HTTPS Tops 30%: How Google Is Winning the Long War

Posted by Dr-Pete

[Estimated read time: 6 minutes]

It's been almost two years (August 2014) since Google announced that HTTPS was a ranking signal. Speculation ran rampant, as usual, with some suggesting there was little or no benefit to switching (and possibly significant risk) while others rushed to sell customers on making the HTTPS switch. Two years later, I believe the data speaks for itself - Google is fighting, and winning, a long war.

What's happened since?

If you only consider the impact of Google's original HTTPS update, I understand your skepticism. Prior to the update, our 10,000-keyword tracking system (think of it as a laboratory for studying Google searches) showed that roughly 7% of page-1 Google results used the "https:" protocol. A week after the update announcement, that number had increased only slightly, to just over 8%:

The blue/purple show the before/after based on the announcement date. As you can see, the update probably rolled out over the course of a few days. Even over a 2-week period, though, the impact appears to be fairly small. This led many of us to downplay Google's statements and ignore HTTPS for a while. The next graph is our wake-up call:

As of late June, our tracking data shows that 32.5% (almost one-third) of page-1 Google results now use the "https:" protocol. The tiny bump on the far left (above "A-14" = August 2014) is the original HTTPS algorithm update. The much larger bump in the middle is when Wikipedia switched to HTTPS. This goes to show the impact that one powerhouse can have on SERPs, but that's a story for another time.

What does it mean?

Has Google rolled out multiple updates, rewarding HTTPS (or punishing the lack of it)? Probably not. If this two-year trend was purely a result of algorithm updates, we would expect to see a series of jumps and new plateaus. Other than the Wikipedia change and two smaller bumps, the graph clearly shows a gradual progression.

It's possible that people are simply switching to HTTPS for their own reasons, but I strongly believe that this data suggests Google's PR campaign is working. They've successfully led search marketers and site owners to believe that HTTPS will be rewarded, and this has drastically sped up the shift. An algorithm update is risky and can cause collateral damage. Convincing us that change is for our own good is risk-free for Google. Again, Google is fighting the long war.

Is our data accurate?

Of course, our tracking set is just one sample of search data. The trendline is interesting, but it's possible that our keywords are overstating the prevalence of HTTPS results. I presented a number of roughly 30% at SMX Advanced in mid-June. Later that same day, Google's Gary Illyes called me out and confirmed that number:

Gary did not give an exact figure, but essentially gave a nod to the number, suggesting that we're in the general ballpark. A follow-up tweet confirms this interpretation:

This is as close to confirmation as we can reasonably expect, so let's assume we showed up to the right ballgame and our tickets aren't counterfeit.

Why does 30% matter?

Ok, so about one-third of results use HTTPS. Simple arithmetic says that two-thirds don't. Projecting the trend forward, we've got about a year and a half (16–17 months) before HTTPS hits 50%. So, is it time to panic? No, probably not, but here's the piece of the puzzle you may be missing.

Google has to strike a balance. If they reward sites with HTTPS (or dock sites without it) when very few sites are using it, then they risk a lot of collateral damage to good sites that just haven't made the switch. If, on the other hand, they wait until most sites have switched, a reward is moot. If 100% of sites are on HTTPS and they reward those sites (or dock the 0% without it), nothing happens. They also have to be careful not to set the reward too high, or sites might switch simply to game the system, but not too low, or no one will care. However I feel about Google on any given day, I acknowledge that their job isn't easy.

If rewarding HTTPS too heavily when adoption is low is risky and rewarding it when adoption is too high is pointless, then, naturally, the perfect time to strike is somewhere in the middle. At 30% adoption, we're starting to edge into that middle territory. When adoption hits something like 50–60%, I suspect it will make sense for Google to turn up the algorithmic volume on HTTPS.

At the same time, Google has to make sure that most of the major, trusted sites have switched. As of this writing, 4 of the top 5 sites in our tracking data are running on HTTPS (Wikipedia, Amazon, Facebook, and YouTube) with the only straggler being #5, Yelp. The top 5 sites in our tracking account for just over 12% of page-1 results, which is a big bit of real estate for only 5 sites.

Of the top 20 sites in our tracking data, only 7 have gone full HTTPS. That's 35%, which is pretty close to our overall numbers across all sites. If Google can convince most of those sites to switch, they'll have covered quite a bit of ground. Focusing on big players and convincing them to switch puts pressure on smaller sites.

In many ways, Google has already been successful. Even without a major, algorithmic HTTPS boost, sites continue to make the switch. As the number climbs, though, the odds of a larger boost increase. I suspect the war is going to be over sooner than the trendline suggests.

