Upgraded to HTTPS and Lost Mobile Search Carousel Ranking, Please help

[Erku]

Hello,
About a month ago we did the following changes.

1. upgraded the server (IP changed, but the same host)
2. upgraded to HTTPS
3. put NGINX in front of everything to run Varnish
Site is Drupal 7.

Since that day we never appeared in Google Search Carousel that Google shows on Mobile searches. We are in google news and AMP. All redirects are done correctly and working.

Could above changes cause this? And what to do?

Thank you

[Erku]

Any reply on this?

[Peter_S]

If there are no problems reported at GSC, then it might simply be because the https version of a site, is perceived as a new site, and it might take a while before Google associates the previous features to the https version. Just a guess.

[Erku]

How long will it take? it's been a month. And is HTTPS perceived as a new site?

[RedBar]

How long will it take? it's been a month. And is HTTPS perceived as a new site?

I converted about 40 sites a bit less than a month ago and, more or less, all pages are now showing in Google as https.

I've never heard that G looks at https as a new site, why would they since they're the ones encouraging everyone to transition to it?

[not2easy]

Google suggests to add the "new site" to your Google Search Console account. Don't use the "Change of Address" option, that is not for protocols. You'll need to verify it as if it were a different site.

If you're certain that all directories' URLs go to https URLs via 301 then you should also submit a new https: sitemap in GSC. If all your internal links, images and navigation that are not relative links are now https: you should be able to see the new https pages increase in GSC as the old ones decrease. (This assumes that you have a GSC account and that the http: version is currently listed there.)

I have not used Drupal and I suspect the lack of response has more to do with that than anything. I can offer no tips or ideas for Drupal specific issues.

[lucy24]

I've never heard that G looks at https as a new site

In at least one way they behave the same as with a new site: Once they discover that https://example.com exists, they'll do a full spidering, exactly the way they'd do with a brand-new domain name. This happens more or less instantly (i.e. within 24 hours on a minor site, so presumably within hours on a site they're already interested in). So you'll see two types of Googlebot visits: a one-time overall crawl--first pages, then supporting files--side by side with ongoing individual page requests triggered by redirects from the old URLs that will remain in their database forever.

The most useful thing might be to check the old sitename in GSC and see when the number of indexed pages starts dropping. I didn't think to keep track of this sooner, so I can only say that the HTTP site I changed 3 weeks ago now shows as 0 (zero) pages indexed, vs. full-number-of-pages on the HTTPS side. (And, in one of those famous GSC glitches, it looks as if the HTTP number was always zero--as if the site never existed--even while Search Analytics continues to show data for this period of nonexistence. Heh.)

[keyplyr]

Since that day we never appeared in Google Search Carousel that Google shows on Mobile searches

Difficult to say if the several changes you recently made are related to your site no longer being included in the carousel.

IP changes do tend to reset your indexing. Possibly this coincided with an algo factor that previously had not been applied.

Changing protocol to HTTPS usually has no effect on indexing other than a slight positive factor promised by Google but unclear if it has been applied to date.

By putting NGINX in front of everything to run Varnish you have changed the way the SE gets to your pages, not in a negative way, but again, one more change.

Bottom line... things have changed with your site. The inclusion in the carousel might have nothing at all to do with the changes you made, or just the fact the changes were done may have resulted in your site's indexing being redone and could have shifted the ranking around and when your site was ranked back in your spot was filled.

[Erku]

Thanks everyone. I am looking and see that the http pages have not dropped, although I have already 2 weeks added https and they are being included and indexed. Also included https in webmaster tools. Anything I can do? Are there any tools to check?
Thank you.

[edited by: not2easy at 2:04 am (utc) on Jun 3, 2017]
[edit reason] sorry, no details [/edit]

[keyplyr]

Are there any tools to check?

This tool checks several indicators that may be a concern:
HTTP/2 Check [tools.keycdn.com]

[Erku]

What am I searching there Keyplyr?

[not2easy]

If you have added the domain in GSC as https:, be sure you have submitted a sitemap for the https:version, then you can go to the Sitemaps section and test the sitemap(s) to see if Google is having any problems accessing your pages.

If you have a list of the URLs I'd suggest to visit several pages using the old http: URLs and make sure that they are redirecting. If everything checks out in the root directory and in any sub-directories then I would make sure that the rewrite is a 301 and not a (default) 302.

