An SSL certificate is no longer a luxury or just for e-commerce websites; it is a necessity nowdays. Secure browsing is a criteria for many online browsers that want to surf without potential security risks. Google is also enforcing the need for SSL certificate installations by flagging all unencryptyed websites and giving preferences to those websites displaying the "HTTPS" safe browsing icon. The lack of an SSL certificate can not only hurt your sales, but also bruise your reputation.

What is an SSL certificate?

SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. An SSL certificate encrypts data as it is sent and received between servers and computers. Most often, SSL certificates secure credit card information during online transactions, login information, and data transfers. This ensures that all data passed between the server and the browser remains secure and private. SSL certificates do not secure a website, but rather, secure visitors information. There are some obvious indicators that a website has an SSL certificate enabled: the green padlock to the left of the URL and the HTTPS at the beginning of the URL.

Google Prefers Secure Websites

When SSL certificates were first introduced about 20 years ago, they were primarily used for websites that required sensitive information like credit card details or passwords. Today, you will see the S symbol popping up on everything from blogs to social media. Google has been a key driver of this change, giving sites with secure SSL certificates slight rankings boosts on results pages through their HTTPS everywhere initiative. This move encouraged any website, whether it housed sensitive information or not to become certified to increase its rankings.

Benefits of an SSL Certificate

1. SSL Protects Data

The core function of an SSL certificate is to protect server-client communication. On installing SSL, every bit of information is encrypted. In laymans terms, the data is locked and can only be unlocked by the intended recipient (browser or server) as no one else can have the key to open it. While dealing with sensitive data such as IDs, passwords, credit card numbers, etc., SSL helps you protect against the mischievous army of hackers and skimmers. As the data is turned into the undecipherable format by SSL, hackers skills prove to be an edgeless sword against the unsurpassable encryption technology of SSL certificates.

2. SSL Affirms Your Identity

The second primary task of an SSL certificate is to provide authentication to a website. Identity verification is one of the most important aspects as far as web security is concerned. There is no doubt about the fact that the internet is increasingly deceptive. It is a common story for a guy traveled 400 miles to meet a girl he had met on Facebook, only to discover that he was being duped by two guys who supported a rival football club. However, not all such stories are funny. There have been cases in which people have lost thousands of dollars on fake websites. This is where SSL certificate comes into play.

3. Better Search Engine Ranking

In 2018, Google made changes to its algorithm in order to give the upper hand to HTTPS-enabled websites. This has been evident in various studies conducted by SEO experts around the world. One such study conducted from Backlinko.com, shows a strong correlation between HTTPS and higher search engine rankings. Who does not want to be on Googles first page, right?

4. SSL Improves Customer Trust

If it were up to us, we would have renamed SSL (Secure Socket Layer) to TTL (Trust Transmitting Layer). Fortunately, it is not. But that will not stop us from singing the praises of a SSL certificate. Apart from encryption and authentication, SSL certificates are vital from a customer trust point of view. The easy to identify signs inform the users that the data they send will be secured. And if you have installed an SSL, they can see your organizations details. Once they know that you are a legitimate entity, they are far more likely to do business with you or even revisit your site.

How Can We Help

How safe would you feel if your browser warned you about a website being not secure? Because that is what will be shown in latest version of Chrome if you do not have an SSL certificate. Do you want that? Of course, you do not.

So, what are you waiting for? Tell us how we can help add an unconquerable layer of protection to your website.

If you would like to learn more about our SSL certificate configuration and implementation, please contact us at 713-256-6120 or fill out the contact form intormation below.