Does HTTP or HTTPS make a difference for SEO?

In today's SEO environment, having an HTTPS website has the potential of increasing your rankings.

However, an HTTPS website might not be ideal for certain companies, which is why it's important to understand the differences between the two.

HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP)

HTTP is a system f0r transmitting and receiving information throughout the internet. HTTP is an application layer protocol, which means that its focus is specifically on how information is presented to users. Because it is "stateless," remembering minimal information about previous sessions, it requires less space to save data, subsequently increasing speed.

HTTP is ideal when accessing html pages, along with other resources. Many websites that don't contain confidential information can benefit from HTTP over HTTPS.

Secure HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTPS)

HTTPS is simply the secure form of HTTP, developed to enable authorization and more secure transactions. This helps prevent the leaking of confidential information such as customer logins and payment info that might otherwise be at risk of compromise. It follows the same basic protocols as HTTP, but except it uses a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to transport data safely, which is what influences Google.

Ultimately, HTTPS is pretty much necessary for websites that handle private and sensitive data, with an extra layer of security.

How HTTPS Influences SEO

Google wants websites that are both certified and trusted. Having a website with an encrypted HTTPS connection tells Google that your website is more trustworthy, and a certificate indicates that it's an overall trusted third party. As a result, HTTPS serves as a ranking signal.

Another way HTTPS helps web masters is by securing referral data, along with overall additional security and privacy that makes it harder for hackers to access information.

Switching to HTTPS can help your website not only rank better, but it can also help keep information secure at all times.