‹ View all blog articles

Should I Change My Website to HTTPS? What Every NZ Business Needs to Know

Updated: Apr 28, 2025

Author:

Why Is HTTPS So Important?

HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is now the global standard for website security. If your website is still running on HTTP, it’s time to plan your migration—sooner rather than later.

Moving to HTTPS protects your users’ information, builds trust, and aligns your site with Google’s security requirements. Web browsers like Google Chrome (still the most popular worldwide and used by most Kiwis) now clearly mark websites as "Not Secure" if they don’t use HTTPS—especially on any page collecting information or payment details.

Key Impacts for NZ Businesses:

  • User Trust & Conversions: The "Not Secure" warning can scare away potential customers, especially on forms, payment, or login pages—leading to lost enquiries and sales.
  • Google & SEO Rankings: Google gives a small but important ranking boost to HTTPS websites. As more sites migrate, staying on HTTP could put you at a competitive disadvantage.
  • Protection Against Hacking: HTTPS encrypts information, reducing the risk of customer data breaches and protecting your business reputation.

How do I migrate my site to https?

Start by talking to your website developer or hosting provider. The migration process may vary depending on your website platform (WordPress, Shopify, Webflow, custom build, etc.) and hosting environment.

Steps to move your site safely to HTTPS:

  1. Obtain an SSL Certificate: Many providers now include free SSL certificates (like Let’s Encrypt), but paid options with advanced validation are available.
  2. Install and Configure the SSL Certificate: Your host or developer should install the certificate and update server settings.
  3. Update All Website Links: Update internal links, images, scripts, plugins, and templates to use HTTPS.
  4. Set Up 301 Redirects: Redirect all HTTP URLs to their HTTPS equivalents using permanent (301) redirects—a crucial step to keep your SEO rankings intact.
  5. Update Sitemaps and Robots.txt: Sitemaps and robots.txt must reference your HTTPS URLs.
  6. Update and Re-verify Google Search Console: Add and verify the HTTPS version of your website.
  7. Refresh External Links: Where possible, update key inbound links (directory listings, social media, Google Business Profile, etc.) to point to your new secure site.

Are there SEO benefits to being on https?

Google has communicated that there is a minor ranking benefit for websites being on https. However as more and more websites migrate the ranking benefit may be increased as a means to encourage the balance of websites to migrate to https.

There are also SEO risks associated with moving to https as this essentially includes an addressing change and has the potential to disrupt rankings if not managed correctly.

SEO https migration checklist

The following is a checklist of key points to be managed to ensure that your migration is successful and that you don’t lose organic rankings and traffic.

  • Internal website links – update to use https or relative pathways.
  • Page templates – update so that scripts, images, links etc are either using https or relative pathways.
  • Plug in modules – update the addressing of these
  • Canonical tags and href tags – check for these and update addressing
  • Setup website redirects to https
  • Update all old redirects that are active – this step is most important
  • Update your sitemaps to include the correct addressing
  • Submit and verify the https version of the website to Google Search Console
  • Inbound links – update any that you have access to – directory listings for example
  • Online advertising and social media links – update these where appropriate

For a more detailed site migration checklist, see Googles guideline…..

https://support.google.com/web...

Don't just take our word for it. See what our customers have to say:

  • "We have been working with Ricki-lee from Adhesion with our online marketing for a while now and I can tell you she is full of great ideas for getting people interested and contacting our business. In fact, Ricki-lee is now a very important part of our team, and I can't recommend her, and the team behind her, highly enough."

      Kevin Downing   June 2025

  • "I've really enjoyed working with Jen and Ryan from Adhesion! They've been very responsive and knowledgeable and have gone out of their way to help when I've needed campaigns setup in short notice. Highly recommend the team at Adhesion!!!"

      Karthik Hariharan   May 2025

  • "Very efficient in getting a result."

      Oksana Fediuk   May 2025

  • "We've been with Adhesion for a couple of years now, and they've consistently provided prompt and reliable support. Thanks a lot team for your expert advice and exceptional service throughout this time. Our Google Ads have been performing much better in recent months, thanks to your hard work and dedication. Our recent experiences with Ricki-Lee and Jennifer have been fantastic—it’s such a relief to know that we can be in contact anytime we need. It truly feels personal. Thanks again, ladies! 😊"

      Sandeep Nagpal   May 2025

  • "I have been with Adhesion for a couple of years and I am very confident that they are working in my best interest. Peter Volkov communicates well with me and picks up concepts about my business quickly. I am doing well in my business as a result of Adhesion's commitment to their client. I previously had an unfortunate experience of working with a large company who promised the world, charged the earth and delivered nothing of value. The difference now is outstanding."

