Google is Clamping Down on Unsecured Sites

It may sound strange but website security improves your SEO and ensures higher ranking and visibility for your posts as non-secured sites get downgraded across the web.

The search engine giant announced that they will be downgrading existing sites that do not have secure pages.

Traditionally, secure pages were a necessity for e-commerce and not required for information pages, but that standard is about to change.

On October 2017, Google announced that they would be cracking down on unsecured websites. Part of their mandate to dominate cyberspace includes ensuring that online spaces are safe and secure, and that’s coming in the form of mandatory secure pages for all websites.

Beginning in July 2018 with the release of Chrome 68, unsecured site pages (Non-HTTPS sites) will be labeled as “Not Secure”.

The time is now, and it’s time to protect your website and your visitors by making the necessary changes needed to secure your site.

Periodically, Google changes the algorithm it uses to control which pages appear at the top of the search result. Most websites do not notice these small adjustments, but occasionally there are major changes that should be noted, and this is one of them.

Earlier, major changes have been, among other things, compatibility for mobile and the quality of content found on the website. The update which started in October 2017 is major, and you should be ready to address it.

Why? Because it’s about online security – and because Google is going to punish your website if you don’t figure it out.

You must focus on having the right URL as well as an SSL certificate – which is the only thing that can secure your site making it safe by Google’s standards.

Google has started displaying a new alert on pages in the search result that doesn’t have a URL that begins with HTTPS, a so-called “non-secure” notification. This will greatly affect how many people dare to click on your website if you don’t have everything in order.

What is HTTPS?

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) are ways to send information between the servers and clients. The difference? One is safe, the other is not.

With HTTP, it’s possible for unauthorized parties to observe communication between your computer and the site. An HTTPS connection adds a sort of veil of security by encrypting the information with an SSL certificate.

An SSL Certificate prevents third parties from being able to access any data gathered by your site (like emails, addresses and credit card numbers). With the changes coming shortly to Chrome (a popular web browser used by over 50% of internet users), it is now becoming increasingly important to have an SSL certificate in order to keep traffic flowing to your website.

An SSL Certificate can also increase the chances of people finding your website via a Google search, as Google favours secured sites over non-secured sites in their search results.

Why is this so important?

Today, those who find themselves online are expecting a safe and private experience. Without HTTPS, sensitive information can easily go into the wrong hands.

Google already announced in 2014 that it would give priority to websites that have HTTPS in place when ranking sites in the search result. Because many didn’t take the hint at the time, Google has now decided to take it one step further.

How Do I secure My Website?

Eggbeater Creative can help 🙂

Start by choosing the right SSL Certificate for your site. The big differentiator is based on whether or not you are selling through your site.

SSL Certificate – Basic – $100

This option is suitable for a site that does not have any eCommerce or does not collect any personal data through forms.
Pricing includes certificate installation.
No annual fee for certificate.

SSL Certificate – Advanced – $175

This option is recommended if your site has eCommerce or if you collect personal data through forms on your site.
Certificate is good for 1 year from purchase, and pricing includes certificate installation.
Annual fee for a certificate with insurance is $75.