What are the risks?

Am I telling you to make the switch? No. While I think there are good reasons to move to HTTPS for some sites and I think most of Google's motives are sincere on this subject, I also believe Google has been irresponsible about downplaying the risks.

Any major change to sitewide URLs is risky, especially for large sites. If you weigh the time, money, and risk of the switch against what is still a small algorithmic boost, I think it's a tough sell in many cases. These risks are not theoretical - back in May, Wired.com wrote up the many problems they've encountered during their HTTPS switch, a switch that they've since paused to reconsider.

Like any major, sitewide change, you have to consider the broader business case, costs, and benefits. I suspect that pressure from Google will increase, especially as adoption increases, and that we're within a year of a tipping point where half of page-1 results will be running on HTTPS. Be aware of how the adoption rate is moving in your own industry and be alert, because I suspect we could see another HTTPS algorithm update in the next 6–12 months.

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6 Important Questions to Ask Before Your Agency Grows

Many agency leaders think the path to success is through growth. Grow bigger, grow faster, and don't look back. 

But do they have the right business practices in place to actually achieve this? And are they prepared for the inevitable changes that occur as a company gets larger?

6 Questions to Ask Before Your Agency Grows 

1) How do you want to grow?

What do you want your agency to look like in a few years? There are two main approaches to growth, and they look very different.

For one type of firm, you can grow through increased sales -- or growing by volume. You bring on lots of clients, and hire more people to service those clients. Client accounts will most likely be smaller, and the firm will be more concerned with productivity and the profitability of projects.

You can also grow through the size of your accounts, taking on fewer clients and focusing on longer engagements and less tactical or project-based work. For this type of growth to occur, the agency needs to be committed to a strong positioning as well as be able to showcase its value to obtain more revenue from clients. The agency may only need to win a few key accounts each year to replace leaving clients.

2) Are your current hiring practices in line with your future agency?

As you grow, your agency changes. Your clients' needs evolve. And you need more people to manage, train, and lead different teams. While some might rely on hiring for the role when they reach that size, most owners want to develop leadership skills in the people who have been with them when the team could easily fit in one room for a meeting. A key external hire -- someone with a specific skill set and experience -- can benefit the agency's growth; however, you'll have a hard time retaining people in the long-run if you fail to create a path of advancement for your current employees.

That means that you need to begin developing a bench of future leaders, and that requires a different approach to hiring and training. In the past, you might have simply been concerned about whether or not the candidate can do the job or be trained to complete the work. Now, you need to consider other qualities in top performers, such as emotional intelligence, interest in long-term career growth and management, and if the person has skills that challenge the team. You're looking for someone who will add to the overall talent of the team, rather than simply fit into a vacant seat.

3) How will you attract the right type of clients?

When you're just starting out, your agency could thrive on word-of-mouth, referrals, and projects from local companies. But if you want to grow, you'll need to tap a new group of prospects -- and do so in a sustainable way.

And it means you need to think differently about your company. Why would someone located 1,000 miles away want to work with your agency? What facts would make a prospect say, "I only want to work with your firm"? What do you need to change about the way you market your agency? Or do you need to actually start building your brand?

4) What does your sales process look like?

A lot of time is wasted on lunch meetings, calls with "prospects" who simply want to learn a few marketing tips, and proposals that never even reach a decision-maker.

This wasted time could be better spent with prospects that actually want to work with your agency and that your agency wants to work with -- you know you can provide value to the client, the account will be profitable, and your team members will enjoy working with the client.

But without a sales process, it's easy to get distracted by this prospect or that project. Without a goal, you'll always be running towards a finish line, yet the line will keep moving.

By defining your sales process with steps and processes for qualifying clients, prospecting, closing, and upselling, you'll be able to more quickly and efficiently grow.

5) How will your role change?

As the company grows, many agency owners struggle with the fact that they can't be everywhere and do everything. In the beginning, they were involved in every client account, approved all the creative, tracked financials, and made the final decision for all hires.

This isn't possible as your agency grows -- leaders have to make themselves irrelevant. And you need to take some time to figure out if this is really what you want. Do you want to be able to scale your influence on a larger team and client base? Or do you more enjoy the day-to-day management and involvement in your clients' accounts? These are two different types of businesses, and it's worth considering what type of company you actually want to build, rather than growing for growth's sake.

6) Is your approach to creating work repeatable and consistent?

Finally, to scale you need to create, document, and train people on your processes. Without a way to create and deliver work on time and profitably, you can't scale. To retain clients, you can't miss deadlines or deliver poor quality work. New employees need to be properly trained and onboarded to deliver a consistent experience to clients. While it might be fun to "figure things out as you go," it doesn't lead to creating a growing and stable company. 

eBay goes AMP, sign it might break out past news?

eBay adopting AMP for their transactional based site may signal that Google may push out AMP well beyond article and news oriented content.

