HTTP vs HTTPS: Why SSL Certificates Matter for SEO in 2026

HTTPS Is a Google Ranking Factor

Google has officially confirmed that HTTPS is a ranking signal. While it's a lightweight factor compared to content quality and backlinks, it does matter — especially when competing pages are otherwise equal.

Since 2018, Chrome displays a "Not Secure" warning for all HTTP pages. This warning increases bounce rates and destroys user trust, indirectly hurting your SEO even further.

How HTTPS Helps SEO

• Direct ranking boost — Google gives a small ranking advantage to HTTPS pages
• Lower bounce rate — Users trust the padlock icon; "Not Secure" warnings drive them away
• Referrer data preserved — HTTPS→HTTP drops referrer data in analytics; HTTPS→HTTPS preserves it
• HTTP/2 support — Most servers require HTTPS for HTTP/2, which dramatically improves page speed (another ranking factor)
• Core Web Vitals — Faster HTTPS connections improve LCP, FID, and CLS metrics

Migrating from HTTP to HTTPS

Step 1: Get an SSL Certificate

Use Let's Encrypt (free) or your hosting provider's SSL. Most modern hosts offer one-click SSL setup.

Step 2: Update Internal Links

Change all internal links from http:// to https://, or better yet, use protocol-relative paths (/about instead of http://example.com/about).

Step 3: Set Up 301 Redirects

Every HTTP URL must 301-redirect to its HTTPS equivalent. This preserves link equity.

# Nginx
server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com;
    return 301 https://$server_name$request_uri;
}

Step 4: Update Google Search Console

Add the HTTPS version of your site as a new property in Google Search Console and submit your updated sitemap.

Step 5: Update Canonical Tags

Make sure all canonical tags point to HTTPS URLs:

<link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/page" />

Step 6: Fix Mixed Content

Resources loaded over HTTP on an HTTPS page create "mixed content" warnings. Fix all image, script, and stylesheet URLs.

Common HTTPS Migration Mistakes

• Forgetting to redirect www — Set up redirects for both http://example.com and http://www.example.com
• Using 302 instead of 301 — 302 redirects don't pass link equity
• Certificate errors — Test with tools like WebSentry to catch chain issues
• Broken canonical tags — Still pointing to HTTP versions
• Forgetting HSTS — Add HSTS to prevent insecure fallback

Verify Your HTTPS Setup

Scan your site with WebSentry to verify your SSL certificate, redirect chain, HSTS configuration, and mixed content issues — all in one free scan.