With more and more of us choosing to shop online, online retailers face incredibly stiff competition. If you have a website for your business and you take some form of payment for products or services, then taking any measure you can to increase security will obviously help reassure visitors that they are safe on your website. However, that's not the only reason why you should implement an SSL certificate, and this blog will explore some of the other areas that you might not be aware of where SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates can be hugely beneficial.
What are SSL certificates?
SSL certificates are a form of digital certification demonstrating that a website features an encrypted connection. It highlights that the web address you are visiting is indeed an authentic one and that your data is safely encrypted and private. SSL certificates safeguard visitors and also protect those running a website against threats from cyber attacks of varying forms.
Building trust and preserving brand integrity
By displaying an SSL certificate, businesses such as yours reassure their visitors that your website is credible and safe to use. This helps to show your customers that your brand values their data as well as their safety and security online. All the popular Web browsers visually demonstrate SSL certificates by displaying a small lock symbol somewhere near the address bar. Some Internet users who have their security settings set very high might even think the site does not have an SSL certificate, therefore potentially scaring them off from visiting one that doesn't have a verified certificate.
The role SSL certificates play in search engine rankings
A perhaps less well-known advantage that SSL certificates offer is that they can actually boost the visibility of your website. How so, you ask? SSL certificates are evaluated by the major search engines and are taken into account when they rank your site. So in short, if you display an SSL certificate, you and your competitors don't have a considerable edge over them when it comes to SEO (search engine optimisation).
How to get an SSL certificate for your site
If you don't currently have an SSL certificate, it is a fairly straightforward process to get one. The first thing to do is contact your warehouse provider to see what help they can give you in obtaining one. If your web hosting provider can't help, then there are lots of other service providers out there who can help you. Your best course of action is to speak to a reputable web design company, such as Web Choice, and ask them to verify your domain and install a certificate for you.
If you didn't do so before, hopefully now you appreciate the relevance of SSL certificates and the role that they play in boosting your credibility and search engine rankings.
