Running HTTP in 2026 is like presenting a business card with a typo. Sure, it 'works' — but every prospect who notices is already halfway out the door.
Let me save you twelve minutes: HTTPS won this battle in 2014. We're just here for the autopsy. Google treats HTTPS as a ranking signal, but that's the least interesting part of this story. The real damage HTTP inflicts is invisible — stripped referral data, demolished trust signals, and a browser warning that might as well say 'This business doesn't care about you.' I've watched seven-figure businesses hemorrhage conversions because Chrome made that 'Not Secure' label three pixels larger. HTTP isn't a choice anymore. It's a confession of neglect.
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HTTP isn't killing your rankings — it's hemorrhaging your credibility while you sleep. I break down the I break down the [referral data blindspot](/guide/audit-seo-checklist) that's costing you attribution. that's costing you attribution, and why 'Not Secure' is the most expensive two words in the most expensive two words in [digital marketing](/comparison/cro-vs-seo)..
4 wins for HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) • 0 wins for HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) • 0 ties