The post eBay goes AMP, sign it might break out past news? appeared first on Search Engine Land.



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The 16 Best Facebook Pages You've Ever Seen

With more than 1.65 billion monthly active users, Facebook is a major player in the world of social networking. Businesses looking to market using Facebook have one major tool at their disposal: the Facebook Page.

Facebook Pages were specifically engineered for businesses. They provide a public home on Facebook for a business, and they allow businesses to publish content and receive comments and feedback from fans and customers.

Facebook Pages are a simple tool, but they allow for many interesting business opportunities. There are some companies out there who really take advantage of the cool stuff you can do on a Facebook business Page to connect, engage with, and delight fans, as well as drive traffic to specific parts of their website.

So we combed through the web to find 16 Facebook Pages that you absolutely MUST see. Put simply, these pages are awesome.

16 Great Facebook Business Page Examples You Have to See

1) L.L. Bean

Here's an example of a Facebook Page that focuses on the customer. The content they post is interesting and super relevant for their target audience: cool photos, videos, and tips for outdoor adventurers. They also include tabs dedicated to their events, open job opportunities, and to each of their most recent grand openings.

2) Intrepid Travel

Travel agency Intrepid Travel has put together a great Facebook Page -- complete with a special tab that shows trip and tour reviews, and one that lets users search and book trips without having to leave their Facebook Page. Talk about a great user experience.

They also consistently post compelling videos that'll have you itching to pack a bag and hit the road. Check out this food tour of China they recently posted to give potential tourists the nudge they need to book an adventure:

3) Threadless

Threadless has tons of great images on their Page. Most notably, their cover photo features different T-shirt designs, which they always credit to the designer in the top right-hand corner of the photo and change fairly regularly. They also carry over important functionality from their website, allowing users to vote for T-shirt designs and enter design contests.

All in all, Threadless does a great job of creating a fantastic user experience that doesn't require the user to leave Facebook. Plus, they have a badge in their "About" section signifying that they respond to inquiries quickly -- which is great for showing fans and followers that they're listening.

4) Nutella

The folks at Nutella have the unique challenge of having to find an infinite number of ways to feature a single product so their social media content stays fresh and interesting. The key to their success? A wide variety of interesting visual content.

They've taken full advantage of the rise of video on Facebook: Between April 2015 and November 2015, the number of average daily video views on Facebook doubled from 4 billion video views per day to 8 billion. Much of their video content is centered around creative (and delicious) ways to work the infamous hazelnut spread into different recipes, such as these incredible Nutella pancake cupcakes:

The company also shares a ton of great images that generate a huge amount of engagement, like this clever emoji-inspired post:

5) Zappos.com

Zappos.com is known for great customer service, and they keep that reputation going on their Facebook Page. For example, they have a badge in their "About" section that says they typically respond to customers' inquiries within the hour. That's fast.

They also have a small section of their Page dedicated to visitor posts, which features customers' posts about Zappos' great customer service on and off Facebook.

Not to mention, they're committed to responding to comments -- and they aren't afraid to have fun with it:

Customer service aside, Zappos has also fully taken advantage of Facebook's call-to-action button feature by placing a "Shop Now" button at the top of their Facebook Page.

(Check out this episode of The Growth Show to learn more about how Zappos built a lovable company culture.)

6) National Hockey League

The NHL rocks Facebook. Their Page prioritizes the things they know users care about most when visiting Facebook: photos and videos, live streaming (which they include during the season and remove in the offseason), and contests that give them the chance to win tickets.

Not only that, they're constantly putting out relevant news stories and compelling visual content that get high levels of engagement from their fans. For example, NHL and GoPro have been partnered up since 2015 to bring hockey fans unique perspectives from games, and these videos can be found in the "Video" tab on the NHL's Facebook Page.

7) Tough Mudder

Tough Mudder, an organization that runs hardcore obstacle course events focused on teamwork and camaraderie, leans on social media sites like Facebook to help recruit and pump up participants.

They do a great job of keeping their Facebook content fresh and up-to-date, which is especially important for an events company. Not to mention, each event they run has its own Facebook Event -- which shows up in an "Events" feed on their Page -- so participants can connect, ask questions, and share event-specific photos with the community.

Speaking of community ... the folks that run the Facebook Page always find clever ways to keep the Tough Mudder family connected and engaged using fun hashtags like #HeadbandMonday:

8) St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

St. Jude's is a volunteer- and donation-driven organization, and they do a fantastic job engaging their volunteer and donor bases on Facebook. Their posts and photos are highly engaging, often featuring the personal stories of patients who were helped thanks to the generosity of people like their Facebook Fans.

