How The Latest Google Chrome Update Is Going To Affect Your Business

How The Latest Google Chrome Update Is Going To Affect Your Business

As we have written about in previous posts, In January 2017, Google began its quest to improve how it communicates the security of HTTP pages to its Chrome users. They started by marking HTTP pages that had password or credit card fields as “Not Secure”. Now it is poised to widen the net. From October 2017, this will now include any HTTP pages accessed in Incognito Mode and when users enter data on an HTTP page.

This is big news for Businesses that are yet to migrate to HTTPS. Still not convinced? Read on.

HTTPS is a ranking factor for SEO

In a scrap for top spots on Google Search, HTTPS-enabled sites are likely to rank higher. Over the last couple of years, Google has switched from being search orientated to user orientated. They want to build a trustworthy presence on the internet. How are they doing this? Algorithm changes.

Gone are the days where you can get a web page to rank highly, by stuffing it to the brim with Keywords. It’s now all about User Experience (UX) and how your website benefits the visitor. And HTTPS has a lot to offer in this respect.

HTTPS is a trust Signal

Okay, let’s give you the benefit of the doubt. Your products and services may be great, you might continue to have a decent SEO ranking and someone clicks through to your site. Now, Google Chrome will now show a “not secure” warning before your URL. This will surely impact the confidence users in your site.

HTTPS ensures that there will not be any external entities trying to spoof your address in the hope of phishing info from your website users. Google believes that users need to trust you if they are going to hand over their personal information.

Getting HTTPS is easier than ever before

Google has also announced that they plan to show the “Not secure” warning for all HTTP pages. This means there is no reason to wait to get started moving to HTTPS.

The process of upgrading involves the purchase of a TLS SSL Secure Certificate, this will need to be installed on the server where the website is hosted. You will need your current website provider to do this. They will also need to set up the new HTTPS pages for your website and then redirect the old HTTP pages to these new ones. The process is relatively simple, the time it takes will vary depending on the size of website that you have.

Ascensor have been gradually upgrading our client sites throughout this year, there have been a lot to get through and we have many more to do, but now the Google announcement has been made, time is of the essence. 

If you do not have a plan in place or you need further advice, then please get in touch and we can advise you further and provide the information you need to supply to your website agency.

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