What Is HTTPS? Why Your Website Should Use HTTPS

As the Internet grows, so do security threats. Users today care about content, and they care just as much about whether a website is safe to visit. Moving from HTTP to HTTPS is no longer optional; it is now a required standard for modern websites. So what is HTTPS, and why does it matter for your website? Let MONA Media find out in detail in the article below.

What is the HTTP protocol?

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is the foundational protocol that lets browsers and servers communicate over the Internet. Thanks to HTTP, users can visit websites, view content and images, or do things online such as searching for information and shopping.

When you type a website address into your browser, the browser sends a request to the server over HTTP. The server then responds by sending back the corresponding data to display on screen. However, the limitation of HTTP is that data is sent unencrypted, making information easy to steal or tamper with in transit.

What is the HTTPS protocol?

HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is the secure version of the HTTP protocol, used to transmit data safely over the Internet. It works on the basis of an SSL/TLS certificate, which encrypts all information exchanged between the browser and the server.

Thanks to encryption, data sent over HTTPS is protected from being stolen or tampered with. Only the sender and the receiving server can read the content. So HTTPS is especially important for websites that collect personal data, have account logins or process online transactions, giving users more peace of mind when visiting and using the service.

How does the HTTPS protocol work?

HTTPS was developed to fix HTTP's security weakness by encrypting data in transit. When a website uses HTTPS, all information exchanged between the browser and the server is protected by an SSL/TLS certificate, preventing third parties from stealing or tampering with data.

Here is how HTTPS works:

• The user visits the website using an address that starts with HTTPS
• The browser sends a verification request and receives the SSL/TLS certificate from the server
• The server responds with SSL certificate along with the public key
• The browser uses the public key to encrypt the session key and sends it back to the server
• The server decrypts the session key, confirms it and replies to the browser
• After successful authentication, both sides use the session key to exchange data securely

With this mechanism, HTTPS ensures data stays encrypted throughout transmission, making the website more trustworthy and better protecting user information.

How the client and server communicate over HTTPS

To establish a secure connection, communication between the browser (client) and the server over HTTPS goes through several authentication and encryption steps, instead of connecting directly as HTTP does. This mechanism ensures data is not stolen or tampered with in transit.

HTTPS communication happens in the following steps:

• The client sends an access request to a website whose address starts with https://
• The server responds by sending its SSL/TLS certificate to the client
• The browser checks the certificate's validity through the certificate authority (CA)
• Once the certificate is verified, the client creates a random session key
• This session key is encrypted with the public key in the certificate and sent to the server
• The server uses its private key to decrypt the session key
• From this point on, the client and server use the session key to encrypt and decrypt all data exchanged during the session

With this mechanism, HTTPS ensures information is transmitted safely, securely and reliably between users and the website.

HTTP vs HTTPS: how do they compare?

HTTP and HTTPS are both protocols for transmitting data over the Internet, but the core difference is the level of security. HTTP sends data as plain text, which is easy to eavesdrop on or tamper with, while HTTPS adds an SSL/TLS encryption layer that keeps information safe throughout the exchange between browser and server. This is also why HTTPS has become a required standard for modern websites.

Table comparing the differences between HTTP and HTTPS

Why should your website use HTTPS?

With more and more security risks online, users care about content but put safety first when they visit a website. That is why HTTPS has become an essential standard: it protects data, builds trust and improves the user experience. So why should every website, personal or business, use HTTPS? MONA explains below.

The HTTPS protocol protects user information

HTTPS encrypts all data sent between the browser and the server, so bad actors cannot “eavesdrop” on or tamper with the information. As a result, everything you send, whether a login, a comment or an order, stays intact and cannot be read, altered or faked in transit.

Makes your website more credible to users

Today, popular browsers such as Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge and Apple Safari all warn users when they visit websites that do not use HTTPS. These warnings aim to protect important information such as personal data, login details and payment cards from being stolen.
Users decide whether a website survives. If they feel unsafe on it, they are very unlikely to come back. HTTPS with an SSL/TLS certificate secures data and also shows that the website takes credibility and professionalism seriously, which builds trust and keeps users coming back.

HTTPS plays an important role in SEO

Major search engines such as Google and Bing take security very seriously and moved their own services to HTTPS early on. Google has also said many times that websites using HTTPS have an advantage in search rankings. So if you do SEO and want your website to keep growing, make switching to HTTPS a priority.

When a website has both HTTP and HTTPS versions, Google may treat them as duplicate content. This splits SEO strength, backlinks do not add up and search engines struggle to decide which version to rank. Without a proper 301 redirect from HTTP to HTTPS, the website can easily lose rankings, drop in traffic and lose the SEO value it has built up.

If you are not sure where to start, the MONA team can help. Full-scope SEO services combined with SEO AI at MONA covers everything from technical website checks and structure optimization to a content strategy built for new search behavior. We help your website run reliably and keep growing in the AI era. Contact MONA today for detailed advice.

What should you keep in mind when using HTTPS?

HTTPS encrypts data and makes your website more secure, and it is now the standard. When you set it up, though, watch a few technical points to avoid common errors that reduce its benefits or break how pages display.

Here is what you need to keep in mind:

• Always make sure your SSL/TLS certificate is valid and renewed on time
• Check that the certificate is registered for the correct domain, including both the www and non-www versions, to avoid certificate mismatch errors
• Make sure the server supports SNI and users' browsers are compatible, or use a dedicated IP if you need to support old browsers
• Do not block the HTTPS website in robots.txt; let search bots crawl the content normally
• Avoid using the noindex tag on important pages if you want the website indexed
• Update to and use the latest TLS versions to limit security vulnerabilities
• Only embed HTTPS content on HTTPS pages to avoid mixed content errors
• Make sure the content of the HTTP and HTTPS versions is the same when migrating
• Check that the correct HTTP status codes are returned, such as 200 for valid pages and 404 or 410 for pages that do not exist
• Following the points above helps your website get the most out of HTTPS, earn users' trust and support SEO in the long run.

Frequently asked questions about HTTPS

1. What should you do when HTTPS shows a red strikethrough?

When the URL shows HTTPS struck through in red, users suspect the website is unsafe and its credibility drops immediately. The simple fix: buy an SSL certificate from a reputable provider such as MONA Media to restore trust and protect your website.

2. What should you do when HTTPS appears crossed out?

As with the red strikethrough, when HTTPS appears crossed out on your website, you should register the SSL for your website.

3. Is HTTPS free?

There are free SSL providers such as Let’s Encrypt, but they usually offer only basic security and no technical support.

4. Is it hard to switch from HTTP to HTTPS?

Switching from HTTP to HTTPS is not hard if you have experience: you just need to install SSL, configure the server and update the content correctly. For beginners the process can be a bit complex, but support tools can automate almost all of it, making the switch simple and safe.

This article has covered the basics of what the HTTPS protocol is and its main advantages. Now that you understand it, put essential security measures in place for your website, starting with the switch to HTTPS.

The security HTTPS provides makes your website safer and more professional, and more appealing to users.