What Does An SSL Certificate Do For My Website?

What Does SSL Stand For And What Does It Do?

A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificate, also know as a Digital Certificate, creates a secure link between a website and a visitor’s browser. Typically, SSL is used to secure data transfer, logins, card transactions, and is now the norm when securing the browsing of social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

By ensuring that all data between website and browser remains private and secure, SSL encryption has the ability to prevent hackers from stealing private information. In other words, obtaining an SSL Certificate for your website is well worth the small investment, to protect your data from security breaches.

Why Do Websites Benefit From The SSL Certificate?

1. Protection from cyber criminals

The cybersecurity company, Cybersecurity Ventures, estimates that by 2021 cybercriminal related activity will cost the world over £4.6 trillion. Cybercriminals can identify the weaknesses in networks - especially when information is being transmitted. SSL adds a level of encryption that ensures hackers are kept at bay.

2. Builds Brand Trust & Brand Power

The secure link that the SSL certificate creates between a website and a browser ensures that the data passed between the two is secure. A GlobalSign survey found that 84% of users chose to abandon a purchase if information and data was transferred over an insecure connection, and a large majority were concerned about their data being intercepted or misused online. With customers and web users increasingly worrying about how secure their personal information is, being shared and stored by online vendors, it’s vital for companies to instil trust into their web patrons.

3. GDPR

SSL has now become an industry standard, with millions of websites, including many world-leading businesses, using it to protect their customers. New EU law makes it an obligatory requirement to protect your users’ data. In January, Google faced £44 million worth of fines for breaching EU data protection laws in France.

4. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

With an SSL certificate, your website also gains significant advantages in search engine marketing. Since Google launched its HTTPS everywhere initiative, it gives websites that are encrypted with connections a ranking boost. In April 2017, Moz reported that over 50% of Google’s first page organically ranked websites were HTTPS. That’s a 20% increase within a 9 month period. Increasing your chances of boosting your organic SEO is another good reason to get an SSL.

How Do I Know If My Site Has An SSL Certificate?

An easy way to check is look at your browser. On Safari, there will be a padlock beside the web address in the search bar and in Chrome, the search bar will show the wording ‘secure’ or ‘not secure’. When installed on a web server, it activates the padlock and the https protocol, and allows secure connections from a web server to a browser.

How Do I Get An SSL Certificate For My Website

If you don’t have an SSL certificate and feel that your website could benefit from the added security, check with your current website hosting provider. If you’re unsure of who that is or if they don’t provide this service, it’s time for change. It won't cost you thousands to integrate into your website - and if it does, you’re not asking the right people.

If you’d like to know more about SSL certificates, get in touch online or by email at [email protected].

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