Way, way back in 2014 Google announced that security for their users (people searching) was of top priority and they would begin ranking websites using top-rated security higher than those that did not. They noted this as a call for “HTTPS EVERYWHERE”.
Flash forward to June of 2018 and this seems to have finally come to a realization. Real enough that now website owners who are not HTTPS compliant are being noted as such with a WEBSITE NOT SECURE message from the almighty Google overloads. While it is difficult to truly measure the effect of complying with this policy (by adding an SSL certificate to your website) as it pertains to your organic search rankings—particularly between 2014–2018—this step by Google ensures us that HTTPS EVERYWHERE is a serious thing. Well, as serious as anything that takes 4 years to come to full fruition could be.
In short, even if you have a simple website that just presents data—such as mom’s recipes—the days past of not needing an SSL certificate are gone. What was typically reserved for sites processing credit card payments or storing customer data is now becoming mandatory for everyone. Overkill? Maybe, but I for one welcome our Google overlords’ decision in forcing online security forward.
If all of the above is too technical for you, please allow my muppet self, who is much more entertaining than I, take a shot at explaining:
Questions about HTTP EVERYWHERE or SSL Certificates and security? Reach out to us at Generations Beyond at 631.696.0324
(Muppet Jesse does not have a direct extension at this time)
