Digital Marketing Blog

Secure your website now before Google shames you

by | Mar 14, 2018

Secure your website now before Google shames you
I can’t imagine you don’t know already know but I’ll say it anyway…Google is both the leader in the search engine market and the browser market. As such, Google has the power to greatly affect change in the way you do business on the web. Coming this July Google will use that power to push business owners to add HTTPS encryption to their websites.

Here’s what Google is doing.

In July 2018, Google will roll out a new version of the Chrome web browser that will label any site using HTTP as “Not Secure”. Here is what this change will look like:

Current:
July 2018:

Google is making this change because HTTP is an absolutely ancient communications protocol for websites, one that is not secure. When you fill out forms, login, or browse on a website that uses only a HTTP connection anyone can spy on or steal data passed back-and-forth between you and the website.

How to know if your website will be affected.

Open your website at look at the address field of your browser. If your domain begins with “HTTP://” then your site will be affected by Google’s change. ANY website pages without HTTPS will be labeled as insecure, potentially scaring away your customers.

Here’s what you can do about it.

The good news is that preparing your site for this change is relatively simple. One of the easiest ways to get HTTPS in front of your domain is by adding an SSL or “Secure Sockets Layer” Certificate to your site. In simple terms, what SSL does is provide a secure connection between your web browser and the website you are visiting. This way, any information shared will be encrypted when sent to the website.

Along with the improved security, there are other benefits to using HTTPS on your website.  Using HTTPS will signal to Google that your site is secure and on Chrome and most browsers a padlock will appear in the browser similar to the image below:

Domain with SSL:

This green padlock can instill a greater level of trust among your website visitors that they are not at risk of compromising their passwords or credit card numbers. Even better, Google includes HTTPS as a ranking signal so adding it to your website could have a positive impact on your search rankings.
Google has already implemented this change on website pages that collect password or credit card data so if you have those on your website you need to add HTTPS right away. Even if your site does not, it’s not too soon to make the change so you will be ready for Google’s July 2018 deadline. Most web hosting companies offer SSL Certificates at a reasonably low price so check with your hosting provider right away to see what options are available.
Brian Rugg

Brian Rugg

Vice President, Think Big Go Local, Inc.

My focus is on web site design and usability, search engine optimization, and content strategy. More than just building a flashy website, I strive to make sure my work accurately reflects our clients’ brand and message to help drive sales.