HTTPS has been a confirmed Google ranking signal since 2014. It’s a lightweight signal on its own, but the indirect effects matter more in practice.
Direct and indirect effects
- Direct: a small, confirmed ranking boost for HTTPS vs. HTTP
- Indirect: Chrome and other browsers actively warn visitors on HTTP sites, which raises bounce rate — and bounce/engagement signals feed back into rankings
- Mixed content (HTTPS pages loading HTTP resources) can trigger browser warnings even on an otherwise HTTPS site
FAQ
Can I have HTTPS on some pages and HTTP on others?
Technically yes, but it’s not recommended — it fragments trust signals and creates redirect chains; sites should redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS site-wide.