You may have seen this tweet from the official 7Stars account yesterday:
#Google Chrome will begin marking all non-HTTPS websites as “not secure” from June this year. If you’re a brand who hasn’t yet moved to a secure protocol, it should climb to the top of your priority list. https://t.co/BpwTnUYJ1N
— the7stars (@the7stars) February 8, 2018
As we expected, Google has now officially announced a deadline of July 2018 for when its web browser, Chrome, will begin highlighting unsecured domains to users. From July, Chrome users will be displayed a prominent warning upon reaching non-secure (http rather than https) web pages.
How exactly this will look is unconfirmed, but I imagine it will look something like these examples:
50% of web users around the globe use Google Chrome. This is a huge deal.
How will Google Chrome affect non-secure http domains?
This change will have a significant impact on brands that have not switched to a secure protocol (hint: it doesn’t take long to find examples in the fashion industry). Google has previously stated unsecured domains receive less prominence within its search results, thus many have already experienced decreases in traffic and overall visibility.
However, the negative impact of running unsecured webpages will now carry through to on-site performance metrics too, impacting performance across all channels & activity that drives users to the website.
Some areas brands can expect to feel the pain are:
- Significantly increased bounce rates on unsecured pages
- Decreased conversion rates
- Reduction in advertising impressions & affiliate clicks
- Reduction in overall digital sales
- Possible reduction in brand loyalty and consumer confidence
How do I get a Secure SSL Certificate for my Website?
These days, securing your web content is easier and cheaper than many people expect. There are now numerous solutions of varied complexity that can ensure you provide a secure environment online for your site users.
SSL is it’s simple to set up, and once it’s implemented, all you or your developers need to do is direct people to use HTTPS instead of HTTP. It’s as simple as that. There really is no excuse anymore for not running a secure domain.
To get an SSL certificate, follow these 5 simple steps:
- Host with a dedicated IP address
- Buy a SSL certificate here for less than £50
- Activate the SSL certificate – or ask your web host to do it for you
- Install the certificate
- Update your site to use HTTPS
All brands should be moving to HTTPS as a matter of urgency if they haven’t already. Remember July 2018 is the deadline. We advise you not to miss it.