Their Page also offers apps that allow you to donate, browse careers, look at photos, and more -- right from the Facebook Page.

9) Starbucks

Starbucks was an early social media adopter, and it comes through in the polish and features of their Facebook Page. The "International" tab leads you to their local Facebook Pages, so non-English-speaking fans can easily navigate to their country's Starbucks Page.

Beyond that, Starbucks uses its Page to showcase their rich visual content, run contests for seasonal products, highlight job openings, and interact with followers, like they do with the quiz below:

They also offer a slick store locator application:

10) Adobe

Adobe is a computer software company that could post all about software and technology all the time ... but they do a great job of catering their content to Facebook users, who tend to log on to socialize, read or watch fun content, or read the news. Here's an example of a cool video that would be interesting to their design-focused target audience:

They also have a special Notes section that outlines the rules of the Facebook Page -- and thus setting expectations for their fans. Granted, it hasn't been updated since 2010 ... but it's still a great thing to have.

11) Burt's Bees

Your customers can be your best sources for market research. The Burt's Bees Facebook Page uses a poll tab to ask questions about flavor preferences, product names, and so on. Customers have the option to vote, see results, and/or share their opinion on their own Facebook Pages. They also have a "Coupons" tab that gives customers opportunities to save money.

12) Easy Lunch Boxes

With all that space in the cover photo, why not pair colorful visuals with a strong value statement? That's exactly what Easy Lunch Boxes does. They put it all out there as soon as a user lands on their Facebook Page.

In addition to posting fun pictures, videos, and tips like "lunch box hacks," the Page also includes apps that let users ask questions, sign up for their newsletter, follow their blog, and even get recipe and meal ideas. Overall, the Page is on-brand and clearly displays the utility of the product.

13) Gold's Gym

For a company that's been around for over 50 years, Gold's Gym has shown they can keep up with the times on their Facebook Page. Their "Gold's Gym Challenge" is a front-and-center application on their Page, which lets users join the group, see other members, and join the discussion without leaving Facebook.

They also have a handy gym locator app that leads folks straight to their "Locate a Gym" webpage (unlike Starbucks' locator app, which is right within Facebook) so that prospective members can easily see whether there's a location nearby. Finally, Gold's Gym keeps engagement high by posting lots of content, much of which features members' inspirational fitness journeys.

14) Stella & Dot

As a company based on creating flexible entrepreneurial opportunities for women, Stella & Dot relies on platforms like Facebook to help grow their business via word-of-mouth marketing. They are a great example of an organization that's successfully built a community on Facebook.

They use it to share styling tips with their social community, show how their pieces are designed and made, and post videos on how to wear their jewelry. All of their visual content is vibrantly colored and beautifully shot.

They've also taken advantage of Facebook Live by posting live videos of trunk shows, which can help prospective trunk show hosts learn how to do one -- or just bring entertainment to anyone watching.

(Read this article for more awesome Facebook Live use cases.)

15) Mabel's Labels

Like Zappos, Mabel's Labels -- creators of high quality labels for the stuff kids lose -- has also taken advantage of Facebook's call-to-action button feature with their "Shop Now" CTA, linking to their homepage.

In terms of content, they've mastered the art of posting the perfect balance of engaging videos, photos, and GIFs that align with the interests of their target audience: moms. For example, check out this relatable ecard they posted to reassure moms everywhere that they know just how real the struggle can be:

Mabel's Labels has also taken advantage of Facebook Live with videos like the one below, which they pinned to their Facebook Page to make it more easily visible for a longer period of time.

16) UNICEF

UNICEF's Facebook Page is all about teaching Facebook users who they are and giving them options to take action. The opportunity for users to get involved right from the Page ranges from the "Donate Now" call-to-action button at the top of their Page that takes you to their official donation website, to their "Actions" tab that lets you share a relevant update with your Facebook friends via a Facebook app called ActionSprout. It also lets you sign up for their email newsletter right from a form that appears on the page.

UNICEF is known for creating powerful content like videos to spread awareness and positive messages about current events. One example? The video they shared to Facebook about the Syrian refugee crisis. (See #3 in this blog post to watch the video.)

Use these awesome Page examples as inspiration to finally create a Facebook Page for your business, or as motivation to improve your existing page. You don't have to do everything. Instead, focus on the core needs of your fans and customers.

Want to see how HubSpot uses Facebook? Check out HubSpot's Facebook Page here.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in November 2011, and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.