Losing Rank After SSL Verification...

KHR · Sep 27, 2015

Hello,

Few days ago I got SSL Certificate, I deleted the http version from webmaster tools & submitted the https version. All the links are redirecting to HTTPS version. I submitted 20 links in sitemap and Google indexed 19 links. Every thing is ok here. I also checked site:example.com Google indexed my full site including Tags.

But when I searched with keywords, my site is not showing on SERPs. Before SSL verified my site was in first 1-2 pages with 8 keywords. I also checked with rank tracker my site is not in 250+ now.

I never got any penalty. My site is new. No spam links, I also never build any links.

How I can recover my rank?

Thanks in advance.

archon10 · Sep 28, 2015

You said that you deleted it. You mean you deindexed the site? You don't want to do that. Never use that tool for canonical issues.

There is a catch-22 when you make big changes like this. Your site gets recrawled and reevaluated. It can sometimes mean a change in rank. But, I would wait a few weeks and see what happens. If you deindexed it, definitely cancel that.

Stizerg · Sep 28, 2015

First of all, it is not necessary to remove http site from webmaster tools, I'd suggest to add it back.
Secondly, it takes some time for google to transfer all ranking signals to new site.
Wait for 3-4 weeks.

if you add your http version back to webmaster tools, you'll see a slow decrease of indexed pages counter and increase in https version.
so, yes, it's slow process, just don't panic yet.

P.M. make sure all possible versions of URL redirecting to only one of them, check internal pages as well.

wesleyjf91 · Sep 28, 2015

Did you redirect the old links to the new ones? Google has to crawl through the new links...

Eri001 · Sep 28, 2015

Well, this is very wrong. You didnt use Change of Address, did you... At the Search Console, you have to add a new entry property (ADD A PROPERTY) without deleting the old one.
I.E
Old site: http(yoursite)
New site: https(yoursite)

And after the new site has been created, you have to go to the property of the OLD site and than you have to use the Change of Address without losing your indexed pages. It works for everything, even when you change domain. I have changed many times my domain and losing only a few pages, but i had indexed 2000 pages. So losing just a few is not big lose for me. You have to use the Change of Address

Eri001 · Sep 28, 2015

Almost forgot, i think you have to use a 301 redirection at your htaccess as well.
I.E

RewriteEngine on
RewriteBase /
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^www(dot)oldsite(dot)com [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^oldsite(dot)com[NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https: (slash slash)newsite(dot)com/$1 [L,R=301,NC]

OR

RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https: (slash slash)www(dot)newsite(dot)com/$1 [L,R=301,NC]

Depends if you are using www or NON www as primary domain. Beause if you are using them both you will get redundant domain

KHR · Sep 28, 2015

archon10 said:
You said that you deleted it. You mean you deindexed the site? You don't want to do that. Never use that tool for canonical issues.

There is a catch-22 when you make big changes like this. Your site gets recrawled and reevaluated. It can sometimes mean a change in rank. But, I would wait a few weeks and see what happens. If you deindexed it, definitely cancel that.

I just Deleted the Property, Not Deindexed. And Resubmit the HTTPS Version.

Stizerg said:
First of all, it is not necessary to remove http site from webmaster tools, I'd suggest to add it back.
Secondly, it takes some time for google to transfer all ranking signals to new site.
Wait for 3-4 weeks.

if you add your http version back to webmaster tools, you'll see a slow decrease of indexed pages counter and increase in https version.
so, yes, it's slow process, just don't panic yet.

P.M. make sure all possible versions of URL redirecting to only one of them, check internal pages as well.

Thanks Mate. Yes, All the links are redirecting to HTTPS Version.

wesleyjf91 said:
Did you redirect the old links to the new ones? Google has to crawl through the new links...

Yes, All the links are redirecting to HTTPS Version.

Eri001 said:
Well, this is very wrong. You didnt use Change of Address, did you... At the Search Console, you have to add a new entry property (ADD A PROPERTY) without deleting the old one.
I.E
Old site: http(yoursite)
New site: https(yoursite)

And after the new site has been created, you have to go to the property of the OLD site and than you have to use the Change of Address without losing your indexed pages. It works for everything, even when you change domain. I have changed many times my domain and losing only a few pages, but i had indexed 2000 pages. So losing just a few is not big lose for me. You have to use the Change of Address

I just Removed the HTTP Version & Resubmitted HTTPS Version. All my pages are indexed very well. I see, google showing my 1 Tag Page with 1 keyword, but not showing my Article.

