Where you rank on search engines, especially Google, is incredibly important for your business, and the same can be said for the overall security of your site. As a solution to both, you should explore the benefits of an SSL certificate, which stands for Secure Socket Layer. This is currently the standard security technology that is available for website developers and owners who wish to protect their own web presence, and it is especially important for any website that contains forms or fields that collect data from users.
As it stands, this level of security is mandated for sites that collect financial information, such as bank account and credit card numbers. It is often used beyond that, however, and we expect it to be required for all websites before too much longer. Why not stay ahead of the game? From enhanced online security to a boost in search engine rankings, installing an SSL certificate for your website offers numerous benefits, and it is a fairly simple and cost effective procedure.
How Does A SSL Certificate Work?
HTTPS is the acronym for “hypertext transfer protocol secure”. It encrypts communication end-to-end, so only your computer and the server can see what data is transmitted. A secured website’s URL will begin with https://. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is what enables HTTPS to provide you with that additional level of security. Installing an SSL certificate shows visitors that your website is verified and uses a secure connection to transfer data, preventing any third parties from intercepting the data.
How Does This Help My Search Engine Rankings?
Many large companies, including Microsoft, Facebook, and Twitter, have required HTTPS secured sites for years. Unsurprisingly, Google also prefers sites that are trusted and certified. Within the past 2 years, Google has altered their algorithm to include HTTPS as a search ranking factor, giving boosts to sites secured with SSL certificates. Websites without a secure connection can increase their SEO visibility by a few points by migrating to HTTPS. Tests have shown the HTTPS signal returned positive feedback in terms of ranking and relevancy in Google’s search results. Google has stated that HTTPS can act as a tiebreaker in search results, if all other factors are equal. Google giving incentives for security practices like site-wide SSL will have a major impact on internet security as whole, reducing risks for users and increasing their trust in ecommerce. Google has even altered its Chrome browsers to alert users of unencrypted, unsecure sites.
It is safe to say that SSL certificates have become a necessity for any website that wants to be perceived as trustworthy and rank highly in search engines. The sooner you secure your website, the better results you will have overall.
If you would like to discuss SSL certificates or any other aspect of your company’s web presence, contact a member of the Realnets team today.
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