HTTPS is worth gold for your website
Visitors want to surf safely. And search engines, especially Google, want to send users to websites they can trust. That's where HTTPS comes in: an essential part of a modern, professional and optimized website.
HTTPS is more than just that green lock in the browser bar. It has a direct influence on how your site is seen, secured and found. In this article we explain in a simple way what HTTPS is, why it is so important, and how you can arrange it today.
What is HTTPS?
HTTPS stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure. It is the secure version of HTTP, the protocol that sends data between your browser and a website.
The most important difference? With HTTPS, all data is encrypted. This means that malicious parties (such as hackers) cannot simply watch or intercept data.
HTTP vs. HTTPS in short:
- HTTP: Unsecured. Anyone can potentially watch.
- HTTPS: Secured. Information is sent encrypted.
This encryption is done using an SSL certificate (or TLS certificate, to be precise), which you install on your web server.
Why is HTTPS important for your website?
1. Securing your visitors
Whether you have a contact form, webshop or login page: without HTTPS, personal data such as names, emails or passwords can be intercepted. With HTTPS, you give visitors confidence that they are communicating securely with your site.
2. Google loves security
Since 2014, Google has used HTTPS as a ranking factor. This means that websites with HTTPS have a better chance of ranking higher in search results than similar websites without security.
3. No more ‘unsafe’ label
Modern browsers such as Chrome and Firefox show a warning if a website is not secure. For example: “This website is not secure.”
That scares visitors off — and rightly so. With HTTPS, you get a reassuring padlock in the address bar. A small symbol, but a big effect on trust.
For whom is HTTPS important?
Short answer: for everyone.
Long answer: HTTPS is not just for banks or webshops. It is also important if you have a simple blog, portfolio or business site.
- Your visitors will trust you more quickly
- Google will not penalize you
- Your data and that of your visitors are safe
- You look professional
Even if you do not collect any data, HTTPS is important. Because without encryption, hackers can even inject advertisements or scripts into your site — without you noticing.
3 real-life examples
1. A contact form without HTTPS
A user fills in their details. Without HTTPS, these details can be intercepted. Result: breach of trust or even GDPR issues.
2. A webshop with HTTP
Sensitive data is sent during checkout. Without HTTPS, the customer drops out — and so does Google.
3. A business site without a padlock
You have a professional appearance, but without HTTPS it feels unsafe. That makes a bad first impression.
How do you get HTTPS?
Fortunately, switching to HTTPS is easy these days. Most hosting providers offer a free SSL certificate via Let’s Encrypt.
Step-by-step plan:
- Check if your provider supports SSL
- Install the certificate via your hosting panel
- Force HTTPS via your .htaccess or CMS settings
- Adjust internal links from http to https
- Use Why No Padlock to test
How much does HTTPS cost?
Often: absolutely nothing! Thanks to Let’s Encrypt, you can install a reliable certificate for free. Paid certificates are only needed for large companies or extra validation.
Are there any disadvantages?
Actually, no. All you have to do is update your links and settings. After that, you only have advantages.
Conclusion: no HTTPS = no trust
No matter how good your content or SEO is — without HTTPS, you’re an unsafe choice. Visitors will drop off, Google will be difficult, and your image will suffer.
So:
- Make your site secure
- Show Google that you’re trustworthy
- Give your visitors peace of mind
That little lock makes a big difference.
Website Authority, also known as Domain Authority, is a measure of the strength and trustworthiness of a website and indicates how well a domain can rank in search engines such as Google. This authority is measured using various tools and metrics, such as Moz’s Domain Authority, Ahrefs’ Domain Rating and Majestic’s Trust Flow and Citation Flow. Important factors that influence Website Authority include the quality and quantity of backlinks, the relevance of content and technical SEO elements such as loading speed and mobile friendliness. Backlinks involve well-known tags, including anchor text and rel attributes such as nofollow, sponsored and ugc, which help search engines understand the value and relationship of links...
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