Eri001 said:
Almost forgot, i think you have to use a 301 redirection at your htaccess as well.
I.E

RewriteEngine on
RewriteBase /
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^www(dot)oldsite(dot)com [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^oldsite(dot)com[NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https: (slash slash)newsite(dot)com/$1 [L,R=301,NC]

OR

RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https: (slash slash)www(dot)newsite(dot)com/$1 [L,R=301,NC]

Depends if you are using www or NON www as primary domain. Beause if you are using them both you will get redundant domain

Code:

# BEGIN HTTPS Redirection Plugin
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]
</IfModule>
# END HTTPS Redirection Plugin


# BEGIN GD-SSL
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
Options +FollowSymLinks
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on
RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} ^(.+)$
RewriteCond %{SERVER_NAME} ^www\.example\.com$
RewriteRule .* https://%{SERVER_NAME}%{REQUEST_URI} [R=301,L]
Header add Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=300"
</IfModule>
# END GD-SSL

I wrote this code on .htaccess file. Its working properly.

Zwielicht · Sep 28, 2015

When I switched from HTTP to HTTPS, I left the HTTP version on my Search Console (Webmaster Tools) to make sure that the HTTP version of my site in Google's SERPs would switch to HTTPS properly. I also 301 redirected all of my old HTTP pages to HTTPS.

If you didn't 301 redirect your pages, then Google will assume that the page no longer exists and deindex it from the SERPs before indexing the HTTPS version, whereas with a 301 redirect, your rankings will stay where stay where they are (or move slightly) and switch to HTTPS in the SERPS.

Edit: I just saw your post above. Try double checking to make sure that your pages are 301 redirecting to the HTTPS versions. I had an issue with my own site where the 301 redirect plugin I was using stopped working, so I ended up losing my rankings for some of my articles.

KHR · Sep 28, 2015

Zwielicht said:
When I switched from HTTP to HTTPS, I left the HTTP version on my Search Console (Webmaster Tools) to make sure that the HTTP version of my site in Google's SERPs would switch to HTTPS properly. I also 301 redirected all of my old HTTP pages to HTTPS.

If you didn't 301 redirect your pages, then Google will assume that the page no longer exists and deindex it from the SERPs before indexing the HTTPS version, whereas with a 301 redirect, your rankings will stay where stay where they are (or move slightly) and switch to HTTPS in the SERPS.

Edit: I just saw your post above. Try double checking to make sure that your pages are 301 redirecting to the HTTPS versions. I had an issue with my own site where the 301 redirect plugin I was using stopped working, so I ended up losing my rankings for some of my articles.

Thanks for your advice. This is my 1st time I moved to the HTTPS site. Thats why I removed HTTP Version, this is Big Mistake. But I see, Google Indexed All the Links Very Well with the new version. I assumed that, for this I lost my rank.

I checked my entire site with 301 redirection checker, its showing everything OK. Do you suggest any code to redirect permanently(301) ?

Zwielicht · Sep 28, 2015

K.H.R said:
Thanks for your advice. This is my 1st time I moved to the HTTPS site. Thats why I removed HTTP Version, this is Big Mistake. But I see, Google Indexed All the Links Very Well with the new version. I assumed that, for this I lost my rank.

I checked my entire site with 301 redirection checker, its showing everything OK. Do you suggest any code to redirect permanently(301) ?

Yeah, my experience wasn't too great when I first switched to HTTPS as well (I used the free SSL certificate from Cloudflare).

Depending on your web host, I believe you can do a 301 redirect through your cPanel, but I'm not too sure about this. You can also try this code out, but I've never used it myself.

<?
Header( "HTTP/1.1 301 Moved Permanently" );
Header( "Location: http://www.domain.com" );
exit();
?>

Eri001 · Sep 28, 2015

The problem is that you have already deleted the old site. Google need at least 3 weeks to index your new address (even when you change only the protocol and the domain is still the same, Google is considering as a new address).
I dont know if there is possible to recover the old ranks, but try to add again the old site (http), and than add the sitemap again. Remove all redirection script (htaccess or php), i mean switching your site as you had it before.
Wait a few hours and than go to sitemap to see if there is the old ranks, i.e. 20 submittet, 20 indexed. If everything goes OK, than use the Change of Address tool, you can Google it for a detailed guide

Ps: if you are searching for your site at google, you have to delete your browser cookies and cache because google will show the same search result you searched previously

sunny_clicks · Sep 28, 2015

You should have started with verifying with both the versions of your site with http and https. and then you should have told webmaster your preferred URL.
As for now since you have started loosing your rank you need to make sure that you redirect old URLs (permanent-301) as rightly pointed above to the new ones. recovery of ranks will take some time. In the mean while try to finish all the redirecting work as quickly as you can before google starts to count more "broken links on your site."

Losing Rank After SSL Verification...

KHR

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archon10

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Stizerg

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Eri001

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Eri001

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KHR

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Zwielicht

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KHR

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Zwielicht

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Eri001

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sunny_clicks

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