HTTPS is the secure version of HTTP that encrypts data between your website and your visitor’s browser, and it matters because it protects logins, forms, and payments while building trust with customers and search engines.
When your site uses HTTPS, it uses TLS (people still casually say “SSL”) to do three things: encrypt data so it can’t be easily read in transit, verify your site is really your site (authentication), and prevent tampering while data moves back and forth (integrity). That’s why you see the padlock icon in most browsers on secure pages.
| What you’re comparing | HTTP (not secure) | HTTPS (secure) |
|---|---|---|
| Data sent through forms | Readable to attackers on the network | Encrypted in transit |
| Browser behavior | Often shows “Not secure,” especially on form pages | Shows a secure connection indicator |
| Customer trust | Lower, especially for bookings and payments | Higher, fewer drop-offs |
| SEO impact | No HTTPS boost | Google treats HTTPS as a lightweight ranking signal |
For Orlando and Central Florida businesses, HTTPS is especially practical because customers are often on shared networks (coffee shops, hotels, offices, guest Wi-Fi), and unsecured traffic is easier to intercept on those connections. If you collect leads with contact forms, appointment requests, patient intake forms, or quote requests, HTTPS is baseline protection for your visitors and your brand.
From a marketing angle, HTTPS reduces friction. Modern browsers warn users when a page is not secure, and that warning can kill form submissions. It also supports features many sites rely on, like secure payment checkouts, modern cookies for analytics, and some browser APIs used for location, autofill, and performance improvements. If you want the short SEO answer, our take is simple: HTTPS won’t fix weak content or weak local visibility, but it removes a trust problem you don’t want to carry.
Most businesses can turn on HTTPS without changing platforms by installing a TLS certificate (many hosts include free certificates via Let’s Encrypt) and forcing your site to redirect from http:// to https://. If you want this handled for you, our WordPress hosting work typically covers certificates, redirects, renewals, and the little issues that pop up after the switch.
After HTTPS is active, the most common gotcha is “mixed content,” which happens when a secure page tries to load an insecure image, script, or font. That can break the padlock and sometimes break page layout or tracking. You’ll also want to confirm your canonical URLs, sitemap, and analytics settings point to the HTTPS version.
If you’re planning a redesign or rebuild, it’s smart to bake HTTPS into the launch checklist so redirects, internal links, and tracking all match from day one. That’s a standard part of our web design process because it keeps your new site from losing momentum after launch.
If you’re wondering how this ties into search visibility, our FAQ on does HTTPS affect SEO breaks down what it changes and what it doesn’t, and if you’re also chasing speed (often the next hosting question), how site speed affects SEO explains why performance and security tend to travel together.
