Switching to HTTPS: Is it really worth it?

For close to six years, marketers have been forced to deal with a lack of visibility over their organic keywords. But data analysis and processing have come a long way since 2011, and one company believes it has found the solution to “(not provided)”. We talk to Keyword Hero, the start-up that set out to solve “(not provided)”, and Rand Fishkin, who believes that reclaiming organic keywords will lead to a better web. [Logo]( SEW | Daily Security is a top priority at Google. At least, that’s what their blog said in 2014 when they announced that HTTPS – the web’s security protocol – would be a ranking signal. Although classed as ‘lightweight’ signal, affecting fewer than 1% of all queries worldwide, it was still a significant announcement. Today, more than half of total internet traffic is encrypted, with website owners and brands making the shift to a more secure web. But the transition isn’t straightforward. With ranking and user experience at risk, Jessie Moore asks: is it worth it? Today’s Top Story [Switching to HTTPS: Is it really worth it?]( [Ever since Google made the announcement that HTTPS is a ranking signal, there has been a lot of discussion around that extra ‘s’. While there are clear benefits, there is also a lot of nervousness around actually making the switch. So is it really worth it?]( by Jessie Moore [Switching to HTTPS: Is it really worth it?]( Featured [Unlock your (not provided) keywords in Google Analytics]( Since 2011, marketers have lost almost 90% of their organic keyword data visibility. But not any longer! Keyword Hero have found the solution. Sign-up for your free trial or use the code SEW2017 to get 1 month off the upgraded plans and unlock your ‘not provided) keywords in just 2 minutes. [Try it here]( Analytics [A world without “(not provided)”: How unlocking organic keyword data leads to a better web]( [Beginning in 2011, search marketers began to lose visibility over the organic keywords that consumers were using to find their websites, as Google gradually switched all of its searches over to secure search using HTTPS. Read more]( by Rebecca Sentance Industry [7 things to consider when choosing an ecommerce platform]( [Ecommerce has been growing steadily in popularity for the last 10 years. Online sales jumped up nearly 15% last year across the board, and they’re predicted to only increase in the future. If you’re starting a business and selling products and/or services,… Read more]( by Amanda DiSilvestro Content [How to optimize your content for Q&As]( [Google is perpetually improving its understanding of natural language. Google Featured Snippets and the rise of voice search optimization has made optimizing your content for question based queries more important than ever. Read more]( by Marcela De Vivo Local [6 ways to market your local business online (beyond Google Maps)]( [Local businesses have lots of great opportunities to use digital channels to their advantage. Here are a few actionable ways to promote your local business online apart from the most important (and the most obvious) one: Getting verified on Google Maps. Read more]( by Ann Smarty SEO [How brands’ domination of paid and organic search has changed with the evolution of search]( [It’s been about 18 months since Google stopped serving paid ads on the right rail of desktop searches. Read more]( by Jason Tabeling Latest Report [Data Quality in Digital Analytics: The 5 Key Dimensions]( [These days, it’s impossible to go more than an hour in a business context without hearing the word ‘data’. While data quantity is booming at and exponential pace, the same cannot be said about data quality.](   [Free Download](     ?   Useful links [Promote your business]( [Logo]( 55 Broad Street, 22nd Floor New York, NY 10004 [sales@searchenginewatch.com]( [feedback@searchenginewatch.com]( [Search Engine Watch on Linkedin]( [Search Engine Watch on Twitter]( [Search Engine Watch on Facebook]( This email was sent to {EMAIL} as a subscriber of Search Engine Watch. You can [update your details and subscription preferences here](. Or if you no longer wish to receive these emails you may [unsubscribe here](.