If HTTP and HTTPS sound unfamiliar, the extra “S” in HTTPS stands for “Secure.” The full name is HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure. It encrypts data exchanged between a visitor’s browser and a website, helping to protect it in transit.
At the time I wrote this, browsers often showed a small lock when a site used HTTPS. I had recently enabled it on my sites for three reasons:
Security
An HTTPS certificate helps protect information visitors send, including form entries and checkout details. I think website owners have a responsibility to handle that data carefully.
Trust
A secure connection shows visitors that you take their privacy seriously. It can make people more comfortable using your site, especially as secure browsing becomes the norm.
Google had also announced that HTTPS was a ranking signal. That gave me another reason to switch, even if the effect on search rankings was small.
If you want help setting up HTTPS on your site, please contact me.