You probably see the letters HTTPS hundreds of times a day as you scroll through your favorite websites, check your email, and interact with people on social media. You may not know their meaning; however, this letter combination holds a lot of power over the websites you visit and how they rank in Google search results. 

HTTP vs. HTTPS

HTTP is an acronym for HyperText Transfer Protocol, which enables communication between different computer systems on the internet. This protocol allows data to be transferred from a web server to a browser, allowing you to view the hundreds of sites you look at each day. 

If you have noticed the rankings of various websites in search results have changed, it is likely due to the fact that Google has confirmed a “broad core algorithm” update that occurred at the end of February. 

Those who follow Google on Twitter may have seen their post explaining that they do these types of updates “several times per year”. Google said that “Some sites may note drops or gains.” This could very well be because Google has made changes to their ranking models. These changes are said to benefit “pages that were previously under-rewarded.” 

If you’re looking for Google’s full statement on Twitter regarding these changes, you can find it below:

The internet is a vast treasure trove of data, and the number and variety of websites covering every topic under the sun is mind-boggling. Without the help of search engines like Google, finding useful information online would be nearly impossible. This is why Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is so important; any business that wants to connect with their customers online needs to ensure that people will be able to find them in online searches.

When determining how to rank a site in search results, Google and other search engines look at a number of factors, but one of the most important of these is page load time. The amount of time it takes your site to load can play a major role in how people interact with the site, especially when they are using a mobile device. According to Google, 53% of website visits are abandoned if a site takes more than three seconds to load, but on average, mobile landing pages take 22 seconds to load.

Since Google emphasizes the importance of a site’s loading speed, it is essential to do everything you can to improve load times. One of the best ways to do so is through image optimization.

Today, the primary way people find information is by searching for answers on Google or other search engines. It is important to rank high in search results for queries related to your area of business, which is why Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a key part of any modern marketing strategy. In Google’s search results, sites can greatly benefit from appearing in featured snippets.

What Are Featured Snippets?

Google’s standard search engine results pages (SERPs) typically feature a list of relevant pages related to a user’s search query. However, for some queries, Google SERPs also include a featured area at the top of the page that excerpts content from one of the search results and provides a quick answer to a user’s question.

It’s no secret. Backlinks are one of the top factors for building a website’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Search engines like Google view a link to a website as a vote of confidence for that site. If your website is being linked to by authoritative sites, then search engines will perceive your site to be trustworthy, which increases your chance of being ranked high on a search engine results page (SERP). But how do you get these much coveted backlinks for your site? Find out by following these tips:

1. Seek backlinks from authority sites. Search engines place value on sites that are linked to by authority sites. Authority sites are sites that have a high domain authority and provide valuable, accurate content. They are trustworthy. You can gauge whether a site is authoritative by looking at a number of factors, including the domain authority and keyword rankings.

You can also measure a social site's authority by looking at the number of followers on the site and the number of comments posted under the site's content. In addition, examine the website’s social media presence. Are the site's managers posting consistently, and is the content they are posting valuable?