In this era of digitization, SSL certificates have become an increasing necessity as they protect sensitive data of the business against hackers. With the increase in the number of ecommerce companies, there are greater number of individuals that prefer online shopping. In addition, search engines such as Google rely on SSL certificates as a trust signal for online companies that need to boost their website rankings on the search engine. Moreover, SSL certificates provide a sense of security and assurance to visitors when they navigate your website and share their personal information with greater confidence.
Top reasons to consider SSL certification for your website
- Secure information against theft
The information which is shared on the website has to go through many channels before it reaches the intended recipient and in the absence of HTTPS, there are high chances of data being stolen by hackers or misused for other purposes. On the other hand, websites with SSL are considered to be safe as the information is encrypted using random characters and can be read by decrypting the information using a specific key.
- Builds trust and instills confidence among customers
Nowadays, customers are becoming more aware of the need to safeguard their personal information including credit card details and tend to be careful while sharing their passwords online. SSL provides them with a safety mechanism that ensures data protection and privacy of information which is vital for all customers. Nowadays, it’s mandatory for online businesses to have HTTPS on their website that adheres to PCI security standards.
- Provides high level of encryption to secure information
There are encryption algorithms including RSA, DSA along ECC which are used by most of the leading certificate authorities. Thus, credit card information and other confidential data which is shared among web servers and browser have a solid encryption that makes it difficult to decipher the code or information by others, except the intended recipients. It provides a safe haven to online visitors and provides them a clear indication that your business is authentic and provides a secure environment to them.
Can SSL certificates have positive impact on SEO rankings?
Google made a major announcement in 2014 that they would be providing a slight ranking boost to websites that had SSL Certificates. Although this is considered to be a lightweight signal when compared to the other ranking factors, However, this move was taken to encourage website owners to switch over to HTTPS from HTTP to keep everyone secure on the web.
- Improves visitor bounce rates
Websites that are not secured by SSL may lose out on their valuable customers as they will be able to notice a Not Secure warning in their address bar. This will naturally tend to distract visitors away as they will not trust the site and leave which affects the bounce rate and indirectly your SEO rankings. There exists a ranking correlation between the time spent by visitors on website and low bounce rates. In addition, this gives a signal to Google that your website is not providing useful and relevant information for the visitors.
On the other hand, websites with SSL certification tend to win the trust and confidence of their visitors and tend to experience low bounce rates and secure higher ranking on the SERP.
- Puts you ahead of the competitors
There are over 200 rankings factors that are taken into account by Google and SSL certification may not seem to make a lot of difference. However, some years ago, a study conducted by SEO tool-ahrefs made an analysis of the top 10,000 domains that relied on HTTPS to boost their rankings. There were less than 1 in 10 sites that used HTTPS and the rest 60% had no HTTPS but now the number have reached over 50% which is definitely huge and can set your business apart from your competitors who may still not be using SSL certification.
- Improves website visibility and conversion rates
SSL certification can help in improving credibility of your online business and enhance trust of visitors. This can be valuable in improving your website visibility on Google search results by providing a safe and secure platform for customers. Most customers use credit card to make transactions on websites that are safe and secure with less threat to cyber attacks from hackers. This translates into higher SEO and improved rankings for your website which can skyrocket your sales and improve your customer reach.
- Boosts user experience on websites
As we have already discussed above that visitors tend to trust websites that have SSL certificate, there is a correlation between enhanced user experience and higher rankings for SSL certified websites. Google warns the visitors with a no secure warning for websites that lack SSL certification which means it emphasizes on providing a positive experience to its visitors. In addition, it encourages businesses to share valuable and relevant information by encouraging them to keep it safe and secure.
- Helps in fraud and threat prevention
Websites with SSL have an added protection from phishing and other kind of threats as Google penalizes such sites which helps in making your site safe and secure. In addition, websites that are verified and secured by SSL help in turning visitors into potential customers and helps in secure online communication using a robust method of encryption.
Conclusion
Online businesses need to start realizing the unique advantages of having SSL for their website especially with the rising threats related to data breaches and frauds that can have a drastic impact on their reputation. SSL certificates are a symbol of security and trust for your visitors that can provide a significant boost to your SEO rankings and help in bringing greater credibility to your brand. With search engines such as Google providing increasing emphasis on-site security for its users, it pays to invest in the right kind of SSL certification that meets your specific business requirements. Overall, SSL certification is a must for all kinds of enterprises that have an online presence and need to grow their business.