You’ve probably heard that you shouldn’t link to HTTP pages on your site because it could hurt your SEO, but is this true? While it might not affect your SEO, it could affect your readers. There are a variety of reasons why you should be linking to the latest version of sites with HTTPS, but let’s take a closer look at some of the top ones!
What is an HTTP page?
HTTP pages are web pages that are accessed via the Hypertext Transfer Protocol. HTTP is the protocol used to transfer data between a web server and a web browser. When you link to an HTTP page, you are requesting that the server send the page to your browser.
There are a few reasons why you might want to link to an HTTP page. First, if the page is not available on your site, linking to it can give your visitors access to the information they need. Second, if the page is available on your site but you want to make sure that people can always access it, even if your site goes down, linking to the HTTP version of the page can provide a backup. Finally, if you have a secure version of a page (HTTPS://), linking to the HTTP version can allow people to access the page without having to enter a password or other credentials.
On the other hand, there are also some reasons why you might not want to link to an HTTP page. First, if the page is available on your site, there is no need to provide a link to the HTTP version as well since people can just access it directly.
Second, if the page is not available on your site, linking to an HTTP version can be confusing if your site doesn’t have a security certificate. For example, Google Chrome displays a warning when users click on links to HTTP pages that aren’t secure because it assumes they were sent over an insecure connection and could have compromised data.If you’re not sure whether or how to link to your HTTP page, ask yourself two questions: Does the page exist on my site? And is it secure? If the answers are yes and no, respectively, then you should link to the secure HTTPS version of the page.
Why does the SEO Community care about the HTTP vs HTTPS conversation?
The SEO community cares about the HTTP vs HTTPS conversation because it is a key part of search engine optimization. HTTPS, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, is a more secure version of HTTP, the protocol used to communicate between web browsers and servers. HTTPS encrypts traffic to and from a website, making it more difficult for hackers to intercept data. This increased security can help improve a website’s ranking in search results.
When should you link to HTTP pages, and when should you not?
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t think twice about linking to HTTP pages. After all, it’s the standard protocol for the web, so why wouldn’t you use it? However, there are some circumstances where linking to HTTP pages can actually be harmful to your website. Here’s a look at when you should and shouldn’t link to HTTP pages.
Generally speaking, you should only link to HTTP pages from your own website if those pages are internal pages that don’t need to be indexed by search engines. For example, if you have a blog on your website, there’s no need to link to the individual posts from the home page because they’ll already be indexed. However, if you have a forum or other type of dynamic content that isn’t indexable, then linking to it from your home page can help people find it.
In general, you should avoid linking to HTTP pages from other websites. If the page is linked to a high-quality website, then it’s likely that Google will already index it and there’s no need for you to provide another link.
Examples of good practices for linking to HTTP Pages
When creating links to HTTP pages, it is important to consider both the user experience and the search engine optimization (SEO) of your site. There are a few general guidelines to follow when creating links:
- Use descriptive link text: Link text should be descriptive and give users an idea of where the link will take them. For example, instead of using the text ‘click here,’ try something like ‘read our blog post on the benefits of linking to HTTP pages.’
- Make sure the link destination is clear: Users should be able to tell where they will be taken if they click on the link. For this reason, it is generally best to avoid linking to pages that require login credentials or that are behind a paywall.
- Consider the user experience: In general, it is best to avoid linking to pages that are not mobile-friendly or that have a lot of ads. These types of pages can be frustrating for users and may cause them to leave your site.
Following these guidelines will help ensure that your links are both user-friendly and SEO-friendly.
Conclusion
As a general rule, you should always link to HTTPS pages instead of HTTP pages. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. If the HTTP page is on an internal network that is not accessible to the public, then there is no need to link to the HTTPS page. Additionally, if the HTTP page is redirecting to the HTTPS page, then you can simply link to the HTTP page.
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