What Technical SEO Issue Can You Solve with an SSL Certificate?

Key Takeaways

SSL certificates fix security-related SEO issues and improve trust signals.
Websites without HTTPS often face ranking drops and browser warnings.
Google considers SSL a ranking factor, impacting visibility and conversions.
Partnering with a technical SEO agency ensures full SSL integration and other backend fixes.
Bridgeway Digital offers expert technical SEO services to secure and optimize your site.

Introduction: SSL + SEO = Better Rankings

In 2025, online security is no longer a “nice-to-have,” it’s a must-have. Google has made it clear: if your website isn’t HTTPS-secured with an SSL certificate, you’re not just risking user trust, you’re risking your rankings.

According to a 2024 Google Web Security Report, over 85% of top-ranking websites use HTTPS, while sites without SSL are flagged as “Not Secure.”

That’s where a technical SEO service comes in. At Bridgeway Digital, we help businesses fix these critical issues through SSL implementation and a full technical SEO audit service that ensures your site meets Google’s security and performance standards.

1. Why SSL Matters for SEO

An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate encrypts all data exchanged between your website and its visitors, transforming HTTP into secure HTTPS. This seemingly small “S” delivers a big impact on both security and SEO. Here’s how it helps:

Boosts Rankings – Google treats HTTPS as a ranking signal, giving secure sites an edge in search results.
Improves User Trust – Visitors feel confident when they see the padlock icon, encouraging them to stay and engage.
Prevents “Not Secure” Warnings – Browsers like Chrome warn users about unsecured HTTP sites, often driving them away.
Protects Data – SSL is crucial for safeguarding sensitive information such as login credentials and payment details.

Without SSL, you face increased bounce rates, lost conversions, and lower search visibility, an SEO nightmare for any business. Securing your site is no longer optional; it’s essential for success.

2. What Happens If You Don’t Have SSL?

Not having an SSL certificate can lead to several technical SEO issues that harm your site’s performance and user trust:

Search Engine Penalties – Google favors secure HTTPS sites, meaning unsecured sites may rank lower.
Browser Warnings – Visitors see alarming “Not Secure” messages, which discourage engagement.
Lost Conversions – Customers are unlikely to enter payment details or personal data on an unsecured website.
Lower Trust – Security-conscious users may avoid your site entirely, damaging brand reputation.

Stat Check: 82% of users said they would immediately leave a site if their browser displayed a “Not Secure” warning (Web Security Survey 2024).

Installing SSL protects users, builds trust, and gives your site an SEO advantage.

3. What Technical SEO Issue Can You Solve with an SSL Certificate?

Here’s the answer: SSL certificates fix the “non-HTTPS” issue, a critical technical SEO problem.

When Googlebot crawls your site and finds mixed content (HTTP + HTTPS), it sees it as insecure. This leads to:

Duplicate content issues
Indexing problems
Lower rankings

An SSL certificate ensures your site runs entirely on HTTPS, consolidates URL versions, and removes mixed content errors, all crucial elements for strong technical SEO.

4. SSL and Technical SEO Services: The Bigger Picture

SSL alone won’t fix every SEO problem, but it’s a crucial first step in any technical SEO strategy. To fully benefit, a reliable technical SEO agency will:

Migrate your site to HTTPS seamlessly, ensuring no errors during the transition.
Set up proper 301 redirects to prevent duplicate content issues and preserve rankings.
Update internal links, sitemaps, and canonical tags to align with the new secure URLs.
Run a comprehensive technical SEO audit service to uncover and fix any hidden problems that could impact performance.

This thorough process not only strengthens your site’s security but also enhances search visibility, user experience, and overall ranking potential. With expert support, your site is ready to perform at its best.

5. Beyond SSL: Other Technical SEO Fixes to Consider

While SSL solves the HTTPS problem, several other technical SEO elements need attention to achieve full search performance:

Site Speed Optimization – Faster websites rank higher and keep visitors engaged.
Mobile-Friendliness – Google prioritizes mobile-optimized sites, making this a must-have.
Structured Data Markup – Helps search engines better understand and display your content.
Crawlability and Indexing – Fix broken links, orphan pages, and errors to improve visibility.
Core Web Vitals – Enhance loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability for a smooth user experience.

At Bridgeway Digital, our technical SEO services go beyond SSL, addressing all these factors to ensure your backend is fully optimized.

The result? A secure, high-performing, and search-engine-friendly website that drives traffic and conversions.

6. Cloud vs. Self-Hosted SSL: Which Is Better for SEO?

Feature	Cloud-Managed SSL	Self-Hosted SSL
Ease of Setup	Automatic, no manual config	Manual installation required
Cost	Often included with hosting	May require purchase/license
Renewals	Auto-renewal	Manual renewal
Security Updates	Handled by the provider	Managed by your IT team
Best For	SMEs, growing businesses	Large enterprises with IT staff

For most businesses, cloud-managed SSL is the simplest and most effective option.

7. Why Partner with Bridgeway Digital for SSL + SEO?

Sure, you can install an SSL yourself, but full HTTPS migration requires expertise. Improper implementation can lead to broken links, lost rankings, and duplicate content.

That’s why businesses choose Bridgeway Digital:

We provide complete technical SEO services, including SSL setup.
Our technical SEO audit service ensures no issues go unnoticed.
We fix mixed content errors and update all site assets.
We combine security with SEO to boost both trust and visibility.
Our solutions are scalable and perfect for businesses of all sizes.

With us, you’re not just secure, you’re search engine ready.

Conclusion: Secure Your Site, Secure Your Rankings

An SSL certificate isn’t just a tiny padlock on your browser; it’s your golden ticket to SEO success. Beyond encrypting data, it tells search engines, “Hey, this site is safe, rank me higher!” By solving the dreaded HTTPS issue, you boost user trust, protect sensitive information, and win brownie points with Google.

Here’s the kicker: over 85% of top-ranking websites already use HTTPS. Meanwhile, browsers like Chrome love to scare visitors away from non-secure sites with bold “Not Secure” warnings.

The result? Sky-high bounce rates and lost conversions.

In a fast-paced digital world, ignoring SSL is like leaving your shop door open overnight — risky and costly. That’s where Bridgeway Digital swoops in. We don’t just install SSL; we deliver full technical SEO services that fix backend errors, remove mixed content headaches, and supercharge site performance.