{"id":14865,"date":"2016-01-12T04:00:36","date_gmt":"2016-01-12T10:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.adviceinteractivegroup.com\/?p=12364"},"modified":"2026-09-22T13:38:55","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T18:38:55","slug":"google-indexing-https-websites-higher","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.advicelocal.com\/blog\/google-indexing-https-websites-higher\/","title":{"rendered":"Want a Ranking Boost? Google is Now Indexing HTTPS Websites Higher in Search"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before I get into what HTTPS is and why every website needs it, I want to make sure that you understand why it is important. The simple fact is this: websites that are HTTPS are now going to be ranked higher in search results than those that are not.<\/p>\n

Google Now Indexes HTTPS Websites Higher<\/h2>\n

You could have the best products and services, but if your competitor\u2019s website has HTTPS and your website doesn\u2019t, their website will appear higher in search results than yours.<\/p>\n

Security has always been important to Google and they have been encouraging websites to go to HTTPS for a while. To encourage them even more, Google added HTTPS to their indexing system. Google\u2019s primary concern is to help consumers feel that their information is safe when searching and using websites found in Google searches.<\/p>\n

What is HTTPS?<\/span><\/p>\n

HTTPS stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure and basically means that an HTTPS site will protect the user\u2019s information as it travels between their device and a website. So, when a consumer finds your site and fills out a form to receive more information, asks a question, receives a newsletter, or makes a purchase, that information is secure and will not be found and used by third parties, if you still do not have it you can visit https:\/\/www.sapphire.net\/<\/a> they are a company with 24 years of experience in data security.<\/p>\n

Why This is Good for Business<\/span><\/p>\n

While this change from Google creates more work and another change that businesses must adapt to on their sites, it is also a benefit for them in the long run. Migrating to HTTPS URLs will give businesses that are quick to change another opportunity to get a leg up on their competition in search results. However, even beyond that, it will give customers and potential customers an additional layer of trust. As has been said before, people buy from businesses they trust.<\/p>\n

What Businesses Need to Know<\/span><\/p>\n

There are a number of things that Google will be looking at when deciding whether or not to index an HTTPS site. Below are a few you definitely want to be aware of:<\/p>\n