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How important is SSL now?

by TheTwoPointZero
54 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Hi. I was wondering how important having a SSL is now for a local niche business like roofing or plumbing or doctors etc.? These are websites that do not sell things. The reason I ask is that I have heard that having a SSL and https url is starting to get better ranking in search results. Is that true? Is it a big difference?

Thanks!
#important #ssl
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  • Profile picture of the author dave_hermansen
    Supposedly, you get a very little edge in ranking on Google. More important, Chrome is supposed to start marking all sites that do not have an SSL as unsecure starting this month (it doesn't seem to have happened yet).

    It's ridiculous, I know, for an informational site to have to get an SSL when there is no information being asked of the site visitor (unless you have a Contact Us form). Still, as an average, unknowing potential customer, what would you do if the site you were visiting had a warning from Chrome that it was not secure?
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    • Profile picture of the author expmrb
      Originally Posted by dave_hermansen View Post

      Supposedly, you get a very little edge in ranking on Google. More important, Chrome is supposed to start marking all sites that do not have an SSL as unsecure starting this month (it doesn't seem to have happened yet).

      It's ridiculous, I know, for an informational site to have to get an SSL when there is no information being asked of the site visitor (unless you have a Contact Us form). Still, as an average, unknowing potential customer, what would you do if the site you were visiting had a warning from Chrome that it was not secure?

      Yeah, they have implemented it in the latest Chrome version.
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      • Profile picture of the author dave_hermansen
        Originally Posted by expmrb View Post

        Yeah, they have implemented it in the latest Chrome version.
        That's what I was led to believe, too, but I checked a website that I know does not have an SSL on all of its pages just prior to posting my comment last night and there was no blatant warning in Chrome. Sure, it had the same little "i" symbol you could click and see a warning, but not the automatic warning that they are supposed to have rolled out for any pages that are not secure. That site DOES have an SSL on pages that need to be secure but my understanding was that the warning would automatically occur for any page that did not have an SLL (in other words, whole site HTTPS).
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        • Profile picture of the author dave_hermansen
          Originally Posted by dave_hermansen View Post

          That's what I was led to believe, too, but I checked a website that I know does not have an SSL on all of its pages just prior to posting my comment last night and there was no blatant warning in Chrome. Sure, it had the same little "i" symbol you could click and see a warning, but not the automatic warning that they are supposed to have rolled out for any pages that are not secure. That site DOES have an SSL on pages that need to be secure but my understanding was that the warning would automatically occur for any page that did not have an SLL (in other words, whole site HTTPS).
          MY BAD! Chrome had not automatically updated itself. When I updated Chrome, that site shows as not secure (just like Warrior Forum pages now all say not secure). It's not quite as blatant a warning as I expected but it most certainly could affect how many visitors perceive things - especially once people start getting used to looking for it.
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        • Profile picture of the author expmrb
          Originally Posted by dave_hermansen View Post

          That's what I was led to believe, too, but I checked a website that I know does not have an SSL on all of its pages just prior to posting my comment last night and there was no blatant warning in Chrome. Sure, it had the same little "i" symbol you could click and see a warning, but not the automatic warning that they are supposed to have rolled out for any pages that are not secure. That site DOES have an SSL on pages that need to be secure but my understanding was that the warning would automatically occur for any page that did not have an SLL (in other words, whole site HTTPS).

          I don't know about you. But I am seeing 'Not Secure' in the url for non https sites.
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          • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
            Originally Posted by expmrb View Post

            I don't know about you. But I am seeing 'Not Secure' in the url for non https sites.
            It rolled out on Tuesday. You have to be running Chrome version 68.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dony Kumar
      Yes, that exactly I appreciate at all.
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  • Profile picture of the author TheTwoPointZero
    Thank you for your reply. I do see the advantage then of getting the SSL even if not for the SEO boost then for not getting listed as insecure.
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  • Profile picture of the author YourGoToWriter
    SSL is more important now than ever. It helps you establish your client's trust and avoid phishing.
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  • Profile picture of the author amarnath subramani
    A site without secure https will be termed by chrome and other browsers as not secure. If tour site is an ecommerce site then your customer details can be stolen by hackers.

