What is SSL and Does HTTPS Affect Google Rankings?
In August 2014, Google officially confirmed that HTTPS is a ranking signal. Since then, SSL certificates have gone from a "nice to have" for e-commerce sites to an absolute requirement for any website that wants to compete in search results. Here is everything you need to know about SSL, why it matters for SEO, and how to verify your certificate is working correctly.
What is SSL / HTTPS?
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) — now technically replaced by TLS (Transport Layer Security) but still universally called SSL — is a security protocol that encrypts the connection between a user's browser and your web server. When SSL is active, your website URL begins with https:// instead of http://, and browsers display a padlock icon in the address bar.
Without HTTPS, any data sent between the user and your server — including form submissions, login credentials, and payment information — can be intercepted by third parties.
Does SSL / HTTPS Affect Google Rankings?
Yes — Google confirmed HTTPS as a ranking factor in 2014 and has repeatedly reinforced this position. The ranking boost for HTTPS is described as a "lightweight signal" but in practice, almost every page that ranks on the first page of Google is served over HTTPS. Sites still running HTTP are flagged as "Not Secure" in Chrome, which increases bounce rates — which in turn negatively impacts rankings.
The benefits of HTTPS for SEO include:
- Direct ranking signal recognised by Google's algorithm
- Prevents Chrome's "Not Secure" warning which damages user trust and CTR
- Referral traffic data is preserved — HTTP to HTTPS referrers show as "direct" traffic in analytics
- Required for HTTP/2, which significantly improves page load times
How to Check Your SSL Certificate
Use our free SSL Checker to verify whether your SSL certificate is valid, correctly installed, and not about to expire. The tool checks:
- Whether the certificate is valid and trusted
- Certificate expiry date — expired certificates cause browser errors that block users from reaching your site
- Certificate issuer and type
- Whether the certificate covers your domain correctly (including www vs non-www)
To use it: go to the SSL Checker, enter your domain, and click Check SSL. Results are returned instantly.
Common SSL Issues That Hurt SEO
Mixed Content
When a page is served over HTTPS but loads resources (images, scripts, stylesheets) over HTTP, browsers flag it as "Mixed Content." This can prevent the padlock from appearing and cause security warnings. Audit every page and ensure all resource URLs use https://.
Expired Certificate
SSL certificates expire — typically after 1 year for paid certificates or 90 days for free Let's Encrypt certificates. Set a calendar reminder to renew before expiry. Our SSL Checker shows the expiry date so you can act in advance.
Incorrect Redirects After Migration
When migrating from HTTP to HTTPS, all HTTP URLs must 301-redirect to their HTTPS equivalents. Use our Redirect Checker to verify redirects are working correctly and our Htaccess Redirect Generator to create the correct redirect rules.
Certificate Not Covering All Subdomains
Make sure your certificate covers both yourdomain.com and www.yourdomain.com. A wildcard certificate (*.yourdomain.com) covers all subdomains.
Getting a Free SSL Certificate
Free SSL certificates are available through Let's Encrypt, a non-profit certificate authority supported by major browser vendors. Most web hosts (cPanel, Cloudflare, Plesk) now offer one-click Let's Encrypt installation. If your hosting provider charges for SSL, switch — free, trusted SSL has been the industry standard since 2016.
Check your SSL now with our free SSL Checker — it takes under 10 seconds and could alert you to an issue you did not know existed.
