Definition
In August 2014, Google officially announced that the HTTPS protocol (HTTP Secure) was becoming a ranking signal in its algorithm. This decision marked the first time Google openly used a web security criterion as an SEO ranking factor. Initially presented as a lightweight signal (affecting less than 1% of queries), Google progressively strengthened the importance of HTTPS over the years. In 2017, Chrome began displaying 'Not Secure' warnings for HTTP pages collecting data. In 2018, this warning was extended to all HTTP pages. Today, HTTPS is considered a minimum prerequisite rather than a competitive advantage.
Key Points
- HTTPS became a ranking signal in August 2014
- Initially a lightweight signal, progressively strengthened
- Today considered a minimum prerequisite for any website
Practical Examples
Migration to HTTPS
An e-commerce site migrating from HTTP to HTTPS saw a slight improvement in positions, an increase in conversion rate thanks to the security indicator in the address bar, and elimination of Chrome warnings.
Impact on user trust
After Chrome's 'Not Secure' warnings were deployed, a news site still on HTTP saw its bounce rate increase by 15% as visitors no longer trusted the site.
Frequently Asked Questions
While not technically mandatory, HTTPS has become a minimum standard. An HTTP site will face security warnings in browsers, loss of user trust, and a ranking disadvantage. Migration to HTTPS is an absolute priority for any site today.
Yes, a poorly executed HTTPS migration can cause a temporary drop. It is crucial to set up 301 redirects from all HTTP URLs to HTTPS, update internal links, sitemap, and canonical tags, and verify the new version in Google Search Console.
Go Further with LemmiLink
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Last updated: 2026-02-07