    Jack from Piqued Digi Media pvt ltd
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  • Profile picture of the author pammy mandal
    It is compulsory for all website because if your website has not SSL certificate then your website will kick out from serps ranking.
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanbiddulph
    Dave H. said it TTPZ; whenever I visit a site and get a warning from my Chrome browser I close it immediately. No questions. The number of Chrome users alone should goad you to get SSL set up immediately. So simple too; just ask your developer to do it and it'll save you headaches and grow your readership too.

    Admittedly; it could be a bit annoying to set it up considering you have zero commerce going on, but well worth the time and investment, to keep readers coming to your site.

    Ryan
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  • Profile picture of the author TheTwoPointZero
    Thank you everyone. Does anyone have a particular website that they buy SSLs from? I am looking for the least expensive option possible. Most of my clients do not use subdomains so I would likely not need wildcard so whatever the least expensive one is. Who do you buy your SSLs from? I am looking for some that are less than $25 - $40 per year preferably less. Thanks!
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    • Profile picture of the author Mark Bradley
      Originally Posted by TheTwoPointZero View Post

      Thank you everyone. Does anyone have a particular website that they buy SSLs from? I am looking for the least expensive option possible. Most of my clients do not use subdomains so I would likely not need wildcard so whatever the least expensive one is. Who do you buy your SSLs from? I am looking for some that are less than $25 - $40 per year preferably less. Thanks!
      You can get a free positive SSL certificate with Namecheap hosting.
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    • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
      Originally Posted by TheTwoPointZero View Post

      Thank you everyone. Does anyone have a particular website that they buy SSLs from? I am looking for the least expensive option possible. Most of my clients do not use subdomains so I would likely not need wildcard so whatever the least expensive one is. Who do you buy your SSLs from? I am looking for some that are less than $25 - $40 per year preferably less. Thanks!
      Let's Encrypt offers free certificates and is integrated with cpanel on just about any reputable web host now.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kingsly David
    Get search engine rank benefits and increased client's trust from installing SSL. Google announced that having an SSL Certificate is the easiest thing site owners can do to boost SEO ranking. So SSL is important for seo rank improvement.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lemosys
    SSL is Most Important Factor Now a day, How?


    Its Increase security of your website
    Its best function for Ecommerce Payment gateway
    Credibility and Customer trust
    SEO advantages
    Anyone can't easy hack and make phishing website

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  • Profile picture of the author benthomas642
    Hey Bro, Recently Google Chrome is started marketing websites which are secured or not. I think that now it's compulsory to add SSL and make secure your site. I hope other browsers will do similar very soon as Chrome has started. I also updated my website by SSL. And it's so important as I thought especially for those websites where online transactions happens regularly. I got found an article on the web right just after when I saw these Chrome Update. It's about What is SSL and How it's Works? I m sure it's really beneficial for you to understand about SSL briefly.
    Also, 2 website's I got from where you can get free SSL for your website.
    1st is Cloudfare and 2nd is Letsencrypt. But I m not really sure that these free SSL are really worthy for your website or not.
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  • Profile picture of the author Castor Troy1
    For security reason SSL certificate need add to a site. According to google every site need to be under SSL certificate to safe from hackers. So if your site is important then you should add this certificate.
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
    Originally Posted by Lemosys View Post

    SSL is Most Important Factor Now a day, How?


    Its Increase security of your website
    Its best function for Ecommerce Payment gateway
    Credibility and Customer trust
    SEO advantages
    Anyone can't easy hack and make phishing website

    Originally Posted by Castor Troy1 View Post

    For security reason SSL certificate need add to a site. According to google every site need to be under SSL certificate to safe from hackers. So if your site is important then you should add this certificate.

    Ignore both of these answers. Having an SSL certificate does not help at all to keep hackers out of a website. It has nothing to do with that.
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  • Profile picture of the author expmrb
    SSL means that your password is secure that not necessarily means its unhackable.
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    • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
      Originally Posted by expmrb View Post

      SSL means that your password is secure that not necessarily means its unhackable.
      It does not mean your password is secure either.
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  • Profile picture of the author Hostfinch
    Yes, it is effective for an SEO. As per the latest norms of Google, websites having SSL Certificates will get small ranking benefit, small I mean literally a small one. But, in the end what you offer is the main thing, which is content. Apart from this, no matter which website you have whether it's a simple personal blogging website which just offers content, SSL/TLS Certificate (HTTPS) should be there or else visitors will start getting notification that they are not on secured website through all the major web browsers like Google Chrome & Mozilla Firefox and it could also be possible that further down the road they may block the website to be loaded on web browser.
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  • Profile picture of the author sanket kumar
    Hey,
    SSL has now become an important part of SEO process as it builds trust and confidence of the visitors completely.
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    • Profile picture of the author expmrb
      Originally Posted by sanket kumar View Post

      Hey,
      SSL has now become an important part of SEO process as it builds trust and confidence of the visitors completely.

