Building Secure Websites: Why HTTPS is More Important than Ever

The decision whether to build secure websites on HTTPS has for years been a gamble of pros and cons. There were plenty of good reasons to do so, but also plenty of good reasons to not. For example, why put up the additional cost and take the hit on site speed when security is not a primary concern of your website?

But now more than ever, search engines are siding with security. In October 2017, the world’s most popular web browser, Google Chrome, will complete its latest push in favor of secure websites by beginning to show “Not Secure” warnings on all HTTP (non-secure) pages with any kind of data collection, even something as simple as a contact form or search bar. What’s more, users browsing in Incognito mode will see “Not Secure” warnings on all HTTP pages, regardless of content. It’s only a matter of time before other browsers follow suit.

If your website is built non-secure on HTTP, your content will still be accessible, and true enough, security may really not be a focus of your business or website. But no matter the context, these warnings are not a good look. Potential customers may be turned away by safety concerns, justified or not, especially as more and more websites go secure.

If you have been holding off on converting your HTTP site into a secure HTTPS website, now is the time to act.

The Benefits of Converting to an HTTPS Secure Website

A secure website built on HTTPS confers many more benefits than simply avoiding those pesky browser warnings:

• Search engines favor security and grant HTTPS sites a small SEO boost, possibly improving your search ranking
• Customer information that you collect such as credit card numbers, email addresses, and search terms can be encrypted to avoid interception by hackers
• Visitors can verify you are a registered business and that you own your domain
• Users are more likely to trust and complete forms on secure websites, leading to higher engagement and conversion
• And of course – no more warnings!

HTTP to HTTPS Conversion Services

Converting a website from HTTP to HTTPS is complicated, and doing it incorrectly can wreak havoc on your site’s usability, security and any SEO you’ve built. Unless you’re very confident in your web skills, we recommend leaving your conversion to the professionals.

Osky Blue offers HTTPS Conversion Packages suitable for everything from small business websites all the way up to enterprise level sites.

If you’re ready to “go secure” or just want a little more information, let’s talk about the right solution for you. Request a Quote below or give us a call at 866-675-9411 to get started today!