Why Your Website Needs an SSL Certificate

Online business owners are usually aware of the latest technological updates and the changes that can affect their sites, which is very important to maintain the security of the website. With cyber-attacks increasing day by day, it has become very important to save consumer data and other vital business data from any unauthorized access. However, this is leaving many website owners wondering whether they need an SSL certificate for their site or not.

What is an SSL certificate?

An SSL or Secure Socket Layer certificate is considered to be the backbone of secured internet.  It authenticates the identity of the website and also at the same time encrypts sensitive information so that the address, credit card numbers and addresses are not intercepted by anyone who is not an authorized person or an intended recipient.

Why is an SSL certificate very important for your site?

When you browse a website and fill up a contact form or simply click on a link, a packet of information is sent in the text format over the network by your computer. In case, if you use your email address or contact form and then submit it, then the packet contains all the information including your email id. And in case if you use a wireless, then this information is sent over the air, which means that anyone can sniff it or gain access to the network and read the information in the unencrypted packets. And if the packet contains any credit card information, then there can be a serious problem.

How SSL certificate helps to maintain the security

Encrypts sensitive information: 

The main reason of using an SSL certificate is to keep sensitive information that is sent across the internet safe. The information is passed from a computer to the destination server and between this transfer, sensitive information like credit card numbers, usernames, passwords are often visible to others if it is not encrypted with an SSL certificate. By using this certification, the information becomes unreadable to everyone who are unauthorized. This helps to protect the data from any hackers or cyber attackers.

Helps to establish the trust factor:

To enjoy a good market reputation among your customers, it is very important to gain their trust. For this you don’t have to be an online seller of products or goods. To show your visitors that you give importance to their security and that you follow the best industry practices, using an SSL certificate will help to go a long way in establishing trust. The best part of SSL certification is that it is very easy to implement and won’t burn your pocket. There are many web hosting service providers offering SSL certificates for different levels to match the level of security that you need.

Secured online transaction:

A secured connection is very important for online stores that take any form of online payments through various means like credit card or third party payment processors like PayPal or Worldpay. However, there is also an increased number of non-ecommerce sites using SSL encryption that doesn’t deal with direct selling like Facebook, Google and etc.

Helps to boost your search rankings:

Maintaining a higher ranking in the SERP is one of the most important things as it helps to attract visitors and also helps in increasing the sales conversions.  Google gives preferences to websites that are secured and ensures that people can access their site safely and securely without facing any threats from cyber criminals. Google has started using HTTPS as a ranking signal and it is becoming increasingly important as larger numbers of websites are coming on board. It won’t be long that a secured HTTP connection will soon become an essential component for ranking on the SERPs.

Now that you are aware of the benefits of SSL certificate for your ecommerce or any other site, you can select a reputed SSL service provider who can offer you the service and help you to maintain security of your site. Securing your web information with SSL encryption helps you to combat with any risks of unwanted sharing of your information with unauthorized persons.