      Yeah it build trust alright to an average Joe who doesn't have any idea how internet works.
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  • Profile picture of the author affmarketer101
    Google and search engines care about it, it's a factor for better ranking. That's why it's important.
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  • Profile picture of the author redone111
    SSL Have big importance now .If you want to keep your visiters and get trusted by them you really need this
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  • Profile picture of the author BoldBaatar
    It is said that HTTPS is one of the reference factors in Google search ranking algorithms.
    Additionally, anyone can install free SSL certificate like Let's encrypt without paying one penny. So why don't you install a SSL certificate?
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  • Profile picture of the author salmanawan
    SSL is to much important for your website ranking and for good reputation.Because in new update google clearly describe that without SSL your website is consider as a error on chrome or insecure.
    so it's good if you use SSL it's not much expensive.Thanks
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    • Profile picture of the author fastreplies
      Originally Posted by salmanawan View Post

      SSL is to much important for your website ranking and for good reputation.
      Can you support your claim with any evidence?

      I can prove that you have no idea what you're talking about. How?
      Google: strongest web directory and look for not one but
      2 pages in top 20 which belong to amray,com and guess what, no SSL

      Originally Posted by salmanawan View Post

      Because in new update google clearly describe that without SSL your website is consider as a error on chrome or insecure.
      So, if I don't use Chrome then there is no error and site is secure?



      fastreplies
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  • Profile picture of the author XenG
    Google has already made this ssl a factor in its ranking. So, whatever Google says, we follow. But in terms of safety and security, especially for ecommerce or business sites, having a secured site is important for potential clients, so they won't be afraid to do business with you online.
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  • Profile picture of the author KylieSweet
    As everyone can notice in the first page up to other page results most of them are already secured so Google considered these websites as safe and trusted to the searchers.
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  • Profile picture of the author andrewaff
    No doubt, https is essential in today's online world. Both users point of view and search engine prospective, https will help in SERP and will build trust to users. It provides authenticity to website users and protects online $ transactions. It protects from money frauds and hijacking. We should make sure correct URL redirection if updating an old http site to https. All old backlinks will only work if a proper redirection is setup on all old http pages.
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  • Profile picture of the author sanket kumar
    SSL is an important part of the SEO Process. It helps to make your website trustworthy and secure.
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
    Originally Posted by KylieSweet View Post

    As everyone can notice in the first page up to other page results most of them are already secured so Google considered these websites as safe and trusted to the searchers.
    They are not ranking on the first page because they are using SSL.

    Originally Posted by sanket kumar View Post

    SSL is an important part of the SEO Process. It helps to make your website trustworthy and secure.
    I wish people like you would stop lying. SSL does not make your site secure. It could still be serving malicious content. It could be hacked. SSL doesn't prevent any of that.
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  • Profile picture of the author BacklinkzTopper
    Yes your rank does get better but slightly.
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    • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
      Originally Posted by BacklinkzTopper View Post

      Yes your rank does get better but slightly.
      Prove it. If you can, you will be the first person ever.
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  • Profile picture of the author sslstoreindia
    It ensures that information is encrypted. When you connect to a server using HTTPs, your HTTP request is using Secure Socket Layer (SS), the "s" stands for secure. SSL is Protocol used to secure communications between a client and server. Essentially SSL meaning using encryption to keep hackers from plugging into your conversation.

    Everyone wants to be clear of cybercriminals and that's where SSL on the website helps. It is among the most potent precautions against hackers and cybercriminals.

    Since Google Chrome 68 makes it mandatory for all website to have an SSL Certificate. Chrome has an enormous user base therefore, it constantly updates the changes to ensure the proper functioning. The constant changes make it easy to roll back to an earlier version if something doesn't work rightly.
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanbiddulph
    Guys; SSL is a trust agent.

    Here's how: people see it, and tend to trust your site, based on seeing it. This is it. It don't hurt to use SSL. Plus as more folks go with SSL aka use it or whatever, if your site is not SSL you get the wicked warning message on a Chrome browser, to turn around. Not a business and trust builder there.

