For a while there has been talk about using https rather than http for websites. The difference between the two is that the ‘s’ on https stands for ‘secure’. Websites with https added at the start of the URL indicate an added level of security.
In Google’s browser Google Chrome there is now an icon before the start of the URL that says your site is not secure (if still using http). We have moved our site onto https and you can see in Chrome that it says “Secure” next to a green padlock at the start of the URL if you click the following link: https://www.indigomarmoset.co.uk/
“A web with ubiquitous HTTPS is not the distant future. It’s happening now, with secure browsing becoming standard for users of Chrome,” say Chrome’s security team.
While people ignore security alerts 87% of the time, it’s unlikely they’ll be able to ignore an alert like this one:
If you’re working with sensitive customer information, whether that’s credit card info or login credentials, HTTPS is a good way to reassure people that your site is secure. Though if you are taking credit card info and the site was built by us this is likely being done off-site using WorldPay, PayPal or Stripe (to avoid nightmare PPI compliance issues). However using https will help build trust and credibility online.
Google treats HTTPS migrations as a site move and, as you probably know, a site move can come with some rankings issues. This means that:
- You may experience a temporary fluctuation in site ranking during the move.*
- HTTPS sites receive a small ranking boost, but don’t expect a visible change.
To move your site to https a whole range of stuff has to be done, including purchasing a SSL certificate. Personally I think for sites not running e-commerce the whole situation is a bit of a hassle but this looks to be the direction the whole web is being pushed in. We have bitten the bullet and moved to https and we recommend that you do too.
Please call us on 01737 350 389 or e-mail hello@indigomarmoset.co.uk
*When we moved Indigo Marmoset to https we did not experience a negative change in ranking.