You can verify that with any tool that allows you to check headers. I use the "Live HTTP Headers" browser extension with FireFox browser but there are many other tools that do the same thing. Then visit using the old http: URL and you can see the server response as it goes to the https: page. Check to see that your browser's address bar is showing the correct symbol and not any warnings.

[keyplyr]

What am I searching there Keyplyr?

Run the report for a few of your important pages that you are concerned about. Look for any report result that fails. Then research that data to see if it plays a role with those concerns.

[robzilla]

For checking your implementation of HTTPS, the de facto tool is the SSL Server Test [ssllabs.com] from SSL Labs. The KeyCDN tool only checks for HTTP/2.

[keyplyr]

Thanks robzilla. I grabbed the wrong link.

[Erku]

Thank you everyone. I get grade A on those SSL links.

Should I also remove site maps from the http versions of Google Webmaster tools so Google doesn't crawl them anymore?

Also how often Google updates it's index? Things are getting worse.

[robzilla]

How have your rankings changed generally? It could be limited to the carousel, I'm not sure what goes into that selection.

[lucy24]

Should I also remove site maps from the http versions of Google Webmaster tools so Google doesn't crawl them anymore?

Google doesn't forget an URL just because its original information source--whatever it may be--has disappeared. As long as every single http request redirects to the equivalent https, nothing else should matter. That means when they request http://example.com/sitemap.xml they will be redirected to https://example.com/sitemap.xml. And even if there's an error and they don't get redirected, your sitemap now says https throughout, so it will make no difference.

[keyplyr]

Should I also remove site maps from the http versions of Google Webmaster tools so Google doesn't crawl them anymore?

Just change the URLs to HTTPS and have only one sitemap.xml at your server, then it will be updated at GSC automatically. No need to remove it at the old HTTP property.

[Erku]

I have done all of that, it's still falling and no sign of improving. Could these things take time?

[keyplyr]

You started out asking why your site was removed from the "carousel' and now you have changed the topic to your site is falling in ranking.

As said above, changing protocol has nothing to do with your sites SERP ranking. If your site is falling in the ranking it is because of something else.

Please only ask your questions in one thread. You have 2 threads going about the same topic now.

[edited by: phranque at 7:47 am (utc) on Jun 6, 2017]
[edit reason] spelling [/edit]

[Erku]

This one is about Google News Carousel. The other one I have started is related to Adsense, in Adsense section.

[cabbie]

My client lost all his major kws when he changed to https (on my advice). 2 months now and those kws are stting in penalised territory at around 200 mark.
Longer tails kws and less competitive ones, no problem.

[keyplyr]

My client lost all his major kws when he changed to https

Not because of changing protocol he didn't.

I don't know what you or your client did to loose ranking for keywords, but it has nothing to do with changing protocol.

[cabbie]

Yeah. Google is infallible and you know it all

[keyplyr]

@cabbie - if you are in fact saying you lost keyword ranking directly due to changing protocol, then that is not a valid statement. It makes no sense. Your keywords do not change when you change protocol. You would have had to change something else or have made some type of error in the way you set up the redirect.

This has been posted a few times, but maybe should be posted in this thread as well:

- Generic Steps to Switch from HTTP to HTTPS -

• Read all info at your host concerning certificates & switching to HTTPS and when applicable, follow those instructions.

• Install security certificate.

• Have you host enable HTTPS (if needed.) This will enable access from both HTTP & HTTPS.

• Go through site, page by page & make sure all file paths are relative (no protocol.) Test by accessing site using HTTPS and look for any browser alerts.

• Install 301 code in .htaccess file

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on
RewriteRule ^ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

Note: your server may require a different code

• Go through site again, page by page, and test. Any remote absolute links will need to be HTTPS including those found in scripts & pluggins. If you publish Adsence or other advertising, links in these scripts need to be HTTPS also (or just remove the protocol altogether.)

• Update sitemap.xml (if applicable) and submit to appropriate agencies (Google, Bing, Yandex, etc)

• In Google Search Council create a new site using HTTPS (do not use the Change of Address form.) It will take a few days to start populating information. This is normal & traffic to old site (HTTP) will drop off accordingly.

• Bing Webmaster Tools, Yandex & others should update automatically once they crawl your new pages. Updating/re-submitting sitemap.xml should speed up this process.

[System]

The following 22 messages were cut out to new thread by not2easy. New thread at: google/4852778.htm [webmasterworld.com]
9:32 pm on Jun 6, 2017 (atl -4)