPS. Google has confirmed that they favour HTTPS sites since security is a top priority for them. To ensure the security of the end users (customers), Google tries to make sure that they are not sent to insecure sites. Should you have equal quality signals compared to another site but lack this security, it could prove to be a tie breaker if the competing website is HTTPS. So if you don’t have an HTTPS website yet, you should consider it to avoid getting outranked by similar sites that are.

Having an HTTPS website is an easy way to get into Google’s favour, with a positive impact on your rankings. There have been studies to back the correlation between HTTPS and higher search rankings. Better rankings obviously lead to an increase in traffic leading to better website performance and hopefully sales. For users, the added security proves to be a sign of trust and authority thus improving your website’s click through rate. For Ecommerce websites, there is a possibility that the users (customers) might abandon a purchase if they notice that their sensitive information is sent through insecure channels, worse still, some browsers actively discourage transactions with warning messages.

With Google already hinting about significant changes in its security algorithms over the years, secure websites are bound to have the upper hand when compared to others. Loading time and speed impact rankings too, HTTPS has Content Delivery Network (CDN) included which speeds up the website load times. This is achieved by storing files at multiple locations across the server so that the user receives the files from the nearest source.

So if you don’t have a secure website yet, it isn’t too late. HTTPS is not only good for your own security but also your SEO performance. With Google planning to make secure websites more easily recognisable by users soon, it is important to stay ahead. Get in touch with us here at Ecomsolutions, getting secure isn’t expensive, and we sort it all for you!