Story Based Question
You’ve been running an e-commerce store for a while, selling fashionable winter jackets, and recently, you’ve noticed a drop in site traffic and rankings. Your store is secure with all your payment gateways protected, but you haven’t switched to HTTPS. You’re hearing more and more about HTTPS being important for SEO, and you start wondering, “Could not using HTTPS be hurting my search rankings? Should I make the switch to HTTPS, and how will it affect my SEO performance?”
After a bit of research, you realize HTTPS is a key factor not just for security, but also for SEO, and that it could give your rankings a significant boost.
Exact Answer
Switching to HTTPS improves your e-commerce SEO by boosting site security, enhancing trust with users, and improving user experience. Google uses HTTPS as a ranking factor, so sites with HTTPS can have a slight advantage over non-secure sites. It also helps prevent issues like mixed content errors, which can negatively impact SEO.
Explanation
HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure) is the secure version of HTTP, which ensures that all communication between a user’s browser and your website is encrypted. In e-commerce, where transactions and sensitive customer data are involved, HTTPS plays a crucial role not just in security, but also in SEO. Here’s how HTTPS impacts your e-commerce site’s SEO:
- Google Uses HTTPS as a Ranking Signal:
In 2014, Google confirmed that HTTPS is a ranking factor. This means that websites using HTTPS may get a slight SEO boost over non-secure HTTP sites. While HTTPS alone won’t guarantee top rankings, it helps improve your site’s authority in Google’s eyes, which could lead to better rankings and more organic traffic. - Improved Security and Trust:
An HTTPS website ensures that data exchanged between your store and your customers is encrypted, meaning sensitive information like credit card details or personal data is secure. Google prioritizes secure websites because they provide a safer experience for users, which builds trust. Customers are more likely to buy from a site they feel is secure, which can lower bounce rates and improve conversion rates—both of which are positive signals for SEO. - No Mixed Content Issues:
If your website is partially HTTPS (i.e., some pages are secure, while others are not), it can cause mixed content issues. This happens when a secure page tries to load non-secure elements (like images or scripts), which can affect the user experience and SEO performance. By switching fully to HTTPS, you avoid this issue, ensuring your site is fully secure and delivering the best possible experience to visitors. - Improved User Experience:
When a website is HTTPS-secured, browsers will often display a green padlock next to your website’s URL. This gives users confidence that your site is trustworthy and safe. On the other hand, a site without HTTPS is marked as “Not Secure” in the browser, which can make customers hesitant, especially when entering personal or payment information. This could lead to higher bounce rates, cart abandonment, and lower conversion rates—negative impacts on your SEO. - Referrer Data Preservation:
When a website switches from HTTP to HTTPS, referrer data (information about where traffic is coming from) is preserved. If your site still uses HTTP, any referral data passed from a secure website may be stripped, making it harder to track your traffic sources accurately. With HTTPS, this data stays intact, providing you with more accurate analytics and a clearer understanding of how visitors find your store, which can inform your SEO strategies.
Example
Imagine you have an e-commerce site selling stylish winter jackets, and your current site runs on HTTP. One day, a potential customer visits your site from a Google search result, but when they see the “Not Secure” warning in their browser, they hesitate and leave. You’ve noticed a slight decline in your rankings, and you’re considering switching to HTTPS. Here’s how it could play out:
- SEO Boost:
Once you switch to HTTPS, Google sees your site as more secure and trustworthy. This minor boost could result in slightly improved rankings, making it easier for your jacket store to show up higher in search results. - Better User Trust and Conversion:
A customer now visits your site, and instead of seeing a “Not Secure” warning, they see the green padlock symbol, signaling your site is safe. This increases their confidence, and they complete their purchase without hesitation. Lower bounce rates and higher conversions are positive signals that Google values in SEO. - No Mixed Content Issues:
During the switch, you ensure all resources (images, videos, and scripts) on your site are served over HTTPS. This eliminates the possibility of mixed content issues, and the user can now access your site without interruptions. - Accurate Analytics:
After the switch, you notice your analytics show more accurate traffic sources since referrer data isn’t stripped when traffic comes from a secure site. This gives you better insights into where your customers are coming from and which marketing channels are working best.
By making the switch to HTTPS, you’re not just improving your site’s security; you’re also improving its SEO performance, user experience, and trustworthiness, which can result in better rankings, more traffic, and higher conversion rates.