The importance of getting an SSL certificate

Today and in the future, more and more sites are applying an SSL certificate to the pages to ensure the peace of mind of their visitors. Since malicious cyber-attacks are not insignificant, it is extremely important to protect their data and ensure trouble-free navigation of your site. The certificate encrypts the channel through which the client’s data passes from the browser to your page. Protection is uncompromising, and information such as phone numbers, credit cards, emails, etc., remain inaccessible to unfriendly third parties.

What exactly is an SSL certificate?

SSL certificate (Secure Socket Layer) protects digital data from falsification and abuse. Thanks to complex encryption, the technology provides a connection between the client browser and your server. Thus, the data remains protected and illegible, which prevents decoding by hackers and identity thieves. With SSL, third-party interference is excluded because it uses two keys to protect your information – public and private. The public key encrypts all the information that comes from the user’s browser. To unlock it, you will need a private key, which only belongs to the owner of the website. As a result, intruders see only numbers instead of the actual data. The protocol is essential to e-commerce websites where sensitive data like bank account details are shared.

How important is having SSL encryption on your page?

If you want to legitimize your activity in the digital world, the first step to this is to obtain an SSL certificate. Protect your customers’ data and avoid unpleasant situations. Keep in mind that most web users (about 80%) would not stay on a site that is classified as insecure. Recall that in 2014, the world’s largest search engine, namely Google, announced that websites with SSL rank ahead of others. For reference, Google occupies about 75% of the search engine market. If you don’t comply with GDPR practices and SSL encryption standards, your website will classify as “Not Protected” – something you want to avoid at all costs. Now, let’s summarize the advantages of owning the data protection certificate:

#1 Fast website loading. The SSL certificates allow you to use the latest HTTP/2 protocol, which increases the speed of the server replying to requests, making the protection of customer’s info more effective.

#2 Your website will rank as safe. Imagine visiting a website and noticing in the browser that it’s not protected. Would you stay? Neither your potential visitors will. Ensure their comfort and increase the traffic on your page by adding encryption technology. With its help, you will better your ranking on Google and improve your SEO performance.

#3 Protection of data. The encrypted connection between the users and your page builds digital trust and informs your customers you care for them. The SSL certificate sends a signal which says that your website is a safe place to shop, an essential feature for every e-commerce. Make sure their data travels safely from their browser to your server. Protect their sensitive information and you will see positive feedback. Satisfied customers = better revenue.

#4 Improve your SEO ranking. To boost your position in search engines, you need to respect their best practices. There are many factors that can change the course of your page – keywords, link building, metadata, blog posts, etc. But no matter how great your content is, if you don’t prove your brand is trustworthy, it won’t appear on the first pages of Google.

How to get an SSL certificate?

First, you need to address a Certificate Authority (CA) and then fill the application form. In most cases, it’s called Certificate Signing Request (CSR). The price will depend on the provider you chose and the type of certificate you go for (EV SSL, OV SSL, DV SSL). For more information, don’t hesitate to ask us a question. We would love to help you in your way to improving your website and expanding your brand!