Google will rank hire secure sites
7
Google will give a higher rank to secure sites
more info here: http://mashable.com/2014/08/07/google-prioritize-secure-sites/?utm_cid=mash-com-fb-socmed-link
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Hi Maria,
Google puts 99% of their algorithm weight on content, engagement, and the overall user experience on your website. Adding an SSL (secure socket layer, or otherwise known as https) certificate to your site is not going to magically move anyone up the ranks. Google must always deliver the BEST results, and just because one site might have SSL, it does not make it better than a non-SSL site.
Google's ABSOLUTE #1 priority is to deliver the best results, so focus on your content, and you will rank on the first page of results in very high positions. Although they may factor in SSL for a site that collects personal data such as financial data, it's not going to affect your website that has no use for SSL.
For instance, Google will rank a site that is collecting credit card data higher if it's SECURE (SSL), than a site that collects credit card data that is not secure. But for an affiliate site where you are not collecting financial data or data that needs to be secured, you're not going to be affected by this at all. Less than 1% of sites will be affected by this.
To put this into context, it means that ONE site may average a very slight higher rank out of the first 10 pages of Google results (100 sites). SSL is not a ranking tool, or a magic way to get higher ranks. Focus on what we're teaching here at WA and you will outrank every single SSL site because your content is going to be better.
Also, keep in mind that SSL certificates cost hundreds of dollars and require quite the technical knowledge to install them. You do not need SSL on your affiliate site. You would see much bigger boost rankings by simply getting a couple of comments on your site vs installing an SSL certificate and spending hundreds of dollars doing so.
Here are a few of the largest sites on the net that rank very well and have hundreds of millions of dollars to invest into their businesses.
http://cnn.com
http://huffingtonpost.com
http://online.wsj.com (Wallstreet Journal)
http://apple.com
All of these are NON SSL.
If you haven't already checked out our brand new training in course #5 of the Certification set of courses, go check it out because it's exactly what you need to rank in position #1 for your desired keywords.
https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/training/the-business-of-content-achieving-maximum-success-through-content-creation
Carson
Hi - just to add to what Carson has advised - almost all of the sites "we" develop, will not require any personal information to be submitted. They only provide information.
We may ask for people's email address, so we can send them a newsletter, but we won't be asking for passwords, and other personal info.
So unless your site has a members area where people may have to provide a username and password, and perhaps some other personal information - there is absolutely no reason for it to have additional SSL protection.
You own your domain too - so no-one can register an SSL certificate for your domain without the domain admin (ie. you) confirming your acceptance, and suddenly take over your business from under you.
Look at it this way - if Google were to suddenly say, I'll rank ALL websites with SSL (https) above any other website, and that's our #1 priority in our algorithm - then all that would happen would be someone would setup a nonsensical website like:
https://somedomain.com - and stuff it with keywords that all high traffic sites that didn't have SSL associated with them, used. Then Google Search would quickly go down the tubes - because we'd be 15-19 years in the past - where they ranked crap content over good content, because of some technicality.
They have evolved so much since then - that putting them back to the dinosaur age will not be a part of their future plans - and they will already have thought about my scenario above.
So, don't worry is my advice - the hosting you're getting here at WA is second to none for WP hosting - in terms of speed, reliability etc etc - if you really want an SSL certificate (I have two, for other dedicated servers I have, that do collect info), then go find a host that provides it - most do - but they'll be charging you for something you don't really need.
All the best, Mark
Thank you Carson. Very informative and something I need to store in my info. for future.
Enough said!