Imagine you’re at a fancy dinner party, and someone tells you that your website needs to be “HTTPS.” You nod politely, but inside you’re thinking, “What in the world is HTTPS, and why do I need it?”

Well, my friend, HTTPS is a big deal in the world of SEO and website security. It’s the protocol that encrypts the data that’s transmitted between your website and your users’ browsers. In other words, it makes sure that no one can snoop on your website’s conversations.

But why is this important for SEO? Google has made it clear that HTTPS is a ranking signal in their search algorithm. This means that if your website is not HTTPS, it could negatively impact your search engine rankings. And who wants that?

Now, we know that the thought of switching your website to HTTPS might seem overwhelming, but it’s actually not as bad as you think. Here are a few best practices to keep in mind:

• Choose a trusted SSL certificate: Make sure to choose a trusted SSL certificate provider to ensure that your website’s data is secure.
• Use 301 redirects: When switching your website to HTTPS, use 301 redirects to ensure that all of your links are redirected to the new HTTPS versions.
• Update all of your links: Make sure to update all of the links on your website, including internal and external links, to point to the HTTPS versions.
• Monitor your website’s health: Use tools like Google Search Console to monitor your website’s health, and find any issues that may be affecting your HTTPS implementation.

By following these best practices, you can make sure that your website’s switch to HTTPS is smooth and secure. And who wouldn’t want a secure and smooth website?

So, let’s recap: HTTPS is a protocol that encrypts the data transmitted between your website and your users’ browsers, and it’s also a ranking signal in Google’s search algorithm. Choose a trusted SSL certificate, use 301 redirects, update all of your links, and monitor your website’s health to ensure a successful HTTPS implementation.

HTTPS is just one of the things we can assist with at Tomedia. Get in touch with us today to find out more about how we can help your website to achieve SEO success and beyond.