Why Switching to HTTPS is Essential for Your Website’s Success

If you’re considering transitioning to the HTTPS protocol for your website, it’s crucial to understand its impact on security, performance, and SEO benefits.

Understanding the Basics: HTTP vs HTTPS

HTTP, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol, is the foundational protocol used for transferring data over the web. It facilitates communication between web browsers and servers. However, its lack of security measures makes it vulnerable to data breaches.

On the other hand, HTTPS—Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure—functions similarly to HTTP but with a significant enhancement: security. It uses SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security) certificates to encrypt data, ensuring safe data transmission.

How HTTP Works

HTTP operates as an application layer protocol that enables data exchange between web browsers and servers. When a user accesses a webpage, their browser sends an HTTP request to the server hosting the website’s files. The server processes this request and responds, making the webpage accessible to the user.

HTTP vs HTTPS: Which is Better for Your Site?

The choice between HTTP and HTTPS depends on your website’s needs. While HTTP is suitable for general information exchange, HTTPS is essential for sites handling sensitive data. Additionally, HTTPS is becoming the standard for all websites due to its numerous benefits.

Security

Security is a major concern for web users. A survey by GlobalSign found that 77% of visitors worry about the misuse of their data. HTTPS provides a secure browsing experience by encrypting data, protecting it from cybercriminals.

Authority

HTTPS enhances your website’s credibility. Google’s transparency report shows that 99% of Chrome browsing time is on HTTPS websites. Visitors often look for the padlock icon, signifying a secure connection, before trusting a website.

SEO Advantages

Google favors HTTPS sites, offering a minor ranking boost on search engine results pages (SERPs). By 2018, 70% of Google’s first page results were HTTPS sites, indicating a clear advantage over HTTP sites in terms of SEO.

Speed and Performance

HTTPS sites, especially those using HTTP/2, load faster than HTTP sites. This improved performance is crucial for user experience, particularly on mobile devices using Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP).

Referral Traffic Management

HTTPS preserves referrer data, aiding in accurate SEO strategies. It allows you to identify reliable traffic sources through analytics, unlike HTTP, which often misclassifies referral traffic.

How to Switch from HTTP to HTTPS

Most websites hosted on Hostinger include free SSL installation. To enable HTTPS, access your hosting account’s control panel, like <a href=”https://hostinger.com?REFERRALCODE=1CRYPTO99″ rel=”sponsored noopener” target=”_blank”>Hostinger</a>’s hPanel.

Navigate to Websites → Dashboard → Security → SSL.
Check the certificate status and force HTTPS if necessary.

For non-hPanel users, redirect HTTP to HTTPS using .htaccess.

Switching to HTTPS: Risks and Best Practices

Switching to HTTPS may initially impact traffic and rankings. Here are some common risks and best practices:

Visitors Can’t Access Certain Web Pages

Update internal links to point to the HTTPS version to avoid errors.

Search Engines Can’t Crawl and Index Your Site Properly

Create URL redirects and update your sitemap to facilitate proper indexing.

Mixed Content Error

Fix mixed content errors by ensuring all elements load over HTTPS. Use SSL plugins or manually update source code files.

Best Practices

Use robust SSL certificates.
Allow Google to index HTTPS pages using sitemaps and robots.txt files.
Monitor your site’s migration to HTTPS regularly.
Stay updated with security protocols.

Ready to make the switch? Check out Hostinger for affordable hosting plans with free SSL certificates.

Conclusion

Switching to HTTPS is a crucial step in enhancing your website’s security, credibility, and performance. While HTTP is foundational, HTTPS offers encryption through SSL/TLS, providing numerous advantages, including better SEO and faster performance.

Be mindful of potential risks and follow best practices to ensure a smooth transition. If you have questions about transitioning from HTTP to HTTPS, feel free to ask in the comments below.

Starter-Pack HTML Section

May 20, 2024
Tamara J.
9min Read

If you’re considering transitioning to the HTTPS protocol for your website but uncertain about its impact, this article is here to help.
We’ll walk you through the differences between HTTP and HTTPS concerning security, performance, and SEO benefits. You’ll learn into how data is transported via the internet using both protocols and the significance of SSL certificates.
Moreover, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of each protocol, assisting you in making an informed decision about whether to make the switch.

Differences Between HTTP vs HTTPSHow HTTP Works
How HTTP Works
HTTP vs HTTPS: Which One Is Better for My SiteSecurityAuthoritySEO AdvantagesSpeed and PerformanceReferral Traffic Management
Security
Authority
SEO Advantages
Speed and Performance
Referral Traffic Management
How to Switch From HTTP to HTTPS
Switching From HTTP to HTTPS: Risks and Best PracticesVisitors Can’t Access Certain Web PagesSearch Engines Can’t Crawl and Index Your Site ProperlyMixed Content ErrorBest Practices
Visitors Can’t Access Certain Web Pages
Search Engines Can’t Crawl and Index Your Site Properly
Mixed Content Error
Best Practices
How HTTP Works
Security
Authority
SEO Advantages
Speed and Performance
Referral Traffic Management
Visitors Can’t Access Certain Web Pages
Search Engines Can’t Crawl and Index Your Site Properly
Mixed Content Error
Best Practices