      Karen @ Child Behaviour Service   April 2025

  • "Peter has done a great job running my google ads - highly recommended."

      Alex Patten   April 2025

  • "Working with Adhesion I have found them to not only be very helpful but also reasonable and fair on pricing"

      Rita Patel-Kumar   April 2025

  • "After years of watching clients get burned by faceless agencies and one-person marketers who vanish overnight, finding Phillippa at Adhesion felt like a revelation."

      Alex Mann   April 2025

  • "Ricki-Lee was an amazing account manager. Always pro-active and looking for improvements to my campaign. Would highly recommend!"

      Chris   April 2025

  • "A huge thank you to Adhesion, and especially to Ricki-lee, for being an absolute rockstar with my ad campaigns! From the very start, she’s been incredibly responsive—always quick to answer any questions and on top of everything to make sure my ads are running smoothly. I love how creative she is, the way she puts the ads together is just perfect! She continuously monitors and optimizes them, making sure they perform at their best. If you're looking for someone who truly cares about your success and delivers amazing results, Ricki-lee is the one!"

      Picnique Queenstown   February 2025

  • "I've had the pleasure of working with the Adhesion team for years, and they have consistently provided professional and valuable services. The entire team is fantastic to work with, and Courteney, in particular, stands out for her attentiveness and responsiveness. Her keen attention to detail and dedication to delivering top-quality service have greatly benefited our projects. I highly recommend Adhesion for their expertise, reliability, and outstanding customer support."

      Frank Krieger   January 2025

  • "Adhesion, Jen & Court have taken our online marketing strategy from strength to strength over the many years we have been using them for Gordon Harris. Courteney is an absolute star! Their knowledge is deep and broad, keeping us up to date with the latest opportunities to make our campaigns work better. Highly recommend."

      Laura Budd   January 2025

  • "I worked with Reuben @ Adhesion through a previous business which was sold and a new start up business of mine. Very prompt at setting up new campaigns, sorting issues and implementing changes. Nothing was ever an issue and all campaigns delivered acceptable results. Would recommend to any small business owner looking for a more personal agency."

      Kyle Simpson   December 2024

  • "We love working with the team at Adhesion, they did an outstanding job with our website—The Lodge at 58 North. Not only did they understand our unique needs as small business owners, but they also perfectly blended creativity and functionality, crafting a site that captures the spirit of our lodge while providing an intuitive, user-friendly experience for our guests. The team's attention to detail and expertise brought our vision to life, showcasing our lodge's unique charm and commitment to authentic experiences.The whole team is professional, highly responsive, and genuinely invested in our success—making us feel supported every step of the way. The result is a beautiful, functional website that reflects our lodge and makes it easy for visitors to explore, book, and get excited about their stay.We highly recommend the Adhesion Team—it's a joy to work with them!"

      Administrative Assistant   October 2024

  • "I would like to say that Reuben Nel from Adhesion has been of excellent assistance with our google words campaign. He has excellent knowledge and insight and could communicate that in an easy and understandable way. I would certainly recommend Reuben to you"

      Leave Calendar   October 2024

  • "We've been working with Courteney from Adhesion for a year now and it's one of the best business decisions we've made. The growth in online sales, as well as in-store referrals, is testament to Courteney’s expertise. Her communication is superb, she offers practical advice, and nothing is a problem. Highly recommend!"

      Velo Ronny's Bicycle Store   September 2024

  • "I have been using adhesion for about 2 months now and my ads and revenue has increased significantly, not too mention there customer service is 5 star. I will carry on working with this company and Rueben Thank you for great work. I highly recommend after using many different agency’s over the last 2 years in NZ and AU. Thanks Again James Roberts SPORTZONE"

      James   August 2024

Don't just take our word for it. See what our customers have to say:

"We have been working with Ricki-lee from Adhesion with our online marketing for a while now and I can tell you she is full of great ideas for getting people interested and contacting our business. In fact, Ricki-lee is now a very important part of our team, and I can't recommend her, and the team behind her, highly enough."
  Kevin Downing   June 2025

"I've really enjoyed working with Jen and Ryan from Adhesion! They've been very responsive and knowledgeable and have gone out of their way to help when I've needed campaigns setup in short notice. Highly recommend the team at Adhesion!!!"
  Karthik Hariharan   May 2025

