The HTTPS issue

Okay I've got a client who uses auctioned domain for his money site, but now he is insisting on getting HTTPS installed albeit I've explained him that it still can rank and showed him some examples.

I use HTTPS for brand new sites, but for auctioned/expired, I really don't, especially if the already-backlinks are pointed to HTTP.

Not that I don't know how to redirect (as it should redirect them automatically if properly configured).

My question... what do you think? Should HTTPS matter? Anyone lost traffic when switching?

You need to redirect all your http to https or you'll lose a lot of traffic.

I might be a minority here, but IMO, putting strong auction domains on https, while all the links point to http is a waste of firepower. They will get redirected to https automatically, sure, but 301 redirects drop a bit of link juice. So IMO benefit of https, compared to slight link loss due to redirect is not worth it.

A lot of question regarding https last days, you will lose link power and as well some links completely, if you keep htttp it is not end of world, https it is just another seo factor but not most important one, secondly if you dont collect any serious information on your site like card or passport numbers etc, you dont need ssl.

For new domain it is another story, you better get ssl

I don't think it matter, I put some very strong domains on https, still rank like a charm.

I just recently move a few of my clients site to https, not much affect in term of ranking really (not up nor down). It is just good for CR% since now Chrome returns "insecure" if your page has a submission form.

m.rvs2141 said:

A lot of question regarding https last days, you will lose link power and as well some links completely, if you keep htttp it is not end of world, https it is just another seo factor but not most important one, secondly if you dont collect any serious information on your site like card or passport numbers etc, you dont need ssl.

For new domain it is another story, you better get ssl

Click to expand...

Exactly! And also for new domains, that's what I do as well. Unless you do HTTPS at the very start before doing backlinking.

Peter Ngo said:

I don't think it matter, I put some very strong domains on https, still rank like a charm.

I just recently move a few of my clients site to https, not much affect in term of ranking really (not up nor down). It is just good for CR% since now Chrome returns "insecure" if your page has a submission form.

Click to expand...

I put in a simple newsletter subscription form though. Yeah, the site shows in Chrome "Not Secured".

Nargil said:

I might be a minority here, but IMO, putting strong auction domains on https, while all the links point to http is a waste of firepower. They will get redirected to https automatically, sure, but 301 redirects drop a bit of link juice. So IMO benefit of https, compared to slight link loss due to redirect is not worth it.

Click to expand...

I agree with what Nargil said. I've put strong domains on https and found the same thing.

move your website from http to https without losing seo

Step 1: Install an SSL Certificate to your server
The first step is to purchase and install an SSL certificate on your web server. Google states that you can use any modern SSL certificate as long as it supports 2048-bit key encryption.The best way to get past this step is to contact your web hosting provider and ask them to install an SSL certificate on your server.

Step 2: Change WordPress Default URL
Make sure that both your WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) starts with https.

Step 3: Add 301 Redirects to Redirect HTTP requests to https
So far, you have installed an SSL certificate on the server and changed the default WordPress URL to be https.

This is not the end of the process. In order to gain the SEO advantage from https, your website needs to be configured to redirect http requests to https requests.

In other words, the default URL for all your posts should start with https and not http.

Step 4: Use Search and Replace
The next step is to correct any internal links that you have in your content to point to the https version.

For example, if you have internal links in your content that starts with HTTP, you will have to change them to point to https, otherwise, this will create mixed content warnings and the browser will not show your website as secure.


Step 5: Check for non-https links
The next step is to check for any external links you have in the content and make sure that start with https and not http.

You can do this by navigating through your website’s pages. If the browser bar shows that the page is not secure (like the example below), find the link that is not secure and change it to https.


Step 6: Check for broken links
If you followed the above steps successfully, then most probably your website should be fully https with no mixed content warnings and you won’t have to do anything else.

As an extra measure, you can check and ensure that you don’t have any broken links (either http or https).

Step 7: Add your https website to Google Search Console
To maintain your current Google rankings and to officially inform Google that your website is now https, you need to add the https variations to your Google search console.



-copied from somewhere else

Do I have to change my website to HTTPS if its just a blog, seems like a lot of hard work and why the hell would they do this https thing? there are so many websties with history going back to 20 plus years and they want them to change to that, I dont get it.

@Reem khan , I kinda know how to use and implement https, so thanks, but no thanks...

@SimonSez yep! Some local sites are actually ranking #1 both in map pack and serp. I do hav a subscription form, so it shows not secured.

OnniChan said:

@Reem khan , I kinda know how to use and implement https, so thanks, but no thanks...

@SimonSez yep! Some local sites are actually ranking #1 both in map pack and serp. I do hav a subscription form, so it shows not secured.

Click to expand...

Im just a niche blog, so my website will get a boost if I do this? why did google change it to this https
?

Get him the ssl certficate. Https is pretty much a standard nowadays and as a website owner you want the best for your site. Treat it how you'd treat a new, modern, up to date website, specially if he wants you to. I disagree with @Nargil, urls will be redirected to the new protocol and protecting a minimal juice loss, if any at all, is not worth the price of building a website with non standard technologies, specially since as time passes, non ssl websites (http) will be relegeated by both search engines and browsers (and even the visitor's perception of the webiste).

SSL become main aspect in SEO ranking because clients used to trust and access the sites which are SSL protected. If your website is eCommerce site then customer used to do payments only with SSL sites. SSL sites load faster than non-SSL site so it's automatically increase the page ranking.

When customer used to see the green padlock on top left corner of the web-browser then the click rate of such sites is greater than non-SSL site. Trust factor is associated with the SSL site.

There won't be any negative effect on the ranking of the website when you will active https. Make sure you have added 301 redirect properly where it is necessary. When there is active SSL on your website then you should make sure that every instance of http is replaced with the https. You can enable plugin for it in WordPress which will replace the all http instances with https.

I haven't seen any traffic loss after switching to https. As google got everyone switching to https they know exactly when a site has followed it and they don't hurt your rankings IF you do it right. Google for a redirect checker after activating it, and make sure you have all pages 301 redirect -> 200 OK (from http to https).