Google Begins to Include HTTPS as a Ranking Factor
Google is the foremost authority when it comes to organic search rankings, and in a recent post on Google's Webmaster Central Blog, its masterminds revealed a new factor on which they'll be ranking your website: its security level.
According to the blog, Google has already implemented HTTPS encryption by default. In layman's terms, this means that every time you search on Google, open your Gmail account, or use Google Drive, you're automatically connected via a secure, encrypted connection. This connection is denoted by "HTTPS" at the beginning of the web address as opposed to HTTP. And as Google makes its own websites more secure, it also expects other website owners to do the same.
That's why Google is pushing for "HTTPS" everywhere—and rewarding website owners who oblige. Some of those websites that use HTTPS may soon start to land a little bit higher in Google's search rankings—although today, Google's search ranking algorithm still puts much more weight on content over security. HTTPS is yet another signal that makes up the Google search ranking algorithm while also providing a safer experience for all users.
Click here to learn more about the ways Google is implementing HTTPS as a ranking factor.