If your website address starts with "http://" instead of "https://", you have a problem. Since Chrome 68 in July 2018, Google's Chrome browser shows "Not secure" in the address bar for every HTTP page (Chromium Blog, "A secure web is here to stay," February 2018). That warning can be enough to make a homeowner hit back and find a contractor whose site they trust.
Google also uses HTTPS as a ranking signal. When it announced that in 2014, it called it a very lightweight signal, with less weight than things like high-quality content (Search Central blog, "HTTPS as a ranking signal"). Small, but there's no reason to give it away.
What HTTPS Actually Does
HTTPS encrypts the connection between a visitor's browser and your website. That protects whatever they type into your site, like the name, phone number and address on an estimate request, from being read along the way. It's the standard for any website that collects information.
For a contractor, the practical effect is trust. The padlock tells visitors the connection is secure, and the "Not secure" warning goes away.
How to Fix It
Many hosts include an SSL certificate at no extra cost now; ask yours, or look in your hosting dashboard. If your host charges extra or can't do it, that's worth a conversation, or a new host.
After you switch, make sure every http:// address redirects to its https:// version, and send yourself a test from your contact form to make sure it still reaches you.
