Linking to HTTP pages doesn't affect SEO. But is it a good practice?
Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2024 10:47 am
When asked about links to unsafe pages on websites and a negative impact on SEO, John Mueller, a Google SEO expert, explained how the algorithm works.
Caio Ferreira
Jul 19, 22 | 4 min read
Linking to HTTP pages does not affect SEO
Reading time: 3 minutes
Google Search attorney John Mueller gave an interesting answer when asked if sites that link to HTTP pages experience any SEO drops.
The answer was no . According to Mueller, “ there is nothing against linking to sites like these .” Even though the HTTPS protocol has been a well-known ranking factor since 2014 , linking to insecure pages does not affect SEO. Watch his answer in the video below.
English Google SEO office-hours from July 1, 2022
However, users may find linking pages via HTTP to be a negative factor as it negatively impacts the experience.
To better understand this, we will first list of christmas island consumer email look at the difference between the Internet security protocols HTTP and HTTPs.
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What is HTTP and HTTPs and what are the differences between them?
Both are considered Hypertext Transfer Protocols for the Internet, which allow the transfer of data between the browser and the hypermedia servers on the Internet, acting as standard communication formats on the web.
The difference between the two lies in the way information is transmitted. HTTP works by sending data purely in text form, being susceptible to interventions during the message route, while HTTPS has an additional layer of security called SSL ( Secure Socket Layers ) or TLS ( Transfer Layer Security ) that provides secure and reliable encryption to the data exchanged.
Here's an example: Imagine you put your credit card details on a website and someone manages to capture the payment midway through. Such a situation could easily occur on an HTTP site .
HTTPS is now a ranking factor
As I said at the beginning of the article, Google announced in 2014 the importance of the secure transfer protocol (HTTPs) for the positioning of websites on search engine pages.
The quote reads: " We're also working to make the internet safer overall. A big part of that is making sure the websites users access from Google are safe. For these reasons, over the past few months we've been testing whether sites use secure, encrypted connections as a signal in our search ranking algorithms. We've seen positive results, so we're starting to use HTTPS as a ranking factor ."
It is also mentioned that Google's intention with the change was to encourage website owners to switch from HTTP to HTTPs in order to make the web a safer place.
So, along these lines, to avoid your site facing any penalty on this ranking factor, simply direct them to HTTPs links?
According to Mueller, not necessarily.
Is it okay to link to HTTP pages?
Note the final answer provided by Muller: " From our perspective, it's perfectly fine. If those pages are on HTTP, that's where they'll link to. There's nothing wrong with linking to sites like that. There's no harm in your site linking to HTTP pages because they're a little old or not as interesting as HTTPS. I wouldn't worry about that ."
That is, there is no visible problem in linking to pages that use the HTTP protocol in SEO. In other words, Google will not penalize you for it.
However, in addition to the clear security and reliability problem of sites that use technology without the “s” at the end, it is not clear to the user whether the same server from which information is requested will be the same one that delivers it.
It is important to note that as technology evolves, new forms of attacks by cybercriminals also emerge. This highlights the importance of the role of SEO professionals in helping to make their pages a safe environment for users and the Internet.
Whenever possible, opt to use links to secure sites and look for other alternative sites that may offer the same content or reference to those still on HTTP.
Since an SEO strategy should always be user-oriented, think first about the experience they will have on your pages and keep them safe from any danger so that they are willing to come back again.
But how do you implement the HTTPS protocol on your website?
To activate a security certificate on your website, you need to have a hosting company that offers this service .
Please note that it is possible to make this purchase even with other service providers, depending on what best suits your portal.
We recommend this article to help you understand more about the topic .
Caio Ferreira
Jul 19, 22 | 4 min read
Linking to HTTP pages does not affect SEO
Reading time: 3 minutes
Google Search attorney John Mueller gave an interesting answer when asked if sites that link to HTTP pages experience any SEO drops.
The answer was no . According to Mueller, “ there is nothing against linking to sites like these .” Even though the HTTPS protocol has been a well-known ranking factor since 2014 , linking to insecure pages does not affect SEO. Watch his answer in the video below.
English Google SEO office-hours from July 1, 2022
However, users may find linking pages via HTTP to be a negative factor as it negatively impacts the experience.
To better understand this, we will first list of christmas island consumer email look at the difference between the Internet security protocols HTTP and HTTPs.
Follow us on the Rock Content LinkedIn page
What is HTTP and HTTPs and what are the differences between them?
Both are considered Hypertext Transfer Protocols for the Internet, which allow the transfer of data between the browser and the hypermedia servers on the Internet, acting as standard communication formats on the web.
The difference between the two lies in the way information is transmitted. HTTP works by sending data purely in text form, being susceptible to interventions during the message route, while HTTPS has an additional layer of security called SSL ( Secure Socket Layers ) or TLS ( Transfer Layer Security ) that provides secure and reliable encryption to the data exchanged.
Here's an example: Imagine you put your credit card details on a website and someone manages to capture the payment midway through. Such a situation could easily occur on an HTTP site .
HTTPS is now a ranking factor
As I said at the beginning of the article, Google announced in 2014 the importance of the secure transfer protocol (HTTPs) for the positioning of websites on search engine pages.
The quote reads: " We're also working to make the internet safer overall. A big part of that is making sure the websites users access from Google are safe. For these reasons, over the past few months we've been testing whether sites use secure, encrypted connections as a signal in our search ranking algorithms. We've seen positive results, so we're starting to use HTTPS as a ranking factor ."
It is also mentioned that Google's intention with the change was to encourage website owners to switch from HTTP to HTTPs in order to make the web a safer place.
So, along these lines, to avoid your site facing any penalty on this ranking factor, simply direct them to HTTPs links?
According to Mueller, not necessarily.
Is it okay to link to HTTP pages?
Note the final answer provided by Muller: " From our perspective, it's perfectly fine. If those pages are on HTTP, that's where they'll link to. There's nothing wrong with linking to sites like that. There's no harm in your site linking to HTTP pages because they're a little old or not as interesting as HTTPS. I wouldn't worry about that ."
That is, there is no visible problem in linking to pages that use the HTTP protocol in SEO. In other words, Google will not penalize you for it.
However, in addition to the clear security and reliability problem of sites that use technology without the “s” at the end, it is not clear to the user whether the same server from which information is requested will be the same one that delivers it.
It is important to note that as technology evolves, new forms of attacks by cybercriminals also emerge. This highlights the importance of the role of SEO professionals in helping to make their pages a safe environment for users and the Internet.
Whenever possible, opt to use links to secure sites and look for other alternative sites that may offer the same content or reference to those still on HTTP.
Since an SEO strategy should always be user-oriented, think first about the experience they will have on your pages and keep them safe from any danger so that they are willing to come back again.
But how do you implement the HTTPS protocol on your website?
To activate a security certificate on your website, you need to have a hosting company that offers this service .
Please note that it is possible to make this purchase even with other service providers, depending on what best suits your portal.
We recommend this article to help you understand more about the topic .