Google now using HTTPS as a ranking signal

[rdn]

What's wrong with forcing all request to https?
Since you implemented https, why confuse user's to use either http or https?
Just redirect them all to https.

 

[TheBigK]

Then what's wrong with that?

The only thing wrong with that is to tell Google to re-index the site with new URLs. We already had a HUGE traffic drop when we set the redirects last time. Can't take the risk now.

@Floyd R Turbo - I think you are indeed setting up the 301 redirect. But ..I'm not 100% sure.

 

[rdn]

Why drop traffic? when all of the old google index will direct to the correct url.
I think it's different approach when you migrated to vb or ipb then redirect to xenforo url.

 

[TheBigK]

Why drop traffic? when all of the old google index will direct to the correct url.
I think it's different approach when you migrated to vb or ipb then redirect to xenforo url.

When it comes to Google, things are beyond our logic and common sense. We had perfect redirects in place when we switched from vB+vBSEO to xenforo, and yet our traffic dropped by almost 50%. Then there was another issue that caused traffic to drop by another 40%.

I used to think http:// isn't a part of the URL and we could simply switch to https without worrying. It however turns out that we'll have to setup 301 redirects; and that's something I consider as a risky step.

 

[Anthony Parsons]

When it comes to Google, things are beyond our logic and common sense.

I didn't see anything change when I forced https. It took Google months to change their cache URL's from http to https. There was zero change in traffic.

 

[TheBigK]

I didn't see anything change when I forced https. It took Google months to change their cache URL's from http to https. There was zero change in traffic.

Did you make change to the .htaccess file?

 

[Anthony Parsons]

Yes... mine forces anything not using port 443 to use it.

 

[CTXMedia]

Do we really need https for forum sites? I can see the benefit of encrypting packets between a site and the end user when there's stuff like credit card information being submitted, but forum posts and PMs?

Aside from a potential (and presumably quite minor) Google page rank boost - what are the other benefits of serving your forums over https?

 

[rdn]

what are the other benefits of serving your forums over https?

SPDY

 

[CTXMedia]

SPDY

I have a very fast and capable server that is already heavily optimised (my members wouldn't notice a tenth of a second increased page load speed) - any other reasons to change?

 

[Sheratan]

I have a very fast and capable server that is already heavily optimised (my members wouldn't notice a tenth of a second increased page load speed) - any other reasons to change?

NSA?

 

[CTXMedia]

NSA?

- I don't have anything that would interest the NSA - any other benefits?

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Apparently though, everything interests the NSA. I prefer to keep all my sites under SSL.

 

[Anthony Parsons]

any other benefits?

I shifted mine to SSL when I had hackers interfere with my site remotely. Basically... they were grabbing every users connection to the site and interfering with it, slowing it right down, and god knows how many logins they possibly watched / grabbed. When this was discovered from Servint due to my asking about the crappy page loads, I shifted to SSL... no further third party interjection possible, and my users felt a lot safer then knowing their username / password to their accounts couldn't be watched and used, let alone any private content they posted... all connections encrypted, issues solved.

 

[dawg]

Apparently though, everything interests the NSA. I prefer to keep all my sites under SSL.

You really believe that the NSA cannot intercept and decrypt SSL traffic?

 

[Anthony Parsons]

I don't have anything that would interest the NSA

Yup... that wouldn't be a motivation for me... don't care what the NSA want to look at, nothing to hide.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

You really believe that the NSA cannot intercept and decrypt SSL traffic?

No...those two statements were not really related

 

[Alpha1]

You really believe that the NSA cannot intercept and decrypt SSL traffic?

Im not sure if their ability gets affected if the whole internet implements strong SSL encryption. While they can still intercept, and likely decrypt, it would take a lot more effort to do for billions of people.

 

[Liam W]

Whilst this is awesome, it's going to piss off a hell of a lot of web hosts.

IPv4 addresses are already a commodity, and it's getting to the point where even big hosts are having trouble getting enough justification for larger IP pools. With dedicated SSL certificates, every domain's going to be needing it's own IP address.

The world needs to hurry up and adopt IPv6!

Nope. Just a server and browser that supports SNI.

 

[dethfire]

Won't be switching my site to https any time soon.

What is the downside other than your hypothetical slippery slope? Security is good, no?