"Very efficient in getting a result."
  Oksana Fediuk   May 2025

"We've been with Adhesion for a couple of years now, and they've consistently provided prompt and reliable support. Thanks a lot team for your expert advice and exceptional service throughout this time. Our Google Ads have been performing much better in recent months, thanks to your hard work and dedication. Our recent experiences with Ricki-Lee and Jennifer have been fantastic—it’s such a relief to know that we can be in contact anytime we need. It truly feels personal. Thanks again, ladies! 😊"
  Sandeep Nagpal   May 2025

"I have been with Adhesion for a couple of years and I am very confident that they are working in my best interest. Peter Volkov communicates well with me and picks up concepts about my business quickly. I am doing well in my business as a result of Adhesion's commitment to their client. I previously had an unfortunate experience of working with a large company who promised the world, charged the earth and delivered nothing of value. The difference now is outstanding."
  Karen @ Child Behaviour Service   April 2025

"Peter has done a great job running my google ads - highly recommended."
  Alex Patten   April 2025

"Working with Adhesion I have found them to not only be very helpful but also reasonable and fair on pricing"
  Rita Patel-Kumar   April 2025

"After years of watching clients get burned by faceless agencies and one-person marketers who vanish overnight, finding Phillippa at Adhesion felt like a revelation."
  Alex Mann   April 2025

"Ricki-Lee was an amazing account manager. Always pro-active and looking for improvements to my campaign. Would highly recommend!"
  Chris   April 2025

"A huge thank you to Adhesion, and especially to Ricki-lee, for being an absolute rockstar with my ad campaigns! From the very start, she’s been incredibly responsive—always quick to answer any questions and on top of everything to make sure my ads are running smoothly. I love how creative she is, the way she puts the ads together is just perfect! She continuously monitors and optimizes them, making sure they perform at their best. If you're looking for someone who truly cares about your success and delivers amazing results, Ricki-lee is the one!"
  Picnique Queenstown   February 2025

"I've had the pleasure of working with the Adhesion team for years, and they have consistently provided professional and valuable services. The entire team is fantastic to work with, and Courteney, in particular, stands out for her attentiveness and responsiveness. Her keen attention to detail and dedication to delivering top-quality service have greatly benefited our projects. I highly recommend Adhesion for their expertise, reliability, and outstanding customer support."
  Frank Krieger   January 2025

"Adhesion, Jen & Court have taken our online marketing strategy from strength to strength over the many years we have been using them for Gordon Harris. Courteney is an absolute star! Their knowledge is deep and broad, keeping us up to date with the latest opportunities to make our campaigns work better. Highly recommend."
  Laura Budd   January 2025

"I worked with Reuben @ Adhesion through a previous business which was sold and a new start up business of mine. Very prompt at setting up new campaigns, sorting issues and implementing changes. Nothing was ever an issue and all campaigns delivered acceptable results. Would recommend to any small business owner looking for a more personal agency."
  Kyle Simpson   December 2024

"We love working with the team at Adhesion, they did an outstanding job with our website—The Lodge at 58 North. Not only did they understand our unique needs as small business owners, but they also perfectly blended creativity and functionality, crafting a site that captures the spirit of our lodge while providing an intuitive, user-friendly experience for our guests. The team's attention to detail and expertise brought our vision to life, showcasing our lodge's unique charm and commitment to authentic experiences.The whole team is professional, highly responsive, and genuinely invested in our success—making us feel supported every step of the way. The result is a beautiful, functional website that reflects our lodge and makes it easy for visitors to explore, book, and get excited about their stay.We highly recommend the Adhesion Team—it's a joy to work with them!"
  Administrative Assistant   October 2024

"I would like to say that Reuben Nel from Adhesion has been of excellent assistance with our google words campaign. He has excellent knowledge and insight and could communicate that in an easy and understandable way. I would certainly recommend Reuben to you"
  Leave Calendar   October 2024

"We've been working with Courteney from Adhesion for a year now and it's one of the best business decisions we've made. The growth in online sales, as well as in-store referrals, is testament to Courteney’s expertise. Her communication is superb, she offers practical advice, and nothing is a problem. Highly recommend!"
  Velo Ronny's Bicycle Store   September 2024

"I have been using adhesion for about 2 months now and my ads and revenue has increased significantly, not too mention there customer service is 5 star. I will carry on working with this company and Rueben Thank you for great work. I highly recommend after using many different agency’s over the last 2 years in NZ and AU. Thanks Again James Roberts SPORTZONE"
  James   August 2024

See all Google Reviews for Adhesion