We don’t often pay attention to what happens in the URL bar on our laptops, or even on our phones, but there is one character that we should be paying attention to and that is the S at the of HTTPS://. Now you’ve seen it, you’ll wonder why you never noticed it before, but if you aren’t sure of what exactly it means and what its advantages are, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are the advantages of HTTPS in accordance with the related website Dusan Stanar.
What Is HTTPS?
HTTPS is known as hypertext transfer protocol secure. It is the pathway that is created to send data between your web browser and the website. It is the addition of the S at the end that adds another level of security. Any website that requires you to login, should have the S at the end of the HTTP, if it doesn’t, it means that it isn’t as secure. The reason that HTTPS is secure is because of the additional encryption protocol. You’ll now notice that some websites have HTTPS and some don’t.
Speed
Contrary to popular belief, running the HTTPS protocol doesn’t actually slow your browsing speed down. It has been a long-standing argument that running the additional encryption can result in browsers becoming slow. Whilst this may have been the case a few years ago, this certainty isn’t the case now. Research has been conducted that shows there is no discernible speed decrease when you use the security function, so why not make the most of it.
It Is No Longer Expensive
Previously, HTTPS especially in its early days was expensive. Small businesses and charities often couldn’t afford to have this luxury, so would by-pass it altogether. This could result in people not giving them donations or buying their products because they didn’t feel as though their webpage could be trusted. Thankfully, you no longer have to be externally verified and certificated in order to get HTTPS. It is now easy to attain, and small businesses and charities reap the benefits from having this extra layer of security installed. We’re not saying that you should stay away from sites that don’t have HTTPS but think carefully about what information you want to give it, seeing as how much easier it is to now have the added level of encryption.
If You Don’t Have HTTPS You Will Be Penalised
If you are all about getting traffic to your site, then you need to run HTTPS. Google SEO guidance is constantly changing; however, it looks as though their guidance for HTTPS is here to stay. If you don’t add this extension to your website, you may find that you slip down the search results. Google is wanting to make sure that users of their service get reliable and trustworthy results, hence the change in guidance. So make sure that all your SEO efforts aren’t in vein and set up for HTTPS so you still appear on the first page.
Become An Authoritative Source
Internet users are becoming more wary when it comes to visiting sites that they don’t feel are secure. Having that S at the end of HTTPS will make all the difference to your traffic. With so many scams and phishing occurring on a daily basis, upgrading your security should be a no brainer. People are now more worried about their data than ever before and adding an additional level of encryption will make all the difference to how many people click through to your site. If you and your competitor are selling similar products or have similar content, you’ll find that just by adding the encryption, you will instantly get more clicks if your competitor hasn’t done the same. It really does make all the difference.
Future Proofing
Adding HTTPS to your site now is something that will future proof you later. Whilst it is easier to acquire than it once was, it is still something that you will need to jump through a few hoops for. That being said, sometime soon, we imagine that it may be pushed on website holders if they are taking sensitive information or data from customers. It is one of those things that you may not see the benefit of doing it now, but it will certainly help you in the future.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to getting yourself more traffic to your site, one of the best ways you can do this is by adding another level of security and encryption. It may feel like you have to jump through hoops to get there, but the benefits far outweigh the cons. Not only do you get an added level of security, you become a trusted point of authority. Don’t worry about speed either! This is no longer a concern of HTTPS and is something that was ironed out a long time ago.
