This past summer, Google made official what many people in the SEO business already suspected - that HTTPS was now being used as a ranking signal. They stated that “security is a top priority for Google” and that their goal is to make the Internet a safer place all around.

1. HTTPS and SSL Certificates: What They Are
and Why You Should Be Using Them
 This past summer, Google made official what many people in the SEO
business already suspected - that HTTPS was now being used as a
ranking signal. They stated that “security is a top priority for Google”
and that their goal is to make the Internet a safer place all around.
Before we dig into the implications this has on your website, let’s take a
step back and explain HTTPS, or Hyper Transfer Protocol Secure. In its
simplest terms, HTTPS is used in a URL instead of HTTP to signal to the
user that the website is secure – in other words, any data transferred
between your web browser and the website is protected from hackers
and attackers.
HTTPS is most commonly seen in eCommerce websites, particularly at
the checkout. Have you ever noticed the green padlock icon that
appears in your browser window when you proceed to the checkout
page of amazon.com? If you click on the padlock, a dropdown will
appear with more information regarding the verification of the
website. This is a trust factor that assures the buyer they can submit
their credit card information without worrying about their information
being stolen.

2. HTTPS and SSL Certificates: What They Are
and Why You Should Be Using Them

3. HTTPS and SSL Certificates: What They Are
and Why You Should Be Using Them
 HTTPS is directly related to SSL Certificates. If you want to
use HTTPS, you need an SSL Certificate installed on your
website. SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer, and helps to
secure your website in two ways:
 Data Encryption: this means any information hackers try to pull
from your website shows up as gibberish and cannot be used
 Authentication: the SSL Certificate confirms that your website is
really who it claims to be. In the example above,
amazon.com’s SSL Certificate confirms that they are, indeed,
amazon.com and not a hacker posing as amazon.com
 The application and installation process for an SSL
Certificate is designed in a way that only the legitimate
website owner can purchase and use the SSL for their
website, and their website only.

4. HTTPS and SSL Certificates: What They Are
and Why You Should Be Using Them

5. HTTPS and SSL Certificates: What They Are
and Why You Should Be Using Them
 So now we have covered the basics of HTTPS and SSL Certificates. You may be thinking, “Well, my site isn’t
eCommerce, I have no need for either of these.”
I would politely disagree with that statement, and if you don’t take my word for it, hear it straight from the
horse’s mouth. Google’s statement back in August clearly hints that HTTPS will continue to gain importance
over time because they would “like to encourage all website owners to switch from HTTP to HTTPS to keep
everyone safe on the web.” As always, their number one goal is to get the most trusted information out to the
public, and HTTPS and SSL Certificates are an easy way to help establish that trust.
If Google is willing to reward websites with HTTPS by giving them higher page rank, then we don’t see any
reason not to use it. We believe the shift is coming soon, so much so that 1SEO.com is in the process of
installing our own SSL and switching to HTTPS.
Only time will show how big of an impact this ultimately has on rankings, and we all know Google likes to keep
the curveballs coming, but as always we try to stay ahead of the curve.
 About 1SEO.com
1SEO.com is a digital marketing agency located in Bucks County, PA. Recently surpassing their 5 year
anniversary, the 1SEO.com team has proven itself to be a leader in their industry. They offer search engine
optimization, pay per click, social media optimization, and website design and development services to
international, national, and local clients. They pride themselves on working closely with their clients to ensure
that their business relationships with them are long-lasting, and that they are also able get the most out of their
Internet marketing campaigns.
To learn more visit http://www.1seo.com/