Which websites should have SSL certificate or there is a selection of websites that require SSL certificate. Do you know the difference? Let us tell you…. Well, everyone wishes to excel in their business whether offline or online. But is that enough? Perhaps no, because ever since the Google’s announcement on rolling out the websites that are not secured or those who do not have https security, millions of businesses have come to know the importance of SSL certificate.
This is an interesting insight, isn’t it? So, imagine you have booked the domain name for your business and everything from top to bottom in terms of design and the content looks superb. Next, You come to know that have to install Certificate Authority trusted SSL certificate on your site, then what? Businesses around the world have gone into a frenzy and started installing SSL certificate as per their website and business needs. This is because SSL certificates come in different categories. Ok, let’s not go directly this deep, first understand what is the SSL certificate.
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What’s an SSL certificate?
Firstly, SSL is a short form for Secure Sockets Layer. To make it simple for you, it is a digital certificate through with the users, visitors, business owners, small business owners and others can buy and sell products safely on their website via the encrypted connection between visitors’ web browser and their web server.
Technically, SSL certificate prevents an unwanted snooping, data theft or hacking intruders to come to your website and hamper your secure connection. These certificates, maintain a secure layer around your network. So, every transaction you make is safe and secure without any bugs or harmful activities ruining your website. Basically, the SSL certificate encrypts the traffic and exchange of information between the server and the browser.
Once we had a glimpse of what is SSL certificate and what and how does it work on your website and protect it from hackers and malicious activities, let’s get to direct business of knowing how an SSL certificate helps your website in certain ways, eventually increasing your ROI.
Here it is worth mentioning about Domain Validation and Organization Validation (DV AND OV) as this determines initially, the security levels and validation of the websites as well as the identity of Organization. This validation further, helps to keep your customers safe and gain trust.
There are many websites that use log-in forms, check out page, customer detail information, banking information such as account number, credit card and debit card, etc., for this, You can buy Extended Validation (EV) SSL certificate to increase website security and gain high level of trust in your customers with enabling green address bar along with green padlock and company name display next to your site URL in browser’s address bar.
EV SSL can be issued after the stringent vetting process by Certificate Authorities such as Comodo, GeoTrust, Symantec, Thawte, GlobalSign etc. But if your websites that don’t have shopping option, then DV SSL or OV SSL is an ideal option and such SSL certs are suited for information based website or a blog site.
Still, the SSL certificate is necessary… keep reading
If your website is a blog website – Probably then you don’t need an SSL certificate. Also, if it doesn’t have any memberships or contact form, etc., simply a blog website then please do not go for SSL certificate.
If your website allows visitors to fill in some sensitive information via login forms and like … then you shall consider SSL certificate. Because here you are asking your visitors, to fill the forms and their sensitive information to fill in so, SSL certificate will help you gain trust and secure your customer’s information.
All this discussion leads us to know how would an SSL certificate help my website in certain ways? Let’s learn more.
Trust – Trust bears an important role in the shopper’s or visitor’s mind when he comes on your website. This is because the visitor might be required to fill in some important details on your website in order to use your products and services.
Here, the green padlock and the lock sign on the address bar of your browser will be the indication that your website is secure and safe from hackers. Look, this trust is very important as based on this your visitor might return back to your website which will further increase your conversions.
Security – Of course when we talk about SSL certificate we know it is about the security, we know it is about the safe and encrypted transactions via the server and the browsers. So, with SSL certificate the danger of someone intruding in your website and stealing your passwords and credit card details is exempted.
So, you know now, if your website is secure and shows sign of security via https and SSL certificate then it is safe to use and do some action on it without bearing the hacking threat in our minds. Here, it is also important to mention that there are several SSL certificate authorities, who issue SSL certificate with certain validation method followed. One of the most trusted & most popular SSL certificate authority (CA) is Comodo.
Read More: How to Protect Your eCommerce Website from Malware and Viruses
Password protection – protection of your passwords online is one of the most important elements for the visitor who shops online or use the checkout feature on the websites. The hacking threats and worry on stealing the password always remain with the visitors online, but with SSL certificate protection of the passwords online is chucked off, as all the information and data is secured with SSL certificate. Moreover, with sites that offer multiple memberships creates opportunities for black-hat hackers as well, but if it is an SSL certificate then there is nothing to worry.
SEO – So Google is saying that SSL certificate is an essential element in your website’s security and is effective in SEO as well. Which in turn comes as a ranking factor on search engines, because for a good SEO we need three main important factors in place – First, a web-responsive website, second, a website with a good page load time and third a secure website. We hope, you have got all your answers.
Read More: 5 SEO Strategies Small Businesses Should Incorporate To Rank Higher In Search Engine Results
To wrap up, to see what all we have learned in the article:
- SSL Certificates are a very important feature for the website’s security
- They are the benchmark for all your encryption needs.
- It helps in encrypting information between websites and their visitors
- If not secured, the information can be intercepted or manipulated
- Industries that use credit card gateway should have a mandate on using or installing SSL website
- Do not forget that SSL certificate is not an option anymore, it is a mandate
- It secures all your personal and confidential information
- With SSL certificates there is no chance of hacking and stealing of the information
- It is great for Google search rankings and SEO