For restaurants trying to drive more online traffic and orders, search engine optimization is essential.
But there’s one simple restaurant website tweak that can significantly boost your best local restaurants in Stockholm Sweden local SEO almost overnight – adding an SSL certificate.
In this post we’ll look at why SSLs are so crucial for SEO, especially when trying to rank for keywords like “best local restaurants in Stockholm, Sweden”.
How SSL Certificates Directly Impact Your Restaurant’s SEO?
When looking to improve local SEO and gain more visibility for keywords targeting your city and cuisine, SSL certificates might not seem like an obvious factor.
But there are a few key reasons why adding an SSL certificate to your restaurant website can positively impact SEO rankings:
Encrypted HTTPS Connections
SSL certificates allow your site to use HTTPS protocol and establish encrypted connections with visitors. This is increasingly becoming an SEO ranking factor, as Google wants to see sites securely protect user data.
Trust and Authority Signals
HTTPS and SSL give your restaurant website more trust and authority in the eyes of Google algorithms. It signals you are a legitimate business taking steps to create a secure browsing experience.
Better User Experience
With an SSL certificate, users see the padlock icon and “secure” markers in the URL, putting them at ease about using your site. This leads to lower bounce rates and more time on site – positive engagement metrics.
Higher Click-Through Rates
In Google search results, URLs with HTTPS get labeled as “secure” as well. Studies show listings with this label have higher click-through rates by users.
Avoid Chrome Browser Warnings
Starting in July 2018, Google’s Chrome browser began showing “not secure” warnings on all HTTP sites. Adding an SSL certificate prevents this damaging label from scaring customers away from your site.
Increased Global Visibility
Restaurant sites without SSL certificates face indexing issues, as Google is actively indexing and ranking HTTPS sites higher than their HTTP counterparts.
Top Benefits of Adding an SSL Certificate
Clearly, there are lots of compelling reasons why getting an SSL certificate needs to be a priority if you want your restaurant website to rank well locally. Here are some of the most impactful benefits:
Significant Local SEO Gains
As covered already, SSL paves the way for major search engine optimization improvements. By switching to HTTPS, your restaurant site will gain authority, trust, and relevance for ranking high with local intent keywords.
Customer Confidence and Loyalty
Along with boosting SEO, SSL also makes current and potential patrons feel more secure entering their data on your site, like when making online reservations or takeout orders. This builds confidence and loyalty.
Brand Legitimacy and Reputation
The visual trust indicators like “HTTPS” and the padlock icon lend your restaurant website credibility and professionalism. This strengthens your brand reputation as a legitimate and forward-thinking business.
Compliance and Security
SSL encrypts all data exchanged between the browser and your server. This keeps sensitive customer information secure and compliant with industry standards like PCI DSS.
Increased Sales and Transactions
Various studies reveal that HTTPS sites experience more customer purchases and transactions compared to plain HTTP. The added credibility compels visitors to engage further. This leads to more online orders.
Better Rankings in Google Maps
Along with higher visibility in standard search results, SSL also helps you rank better in Google Maps for cuisine and location-based searches like “sushi restaurants in San Francisco”.
Improved Website Loading Speeds
Contrary to popular belief, SSL actually improves website performance in most cases. The security overhead is negligible, and the privacy benefits are well worth it.
Quick Tips for Implementing an SSL Certificate
Convinced that purchasing an SSL certificate needs to be at the very top of your restaurant website to-do list? Here are some tips for choosing and installing an SSL:
- Research certificate types like single domain, wildcard, etc., and choose one appropriate for your site architecture.
- Only buy from trusted SSL providers like DigiCert, Symantec, Comodo, etc. Avoid no-name vendors.
- Submit your certificate request with your registered domain name and validate your business ownership.
- Install the purchased certificate files on your web server or CDN service.
- Update site URLs internally and externally to use “https://www” going forward.
- Confirm the padlock icon and HTTPS appear correctly before launching.
- Renew certificates before expiration to maintain uninterrupted HTTPS access.
Don’t Underestimate the Power of SSL for Restaurants
While often overlooked, investing in an SSL certificate is one of the smartest steps any restaurant can take to upgrade website security and visibility. The SEO and credibility gains will be dramatic.
Don’t leave easy local SEO wins on the table. Join the HTTPS era to unlock your website’s true potential, keep customer data secure, and rank better for that coveted #1 spot in local restaurant searches!
