Back in February, Google announced it was setting a deadline for HTTPS and it warned all publishers to upgrade as soon as they could. The deadline was July 2018. Chrome 68 has been released, and with that, all HTTP sites are marked “not secure” in the omnibox.
From September, Google Chrome will remove the “secure” indicator, leaving only “not secure” – paving the way for HTTPS to become the norm.
What is HTTPS anyway?
https:// or HTTPS means Hypertext Transport Protocol Secure.
What’s the difference between SSL, TSL and HTTPS?
SSL and HTTPS are not the same, but they work together.
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) – An SSL certificate is a standard way of making data transferred between the user and the site secure by making it unable to be read. This is what makes HTTPS secure. It is installed on the server but you will be able to see if it is secure by using your browser in the omnibox.
TSL (Transport Layer Security) – A TSL certificate is an updated version of SSL. Sometimes people will still refer to it as SSL.
HTTPS (Hypertext Transport Protocol Secure) – the secure version of Hypertext Transport Protocol – the way data is sent between the browser and the website. HTTPS is secured by an SSL certificate. The S (secure) means the data is encrypted. Browsers, such as Chrome and Firefox, show whether the page is secure or not, giving the user the information to help to decide whether they trust their data on this site.
Why do I need to be secure?
Customer trust – Any sites showing http:// will show a ‘not secure’ warning. Being HTTPS compliant increases customer trust. As of Chrome 68, sites will be marked as not secure, showing that they could be more susceptible to attacks. Google are actively telling users that they cannot trust you as much as your competitors who are HTTPS.
Rankings – It has also been a Google ranking factor since 2014 when Google announced HTTPS sites would be given a small rankings boost. If two web pages were considered as relevant as the other, Google would give preference to the secure one. More than half of Google’s top results are now HTTPS, showing the preference for the more secure site. If you want the top spot, you need to be secure.
The future – 56% of internet users use Chrome so it is a good idea to make sure you look as secure as possible on the browser. By upgrading to HTTPS you are future-proofing your site. Other browsers, such as Firefox, have suggested their intention to follow suit with ‘secure’ and ‘not secure’ labelling and HTTP depreciation.
Quick HTTPS migration checklist
- Check you have implemented the SSL.
- Check all your pages are displaying HTTPS.
- Change your accounts such as Google Analytics, Search Console, and any ranking software to display the new URL.
- Check for broken links.
- Does everything redirect to HTTPS?
It seems complicated…
You can always come to the professionals at Adtrak to discuss the security of your site. Adtrak are experienced in migrating sites from HTTP to HTTPS. As a Google Premier Partner, we take their advice and guidelines very seriously so you know you’re in safe hands. Depending on how big and complex the site is, it can be very difficult to make sure everything runs smoothly. By doing a migration incorrectly, you can destroy years worth of work and rankings. This is why you should ensure you get the help of professionals who can monitor your site at every stage from pre migration to post migration.
Get in touch with the experts at Adtrak for more information about HTTPS today.
