Why websites should be using HSTS to improve security and SEO

Site users and search engines don’t take website security lightly which is probably why you’ve likely heard of added security measures like HTTPS.

But a lesser-known security layer called HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) is also available and can help protect your site and your search engine optimization (SEO) as well.  Let’s walk through what HSTS is and how it works.

HSTS

HSTS is a response header that informs the browser it can only connect to a certain website using HTTPS.  HSTS increases both the speed and security of HTTPS websites.  To fully understand what HSTS does, you need a little working knowledge of HTTPS.

HTTPS

HTTPS (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure) is a secure version of HTTP.  When a user connects to a site using HTTPS, the website then encrypts the session with a secure sockets layer (SSL) certificate. In layman’s terms, it adds an extra layer of security to the site session and protects against hackers who may try to steal information from web users.

As you can imagine, this is especially useful for e-commerce, banking, or other transaction sites like Paypal, which require users to enter sensitive information.

[Read the full article on Search Engine Land.]