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osCommerce

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HTTPS as a ranking signal


Hotclutch

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http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2014/08/https-as-ranking-signal.html

 

I am now serving all pages as https: since yesterday, not because i think there will be a gain in the search engine results pages (if there is, it will be a bonus), but because I had SSL securing the admin and checkout already, and might as well go ahead and do this. There's no visible loss in performance, clicking around the site, although pagespeed score dropped by about 2 points afterwards after testing.

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Well, certainly most pages don't need SSL protection, yet there are enough out there that need it (but are unprotected) that I can see a case for "just make everything SSL so you don't have to think about it". The 800 pound googlrilla has spoken, and said that they intend to strongly encourage (i.e., force) everyone to SSL over time. Of course there is a cost to SSL: the extra encryption and decryption needed at both ends, which is an extra load on both the server and the browser (not to mention the certificate cost to the site owner). For pages not handling any sort of sensitive information, it's overkill, but in a store, potentially lots of pages could be considered sensitive (e.g., do I want some snooper knowing what sort of sex toys I'm browsing through in your store?). For that matter, do I want some snooper knowing what psychiatric disorders I'm reading up on on a medical page? Not having to switch back and forth in and out of SSL may make it worthwhile just to stay in SSL, if you have some pages that will actually need SSL. I would worry a bit about images (and streaming A/V? and downloads?) that have to go through encryption now, and the extra server load forcing me to a costlier server plan too soon.

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I would not recommend anyone do this purely for SEO benefit. This is one factor out of hundreds, and probably does not carry much weight at the moment. SSL is pretty much necessary though to gain shopper's confidence.

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Is a shopper really concerned with confidence in seeing that a page is secured when it does not need to be. I have SSL on all required pages and think in the right places its a boost, but on an ordinary page, I am not so sure if its required.

 

There are many stores out there with no SSL and they still sell items. Heck one of my competitiors even has no T&Cs or policies on the site and they still sell through the site. On some items there is no product description either. How they get on with consumer contract laws and regulations I have no idea.

REMEMBER BACKUP, BACKUP AND BACKUP

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