What is HTTPS?
Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is the secure version of HTTP, the protocol over which data is sent between your browser and the website that you are connected to. The ‘S’ at the end of HTTPS stands for ‘Secure’. It means all communications between your browser and the website are encrypted.
HTTPS sites can be easily identified, as they have a locked padlock icon located on the link bar in most common browsers.
Do I need HTTPS?
The common argument we hear about not needing HTTPS are “we don’t have a user login screen” or “we’re not an ecommerce site storing sensitive data”. Supporting HTTPS offers many benefits besides protecting passwords and sensitive data.
To learn more about SSL watch the video below.
HTTPS actually makes your site faster
HTTPS supports HTTP/2 which brings with it many performance benefits due to better multiplexing and parallelism. HTTP/2 replaces the 15 year old HTTP/1.1 protocol and is supported by all major browser including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, IE and Edge. They all require HTTPS in order to use HTTP/2. See Still think you dont need https by Scott Helme and I wanna go fast https – massive speed advantage by Troy Hunt..
HTTPS gives you better rankings in search engines
Way back in 2014 Google started giving a ranking boost to secure HTTPS/SSL sites. They say it’s a minor boost but every little helps. If you competitors are switching to HTTPS there’s a good chance they may leap-frog you in the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages).
HTTPS improves customer trust
All online businesses rely on building a certain level of trust with their visitors in order for them to complete a transaction. If a visitor doesn’t feel like their information or browsing experience is safe, they might avoid purchasing or filling out a form altogether. According to a GlobalSign survey, 84% of shoppers abandon a purchase if data was sent over an unsecured connection.
WordPress Will Require Users to Have HTTPS This Year
WordPress recently announced that it will require all hosts to have HTTPS and restrict certain WordPress features to sites that have a valid SSL certificate.
Chrome and Firefox will warn users by display “insecure” warnings
Google and Mozilla are taking new steps to warn internet users about websites vulnerable to hacking. In the latest updates to the Chrome and Firefox web browsers, users will be told if they’re submitting sensitive information over insecure HTTP connections.
SSL is not as expensive as you think
SSL certificate pricing starts at around £50 per year. Once you have purchased a certificate we then have to install it for you and make sure all links on your site use “https” and make sure there are no issues with 404 pages – we do this by creating catch-alls and redirects that work behind the scenes to make the transition go smoothly. There’s quite a bit of additional setup including changes to Google Analytics, Google Webmasters, etc.
Certificate prices depend very much on your current host and who their provider is. You can purchase the more expensive certificates EV Certificates. These give you the green marker in the address bar that displays the name of the organisation but these are generally seen on larger ecommerce sites or banks that need to reinforce the customers trust further. If you’re not having users submit personal data then a regular SSL will suit you fine.
We have been working with several providers to get the best possible deal for our customers – and ourselves (we haven’t committed yet to an SSL but that will be resolved once we find the best provider at the best price for our customers).
Get in touch
If you’re an existing customer and you’re interested in upgrading to the HTTPS protocol give us a call on 0191 516 6262 and we can discuss your options.