With security a top priority for search engines such as Google, websites face the challenge of ensuring their pages are safe from data breaches. Converting HTTP websites into HTTPS sites has become more important now than ever. To the uninitiated, these two acronyms tend to be interchangeable. After all, they appear on the URL of most websites. But they cannot be more different and as a website owner, it’s important to understand the implications of keeping and HTTP site or how make website HTTPS.
Communication protocols and data transfers
Every time you go on the internet and attempt to open a page, your web browser talks to other servers in the network to retrieve the information you ask for. When you “called” for this article, either by clicking on its link from a search engine results page or any other website, your web browser (e.g. Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox) communicated with this blog’s server. The server in turn, retrieved this page and served it up through your browser. This split second exchange uses a communication protocol to transfer data between client and server.
HTTP vs HTTPS
HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol) and HTTPS (HTTP secure) are two communication protocols used in these data transfers. In HTTP, information is transmitted in real text so that anyone who attempts to intercept or listen into the exchange will be able to see the data in its actual format. This is a security concern especially when transmitting sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers and social security numbers.
To address this issue, HTTPS was born. This communication protocol adds an extra layer of security by protecting data through encryption. It uses SSL (secure socket layer) and TLS (transport layer security) to encrypt the information being transmitted. This makes it difficult for anyone eavesdropping on the exchange to read or intercept the information. Hackers who are trying to get sensitive information such as credit card numbers from an HTTPS site will end up with a garbled mess of numbers and letters instead of the actual data.
Traditionally, you might find HTTPS in sites that require a login - e.g. social media platforms, shopping websites, etc. Nowadays, however, more website owners are learning how to make site HTTPS even if their websites are not necessarily requiring visitors to sign into their pages.
Why Switch to HTTPS?
HTTPS is obviously a lot better than an HTTP website in terms of the security it can provide to your users. Many website owners are still on the fence when it comes to the decision to switch to HTTPS because of the perceived hassle and the technical challenges of setting up. But here are some of the many reasons why you should really consider going HTTPS.
1. It keeps users at ease. When people entrust you with their personal information, they want to be assured that their data will not go to the wrong hands. Converting to an HTTPS site keeps users at ease that you’re protecting the information that they leave on your site.
2. Builds trust. You’re building trust and loyalty by being a reliable and honest website. Visitors are more likely to trust and come back to HTTPS websites because they know that their information is always kept safe from data breaches.
3. It keeps Google and other search engines happy. If you want a boost in your search engine rankings, you should consider learning how to make website HTTPS. Google and other search engines are placing a lot of value in websites that are working to keep their spaces secure from data breaches and hacking. They are more likely to prioritize HTTPS sites over HTTP websites when it comes to rankings.
How to Make Website HTTPS?
If you have a Strikingly website, the easiest way to convert to an HTTPS website is to get a personalized domain name. Not only does this make your website more professional-looking, it also enables HTTPS for free on your website. You don’t have to do any additional steps for this especially if you registered your domain through Strikingly.
