Most businesses today are aware of how important a well-functioning, trust-worthy website is to their long term success. As such, most will be wondering if they need to take the extra step of adding an SSL certificate to their site. An SSL certificate is a security protocol that adds an extra layer of protection to your website. You need one if your website makes online sales or collects information from users, and/or if you would like to gain trust from users and improve your search engine ranking. In other words, in today’s online world, every website needs an SSL certificate. Still a little confused? Let’s break it all down.
What Is An SSL Certificate?
An SSL certificate is a ‘cryptographic protocol’ that protects information shared between two users, namely the website and the user. This means that it encrypts data that travels between websites and users, so that it protects both ends from security breaches like data theft. And it lets the user immediately know that they can expect a secure connection.
In short, SSL certificates are an extra security feature that make it safer for your clients to shop and share information online, while also protecting your website from hacking.
Note that SSL used to stand for ‘Secure Sockets Layer.’ Today, the correct term is ‘Transport Layer Security’ (or, TLS). You can tell if a website has this type of protection by looking at the domain name. For example, our website is https://www.svice.ca, because we use an SSL certificate. Websites that just have ‘http,’ without the ‘s,’ are unprotected, because that critical ‘S’ stands for ‘secure encryption.’
There are multiple different types of SSL certificates available depending on your type of website and needs. If you are working with a web developer, they should be able to easily pick and install the right one for you.
Does Your Business Website Need An SSL Certificate?
It used to be that SSL certificates were most important for e-commerce websites, or any site that accepts money (services, online goods, classes, etc.). And that’s still absolutely true. An SSL certificate will keep these transactions safe, which protects both your customers and you.
This is also true if your website collects any personal information, which can be as simple as a contact form or an email subscription sign-up.
In both of these scenarios, your certificate not only protects users, but will also help them trust you, thus making them more willing to engage with your site. Internet users have become quite savvy, and the major browsers will also warn them if the website they are on is not secure (ie, if it doesn’t have an SSL certificate). So it’s going to be a lot harder to garner trust and make sales on an insecure website. People will only give you their money or their info if they believe you can and will protect them.
In short, if you want your website to look modern and professional, protect your business and your clients, and build trust, then you need an SSL certificate. And it’s not just your clients who want to see that extra layer of protection. There’s another player who wants to see your SSL certificate: Google.
How SSL Certificates Impact Your Site’s SEO
Ultimately, Google and other search engines have decided that SSL certificates are so important for users, that they reward protected sites in their search results (and penalize unprotected ones). So if you are serious about getting traffic from Google, an SSL certificate is a must.
Clearly, every website today needs an SSL certificate. Thankfully, if you know what you’re doing (or you work with a web developer that knows what they’re doing), they are easy and affordable to add to your site. It’s an easy step you can take to protect your company, your users, and your long term success.