Above all, a website should safeguard user privacy and information from hackers and viruses. This is especially true for any website collecting user data such as phone numbers and addresses, and it’s legally required for any site collecting payments.
But a website also needs to rank well on the first search engine results page, otherwise, the brand will lose to its peers. With SSL certificates, you get both better website security and a higher SERP ranking. Here’s everything you need to know if your SSL is out of date.
What is an SSL Certificate?
SSL certificate is short for Secured Sockets Lock certificate, and it refers to bits of code installed on the server side to encrypt user data and ensure secure communication between server and client. Protecting data in transit is important for businesses that deal with sensitive user information. When you add an SSL certificate on your server, the HTTP protocol evolves to HTTPS, a more secure version of the internet transfer protocol. Here is a look at the importance of SSL.
Why is SSL important?
As already said, SSL doesn’t guard your website or prevent traffic through it; rather, it encrypts the data that is being transmitted. This is important in the following ways:
1 | Safeguards user information.
SSL certificates encrypt client-server communications. This is essential when sending sensitive data, such as credit card information during checkout and personally identifiable information when logging in or filling out contact forms. It turns information into a mix of numbers and alphabets that’s useless to anyone who doesn’t have the decryption key. In addition, SSL certificates prevents identity theft and fraudulent transactions by demanding security identification before saving or disclosing any information.
2 | SSL protects against hackers.
SSL certificates ensure that hackers cannot access crucial user data such as log-in credentials and credit card info. Additionally, it aids in data encryption and protects the user from man-in-the-middle attacks. Additionally, it will send you a signal during a hack so you can examine your website for malicious attacks or update crucial log-in information.
3 | Improves site performance on search engines
Of course, SSL certificates are important for better search engine performance. Google rewards websites that show care for user data with better rankings, which is essential for growing traffic and meeting your digital marketing goals.
4 | Helps satisfy PCI requirements.
If you receive online payments through your website, you must adhere to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Guidelines. Among them is the requirement for SSL certificates. Failure to adhere may lead to hefty fines.
5 | Increases trustworthiness
Users are more cautious than ever with their information due to recent large-scale data breaches on well-known websites. Using SSL certificates on your website helps assure users that the information they are filling in those contact forms or checkout sections is protected from hackers and viruses.
Types of SSL Certificates
An SSL certificate can be a single domain (i.e., applied to one domain only), wildcard (applied to a domain and its subdomains), or unified communications (applied to multiple domains). The Unified Communications (UCC) SSL Certificate can further be classified as:
Domain Validation SSL Certificate: They are the least trustworthy because all that is required to obtain a DV certificate is to demonstrate domain ownership. They’re utilized by blogs, portfolio websites, etc.
Organization Validated SSL Certificate: OV certificates are more reliable because they include the name and address of the organization.
Extended Validation SSL Certificate: EV certificates are only provided after a thorough background check on the organization. They cost a lot and are the most reassuring when it comes to website security.
Installing an SSL certificate is an important part of responsible website ownership, especially if you deal with sensitive information. Not only will it aid in data security, but it will also reassure users, boost website traffic, and improve search engine performance. If your SSL certificate is missing or out of date, contact us to get back on track!
