Google Chrome will mark all HTTP sites as “not secure,” according to a blog post published by Chrome security product manager Emily Schechter. July 2018 is shaping up to be a big month for Google in terms of change. Earlier this month, Google announced its Speed Update which is set to roll out in July, and announced it will then also mark all sites that have not migrated to HTTPS as “not secure.”
Chrome currently displays a neutral information icon, but starting with version 68, the browser will warn users with an extra notification in the address bar. Chrome currently marks HTTPS-encrypted sites with a green lock icon and “Secure” sign. It’s becoming even more important for any business that has a website to treat Speed and HTTPS as important factors when it comes to usability and SEO.
Google has been pushing webmasters to make the change to non-secure web sites for a few years now – including hinting at small rankings boost to further incentivize the shift. The campaign has proved successful. According to their stats:
- Over 68% of Chrome traffic on both Android and Windows is now protected
- Over 78% of Chrome traffic on both Chrome OS and Mac is now protected
- 81 of the top 100 sites on the web use HTTPS by default
What are the benefits of HTTPS?
HTTPS is now much cheaper and simpler to implement than ever before. Benefits include:
- Performance improvements
- New features too sensitive for HTTP
- Ranking benefits
- Browser labels
- Increased conversions
- Improved customer confidence
Depending upon the size of a site and scope of the project, a migration from HTTP to HTTPS can be quite an undertaking. Some are stress free and straight forward though. But we advise to make the switch as soon as possible if you currently only have a HTTP website. And if you’re looking to build a new website, an SSL should be setup from Day One to make your new site secure.
So overall, if you haven’t already made the switch, now is the time to switch to HTTPS and if not now, definitely before July 2018.