Everyone agrees – web security is vital for both business and consumers! If you collect visitor information of any kind or handle transactions online – you need to make sure your page is secured! Having a page which is not secure can have a huge impact on your sales. Non-secure sites are usually the first in line when hackers want to steal information. Because of this, customers will not purchase from your business (or enter any sensitive information) if you do not have the correct security measures in place. This is why you need an SSL certificate!
What is an SSL Certificate?
SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer, an encryption technology. It is used to encrypt and secure sensitive information like credit card transactions, data transfer, logins, and has become the norm when browsing social media sites. Once it is installed on a web server, it activates the green padlock and the “https” protocol and allows secure connections from a web server to a browser.
Do I REALLY need an SSL Certificate?
Simply put, the answer is – YES! Internet safety is the #1 priority, especially nowadays with the rise of hacking, and identity fraud. Again, If you collect visitor information of any kind or handle transactions online – you need to make sure your page is secured! Your website visitors must always feel like you have a trustworthy website, or they will not come back! Credibility is key here! Make sure you have a secure, credible and trustworthy site!
Beginning in July 2018 with the release of Chrome 68, Chrome will mark all HTTP sites as “not secure” and will appear as follows:
This means that potential customers will be able to see, right away, that they are potentially not secure if they make a purchase from your site, and they will suspend any purchase.
Google is the top search engine and Chrome is one of the most popularly used web browsers. Therefore – it is vital to make sure that your page is “secure” and “compliant” with their security measures. In fact – not upgrading your site with these security measures will actually cause Google to penalize you! Yes, this means that your search rankings will be affected. Having an SSL in place makes Google happy, which means you have higher chances of showing up on page 1 (along with good SEO) of web searches.
How do I get an SSL Certificate?
As they become more popular and necessary, SSL certificates are becoming more cost-effective than before. You can easily obtain an SSL certificate by reaching out to your websites hosting company or by purchasing one from a different provider and having it installed by your web hosting company. While there are some “DIY” instructions out on the web detailing how to do this yourself, it is highly recommended to let your web host company or an SSL provider do this for you, especially if you do not understand coding- so you do not accidentally bring down your website!
Since there are different types of certificates at different costs (from simple SSL certs to extended validation certs) make sure to speak to your hosting company or SSL provider about which SSL certificate is the best choice for your online business.
Whether you host your website on our servers or you host your site with a different web hosting company – we can help you get the right SSL Certificate for your site!
At Caspian Services, we always want to make sure we are doing our part in making the web a safer place – therefore during the month of March, we have a special offer just for you! If you purchase a new, 1 year, SSL certificate – we will give you the 2nd year free! Feel free to contact us for more information!
If you have any questions regarding SSL certificates or how to make your website safer – leave a comment down below or give us a call!
Have you decided that its time to install an SSL certificate on your site? Let us know what you think about Googles push to make the web a safer place!