The term ‘SSL’ is the abbreviation for “secure sockets layer”. An SSL certificate is basically a security system used by websites to protect confidential information such as bank details, credit card numbers etc. It establishes a safe connection between a browser and a web server by combining a cryptographic key to the data of a website.
It is essential for websites for a number of reasons, most importantly, for maintaining our privacy and security. Now, let us see in details why we need SSL certificates for our websites!
1.It saves you from hackers
As soon as an SSL certificate is put on a server, the application protocol HTTP changes to HTTPS. Here, ‘S’ means secure. Simply said, HTTP is the application protocol that exchanges information between your computer and the site you visit and HTTPS stands for the safer version of it. HTTPS converts the data into codes, thus making it impossible for anyone to read. This is extremely necessary if you are entering secret information such as your password, debit card number etc. It will protect you from the hackers who are always trying to make you download some malware on to your computer.
2. It shows that you are genuine
An SSL certificate gives you the authentication that you need. It ensures that you are giving out all the details to a proper server and not anyone trying to steal away all your secret data. Your customers can send information through various PCs. Now, one or more of these computers can pretend to be you and make them send personal details. The only to prevent this would be to install an SSL certificate on your server.
3. Your users trust you more
It is obvious that users will trust a safe website with an SSL certificate more than the possibly harmful ones. They can easily know if a website is secure by checking if the bar is green or if it has a lock icon. Thus, if they see that your website has all these signs, they will easily consider you trustworthy. You will also get a trust seal from the SSL providers or trusted certificate authority like Certera which will make them believe in you even more. Some years back, the users were not as aware of SSL certificates as they are today. Having an SSL certificate will make them take you seriously. They will know that you care for their safety and security. Not having one might make them never visit your website again.
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4. Google Chrome gives your users warning if you do not have HTTPS
Google Chrome is considered to be the safest and most popular browser. Each time your user is on a site that does not have an SSL certificate, it will show them the warning sign. Like we have mentioned before, the application protocol, HTTP is not secure, while HTTPS is. So, the Google Chrome, before showing you sites with HTTP, always gives you a warning. Maintaining the safety of the users is the primary objective here.
5. SEO rankings improve with SSL certificates
Your SEO rankings will improve as soon as you install an SSL certificate in your system. Just like Chrome, Google also prefers websites with HTTPS. And that is why, these websites have better SEO rankings. If you need to make your company’s or your website’s presence felt online, you would have to come at least within the first two pages of Google search engine results. So, if having an SSL certificate improves your ranking so much, you should not think twice before installing it. The better ranking you have, the more popular your website will become!
6. You need SSL to conform to the PCI standard
If your website is an online store and you need to accept Credit Card or Debit Card information from your buyers, you must have an SSL certificate. According to the PCI, that is the Payment Card Industry standard, having an SSL certificate is one of the main requisites of carrying on with such online transactions. This is all related to the security and safety of the users, which is their central concern.
7. An SSL certificate improves the speed of your website
The users always tend to prefer a website that is fast. A slow website, more often than not, tests their patience. The ranking of your website also depends to a large extent on its speed. The websites with HTTPS have much better speed than the ones with HTTP. Although a lot of people believe that HTTPS websites are slow, the truth is it is the other way around. Users love the fact that they don’t have to spend much time for your website to load and they seem to use it frequently if they enjoy the experience.
8. It is not that expensive as you think
Unlike what the common view is, SSL certificates do not cost you a lot. There are many small businesses which do not use SSL certificates thinking that it would lead to extra expenses. But, it is not really so. There are various SSL certificate providers like SSL2BUY which are quite cheap. And there are some who even do it free of cost. You just need to look for the right ones. Do your research and find out the best option you have.
