Google constantly updates is algorithms with the intention of improving user experience and security when browsing online. In October 2017, Google made the decision to mark http pages (those without an SSL Certificate) with submit forms, login fields and other data input sections as 'not secure'.
If your website has forms on website pages over http then these pages will be marked as 'Not Secure' and a security warning will be displayed if you click on the icon, shown in the screenshot below:
Have you ever seen the warning above in your browser? Would you feel confident continuing to submit a form with personal details or entering your bank details? Probably not. You are far more likely to click the comforting back button, and according to HubSpot you are not alone. In fact, in an internal survey run by the inbound marketing software company, they found that 82% of visitors abandon sites that are not secure.
This means that if your website does not have an SSL certificate then a high majority of visitors will choose not to visit your website. Meaning less traffic and potentially fewer sales.
If your website is not currently on https then the good news is there is a solution. You need to implement an SSL certificate, but it is important to make sure it is done properly.
Importance of Properly Implementing an SSL Certificate
There are a number of companies offering a package to migrate your site from http to https, but be careful about who you choose to implement your website migration. Failing to correctly implement the migration can easily do more harm than good to your website and we have seen a number of circumstances where the website migrations have not been done properly, resulting in a number of additional issues that require more work to rectify.
A common error is to take a copy of the website and then essentially create a new website on https. This is incredibly damaging to your website, as you will now have two websites with exactly the same content which can be a real problem. It means Google will penalise your new https website for having duplicate content, as the website essentially exists twice.
There are then a number of potential errors including images that are still rendering on http which will lead to security warnings still being shown.
When it comes to implementing an SSL certificate think about who you choose to carry out the migration.
Tried & Tested SSL HTTP to HTTPS Migration
The team at Innovation Visual have carried out a number of https to https migrations for our clients, meaning we have a tried and tested process in place. There are a number of steps that must be undertaken for a successful migration including taking a backup /copy of the site in case there are any issues involved with the implementation process, as well as implementing the http -> https 301 redirects on the server side to name just two of the steps involved.
You need ensure that the steps done are done correctly to guarantee that your website is successfully migrated from http to https and has a valid SSL certificate in place. After the process has been completed you will see the green padlock in your Chrome browser and your website is now secure.
Does Your Website Have an SSL Certificate?
If you are unsure whether or not your website is protected with SSL encryption (https) then you can use HubSpot’s free SSL checker tool. What you want to see is the Green message:
If you see the Red message and find that your website is not on https then it is time to speak to the Innovation Visual team who will be able to migrate your site to https with a tried and tested process. Contact us for more information via info@innovationvisual.com or call 0333 772 0509
