Rank Higher on Google by Improving Your WordPress Website's Security

Is your website optimized for search engines? You might think you already have everything you need. Guest posts? Strong backlinks? User-friendly pages? Well-optimized content? These are definitely key elements for good SEO.

However, there is one factor that businesses often overlook—their website's security. In this guide, we're going to take a look at how security affects SEO and how you can further optimize your WordPress website.

Why Your WordPress Websites Security Is Crucial for Good SEO

As you probably already know, the Google algorithm is constantly evolving. It is important to keep up with these changes so you can rank as high as possible.

You should be aware that Google considers your website's security when determining rankings. If your website is secure, you have a better chance of ranking higher. Conversely, if Google determines your website unsafe, you will have trouble showing up on the results page.

Who Should Care About Their WordPress Website's Security?

Website security isn't just for businesses collecting payment information. According to one Minneapolis SEO company, all companies should care about safeguarding their pages. This ensures that their pages are optimized for search engines.

Is WordPress Safe?

If security is so important to rankings, you probably want to know if the content management system (CMS) you are using is trustworthy.

Out of the box, WordPress is safe. It is a popular CMS trusted by millions of developers around the world. However, no platform is 100% secure. Some things to keep in mind about WordPress in reference to its security include:

It Needs Constant Updates

You need to constantly update WordPress for it to continue normal operation. Some people neglect to do this regularly and see it compromise their website.

You should enable automatic updates. This ensures that you never miss an update and that your website continues running smoothly.

It Uses PHP Spaghetti Code

All you need to know about PHP spaghetti code is that it is inherently insecure. There is nothing you can do about this factor as this is the type of code that makes up WordPress.

By understanding that your website can potentially be compromised, you can take the necessary steps to protect it. Among other things, this will help improve your SEO.

It Is Open-Source

One of the great things about WordPress is that it is open-source. The community can contribute plugins and themes for others to use. These features make the CMS much more versatile.

WordPress being open-source, however, also has its disadvantages. Plugins and themes are constantly coming out with new versions. Hackers love these outdated features. They make it easy for them to gain unauthorized access to your website.

So, it is important for you to ensure you are using the latest versions of your plugins or themes. Like with security updates, make sure you turn on automatic updates for these features.

It Might Be Using HTTP Instead of HTTPS

You might have a HTTP instead of HTTPS website. The latter is more secure, meaning Google will rank it higher in search results.

To transfer your WordPress website from HTTP to HTTPS, install an SSL certificate. This action also helps by establishing your reputation. Customers will trust a HTTPS URL over an HTTP URL. This is especially important for businesses collecting payment information online.

Security Should Be Your Top Priority

As with any CMS, security should be your top concern. It will protect your information and keep you ranking high on Google.

As great as WordPress is, it can be vulnerable to hackers. Keep this in mind and take the time to implement the necessary measures to save yourself trouble down the line.