    Forget SEO; get it to keep up with the times and to create a trusted site.
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  • Profile picture of the author bradudan
    My opinon is that SSl in mandatory nowadays! After Google chaged the algorythm again, showing NOT SECURE in Google Chrome for websites that do not have a SSL, i am guessing that SSL is a MUST !

    Is not a direct demand yet, but a subversive one! You should be aware off it!
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  • Profile picture of the author sanjayb
    Nowdays, the SSL certificate is one of the most crucial points for any website, especially for an ecommerce merchant. If you say, the SSL certificate is not suitable or required for a local business, then I must say it's an old school theory. Now, Google already announced HTTPS is mandatory for all types of website, whether you have a blog, personal website or a large online shop.

    The HTTPS is not only a security budge, but it also authenticates your business. Trust is the most important factor for any business. Now, Google is showing 'Not secure' warning on all non-https website which may lead to negative impact on your user's trust. Secondly, SEO boost is another benefit of having an SSL certificate of the website.

    So, if you still haven't added an SSL certificate or switched your website over to HTTPS then go and get it now.
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  • Profile picture of the author squadron
    I have not noticed a drop in rankings yet, but that may change. Interestingly hosting companies like Bluehost and Hostgator now give SSL away. If you are running Wordpress install the Really Simple SSL plugin and see what happens. You may find you already have SSL and did not know.
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  • Profile picture of the author tarunap
    This is important because the information you send on the Internet is passed from computer to computer to get to the destination server. Any computer in between you and the server can see your credit card numbers, usernames and passwords, and other sensitive information if it is not encrypted with an SSL certificate.
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  • Profile picture of the author papabobaichatbot
    SSL is very important and useful in now-a-days, because there are so many hackers and softwares, that's why your site can effected by many problems and the data of your website can be hacked and also it will be unsafe till your website URL can not contain SSL. When your website is without SSL then it will be shown this: http and when you using SSL then it will be shown like this: https. Also, it helps to get good ranking on google or many other search engines.
    So, it will be better that you keep your website URL safe via SSL.
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  • Profile picture of the author buzzinteractive
    SSL is very important for SEO as it is one of the ranking signals. Neil Patel has a dedicated lenghtly Article about Do SSL Certificates Affect Search Rankings?

    and according to Brian Dean, He found that HTTPS is moderately correlated with higher search rankings on the Google's first page.
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  • Profile picture of the author roberthull99
    I switched my site over to SSL some month ago and my search engine rankings tanked, to the point where I have decided to change my business model and start focusing entirely on paid traffic.

    I still think SSL is the way forward though, if Google is pushing for it, it's only a matter of time before non-SSL sites are no longer ranked on the first page. There's already that error sign on Google Chrome for non-SSL sites, which will put potential customers off.
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  • Profile picture of the author anillrao
    To my knowledge, SSL won't give any importance for SEO rankings.
    We browse a lot of websites every day and didn't see any impact with/without SSL.
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  • Profile picture of the author Pranu Shinde
    SSL is very important as it assure the security of our website.This is also very important when our website is related to payment activities so it secure the user's overall detail.
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  • Profile picture of the author Saravanan28
    SSL provides a secure connection between internet browsers and websites, allowing you to transmit private data online.
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  • Profile picture of the author manivel
    SSL certificates are the backbone of website security, and are vital for any business with an online presence. Here are a some reasons importance of SSL,
    • Stops Information Theft
    • Provides a Sense of Security to People Visiting Your Website
    • A Necessity for Online Payments
    • Google says, one of the important ranking factor.
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  • Profile picture of the author parisjohny
    I see no difference......for one site when I switched to SSL I went down from 70 hits per day to practically 0
    It is a drupal site.....so be careful.....google is sometimes so stupid
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  • Profile picture of the author fastestseo
    SSL provides safe communication via the internet and provides protection of sensitive information with encryption techniques. It's improved customer/visitor trust, security against phishing, improved SEO rankings. And Google Chrome will mark all HTTP sites as "not secure". Google also says, if you don't have an SSL Certificate for your site, the Google Chrome browser bar will say your site is not secure.
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  • Profile picture of the author davidlee210
    SSL does help in SEO a little but there is no major effect. It doesn't cost much for SSL so I prefer taking it. Hope this helps.
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