Is your HTTPS setup causing SEO issues?

[Joeychgo]

Although Google has stated that sites using HTTPS will be given a minor rankings boost, many websites have experienced losses due to improper implementation. Columnist Tony Edward discusses common issues and how to fix them.

http://searchengineland.com/https-setup-causing-seo-issues-254236

 

[Lizard King]

Honestly it is a terrible article , lacks tons of other important things to check

 

[mysiteguy]

One thing not mentioned is that you will lose page rank signals from links to your pages when converting from http to https.

Say a site links to http://www.yoursite.com/apageonyoursite.html and you get X amount of page rank from it, the 301 redirect from the http to https version of the page will drop rank.

 

[Joeychgo]

One thing not mentioned is that you will lose page rank signals from links to your pages when converting from http to https.

Actually, no. Watch the video all the way through and he specifically says that as long as you 301 there will be no loss of pagerank.

Further: Google's Gary Illyes confirms that any 301, 302, 3xx redirect does not lose any PageRank value.

http://searchengineland.com/google-no-pagerank-dilution-using-301-302-30x-redirects-anymore-254608

 

[mysiteguy]

Cutts specifically said the amount is lost is the same between one link and a page, and a 301 and a page. He did not say a 301 would have no loss, he said it will not hurt you "verses a link". Ie, the loss is the same.

And to be fair, the article dated an hour and 22 minutes after I posted my reply. The known status quo, and what many SEOs had observed, was what I had posted. That changed between the time I posted and the time you posted a reply with updated info. I was 100% correct about known information when I posted.

 

[Joeychgo]

I was 100% correct about known information when I posted.

Ok, well just to be clear... The last line of the article: "Either way, Google is now telling us that any type of 3xx redirect does not lose any PageRank value."

and a little earlier in the article: "John Mueller of Google did say the same thing earlier this year, but many SEOs honestly did not believe him."


Either way --- 301s do not lose pagerank value.

 

[Drastic]

I dropped the SSL.

No need for it. Saw no increase in ranks over the last year. I know that WON'T cause a site to rank well, but I believe it didn't do anything for us.

My best site that ever ranked was a regular http and a .net, no tricks, just content and inbound links.

Going back to that style.

 

[GTB]

No need for it. Saw no increase in ranks over the last year. I know that WON'T cause a site to rank well, but I believe it didn't do anything for us.

I have never switched to using SLL with a forum since Google said about it. A lot of hype and read one good article which stated you'll get less than 1% rank increase by switching to SLL. If true, not really worth bothering about at all

 

[ozzy47]

I have never switched to using SLL with a forum since Google said about it. A lot of hype and read one good article which stated you'll get less than 1% rank increase by switching to SLL.

Link to the article?

 

[GTB]

Read it last year, so no idea? I don't keep hold of every page link read on web.

But they ran a test between two sites, or something. They went into it pretty in-depth testing it out and came back with that result, less than 1% gain. Also keep in mind if showing ads on a forum that it's better to use HTTP and not SSL, as you have fewer bidders available to show ads on your forum for higher pay rates. Things like that work against switching to SLL really at this time. You also have god knows how many sites paying Google to get a higher ranking as well, something else to consider when thinking using SSL gives you any real 'worthwhile' edge

Matt Cutts I read doesn't work for Google anymore. Dunno?

http://searchengineland.com/matt-cutts-extends-his-unpaid-leave-with-google-through-2015-223951

 

[ozzy47]

Read it last year, so no idea? I don't keep hold of every page link read on web.

Then why even talk about it? Cite a source if asked.

 

[The Sandman]

Then why even talk about it? Cite a source if asked.

I've read lots of articles that I might refer to but couldn't give a citation for.

 

[ozzy47]

Well has anyone asked you for a source???

 

[The Sandman]

Well has anyone asked you for a source???

Sure, and I find it if I can. But I can't always.

 

[ozzy47]

Well I see where this is going. SMH.

 

[GTB]

Then why even talk about it? Cite a source if asked.

Ozzy, all because I no longer have a link to something read about a year ago (which I had no reason to bookmark).

It doesn't mean I shouldn't bring it up.

 

[cheat_master30]

I dropped the SSL.

No need for it. Saw no increase in ranks over the last year. I know that WON'T cause a site to rank well, but I believe it didn't do anything for us.

My best site that ever ranked was a regular http and a .net, no tricks, just content and inbound links.

Going back to that style.

Aren't you a bit worried about the security risks of not using SSL? I mean, even without a ranking boost, it makes it harder for third parties to spy on your site's users. Or modify the content while it's being loaded.

Seems like something to be a bit worried about in this day and age.

 

[Drastic]

I see tons of huge sites not using it and they don't seem worried.

 

[cheat_master30]

Perhaps because they either don't know or previously used normal http. So got more worried about losing some 'page rank' than they do about security.

 

[GTB]

Aren't you a bit worried about the security risks of not using SSL

I'd be more worried first about a weak server being hacked, or some vulnerability in software used hacked before that happening. Sites have managed just fine using http for long enough... showing that isn't the main reason for sites getting hacked. SSL was mainly seen as being a more secure way of doing money transactions from a site. But most that used it was e-commerce type sites dealing in sales for that reason, so the question is does a forum board really need SSL?