By now, even the most amateur web user can tell the difference between secure and non-secure websites. If you don’t know already, the “S” in “HTTPS” which you get from your SSL Certification, stands for “Secure”.
Essentially, having an SSL certificate guarantees an encrypted site, meaning that data transmitted between your server and your clients or visitors is protected from interception, being stolen, or altered.
SEO BENEFITS
Having a secure site can be the difference between showing up on the first page of Google results and the seventh. Google has announced their plans to crack down on non-secure sites, downranking them to make room for encrypted websites. You may have amazing and relevant content that nobody is seeing because of lack of site visibility in search engines.
TRUST
As a blogger, it’s all about your readers. Without trust, we know our visitors aren’t likely to share any information with us or even revisit our website in the future. Without SSL Certification, visitors will be notified that their connection to your server isn’t safe. Depending on your browser, this warning may look different, but it will always be there.
Imagine a visitor going to subscribe to your newsletter and getting a pop up asking if they are sure that they want to share that information with an unsecured website. For anybody, this would be a red flag and make us hesitate or even leave the page. Having a secure website gives your website credibility.
Until now, SSL used to be considered more of an accessory to your website than a necessary addition. Those days are over. In the last few years, SSL Certification has become expected from visitors and from Google itself. Upgrading your site isn’t only going to increase your SEO Ranking, but also increase your credibility.
Unsure if your website is secure? Click here to find out.