Is Google Winning the Battle?
- Jul 11, 2018
Google called for “HTTPS Everywhere” to convince you that all communications should be secure by default, and it anticipated some resistance and skepticism from the SEO industry.
Chrome's HTTP Not Secure Warning
This warning does not necessarily mean the website has been compromised. It is a precautionary move by Google to inform website visitors their browsing and communications are not encrypted.
Most sites that are marked as Not Secure don’t request any user information. But hardly a user could understand this. Many of your site visitors click on «Back» button even not realizing why they do so.
What’s The Problem?
Many proponents of HTTPS refusal are convinced that Internet is an open platform. It’s been determining by its credibility for 25 years. And they are sure: Google is only a guest on this huge platform, but can guest set rules?
Why It’s Bad From The Practical Point Of View
The significant part of Internet represents archives. They just left there where nobody maintains them. Nobody can do work that Google requires from all the sites. Some conversions are unjustified by benefits. The reason of such a wide diversity is that Internet has always been open and didn't yet belong to anyone in particular.
Google successfully led search marketers and site owners to believe that HTTPS will be rewarded, and this has drastically sped up the shift. An algorithm update is risky and can cause collateral damage. Convincing us that change is for our own good is risk-free for Google. Again, Google is fighting the long war.
What Are the Risks?
Any major change to site-wide URLs is risky, especially for large sites. If you weigh the time, money, and risk of the switch against what is still a small algorithmic boost, I think it's a tough sell in many cases. Like any major, site-wide change, you have to consider the broader business case, costs, and benefits.
Research by Ipsos found that the vast majority (87 per cent) of internet users will not complete a transaction if they see a browser warning on a web page. More than half (58 per cent) of respondents said they would go to a competitor's website to complete their purchase. So, who is to blame?
If I may be of further assistance, please feel free to contact me.
Anthony Lancaster