Technical Foundations · 1.3
HTTPS / Site Security
The padlock icon telling a visitor your connection is private and secure. Without it, most browsers now display an active warning — something like “Not Secure” right in the address bar, sometimes a full warning page before the site even loads.
Why this matters
The customer’s side
A visible security warning makes a visitor think twice before entering any personal details — their name, number, or an enquiry — because it genuinely looks unsafe or untrustworthy, even if the rest of the site is perfectly fine. Some people will simply leave rather than risk it.
The search engine’s side
Confirmed Google ranking signal since 2014
Google confirmed this as a ranking signal back in 2014 — a small one on its own, but combined with visitors actively leaving because of the browser warning, it works against you twice over.
See it happen
Same enquiry form. One of these address bars makes people hesitate.
With HTTPS
A quiet, unremarkable padlock. Nobody thinks twice.
Without it
Right where they’re about to type their name and number in.
How to check yours
Method 1 — Look at your own address bar
the fastest check — takes seconds, no tools needed.
- 1.Look at your own website's address bar.
- 2.Check for “https://” and a padlock icon.
Method 2 — Qualys SSL Labs, for a full health check
goes further than the padlock — it flags a certificate that's about to expire, or configured weakly, before it ever becomes visible to a visitor.
- 1.Go to ssllabs.com/ssltest and enter your website address.
- 2.Wait for the scan to finish — it can take a minute or two.
- 3.Check the letter grade, and the certificate expiry date shown near the top.
How to fix what you find
Log into your hosting control panel
search for “SSL” — most hosts now offer this free via something called Let's Encrypt, often a single toggle switch.
If your host genuinely doesn't offer this in 2026
that's a real sign of a low-quality host. Add Cloudflare in front of your site, or switch to another host such as SiteGround, Bluehost, or Kinsta.
Keeping on top of it
Certificates occasionally need renewing — worth a quick check every month, since it's the kind of thing nobody notices until it's already expired and showing visitors a warning.
How Reyse handles this
Done With You
we tell you exactly what to check and how to fix it if something's wrong.
Done For You
we monitor this on your behalf and handle renewals before they ever lapse.