Why SSL is Important for a Website?
We are currently facing the evolution of the Internet. There are so few things that we can’t do with the Internet. From showcasing our portfolio to build up your business internet and website is a must now. But do you visit a website that does not protect your information properly? Absolutely not.
Right! Well, 80% of visitors around the web don’t visit a not secured website. As they don’t want to get hacked by hackers or get scammed by scammers. So, today I’ll describe to you briefly the facts of SSL and why SSL is important for a website.
Why SSL is Important for a Website? – Basic Knowledge of SSL Certificate
Before you learn the purposes of SSL you need to know What is SSL and what does SSL do. Then we can go forward to the main part of this article. Without knowing these basics we can not understand the facts and importance of SSL. So, without wasting your time let’s get started.
What is SSL?
SSL stands for Secure Socket Layers. It’s the most popular technology for keeping the internet connection safe between servers computer to computer. You can call it a safeguard of the internet as it prevents the leakage of your personal information.
What does SSL Do?
SSL is a standard technology that provides you a secured connection through the cloud. As you are visiting a website for some reasons right! So, sometimes you need to fill up your information or subscribe to the newsletter. But the most important matter is Online Shopping. For buying a physical or downloadable product you must pay the seller through the browser and website. That’s the matter where the SSL comes first.
SSL encrypts the information you provide through a website that is hard to decode by an intruder or a hacker over the connection. So, there is no chance to get the information you provide on a website if the website uses SSL Certificates.
It uses an encryption algorithm to scramble data. Information could be anything like sensitive or personal. It can include credit card numbers, financial information, names, address, or phone numbers.
Different Types of SSL
Different types of SSL Certificates available for you to install as your purpose. Try to get familiar with each of them to know which one suits you the most.
The types of SSL Certificates are the following:
- Wildcard SSL Certificate
- Organization Validated Certificates (OV SSL)
- Domain Validated Certificates (DV SSL)
- Unified Communications Certificate (UCC)
- Extended Validation Certificates (EV SSL)
- Multi-Domain SSL Certificate (MDC)
So, here the basic part is done. Now we will discuss Why SSL is important for a website.
Why SSL is Important?
SSL is a unique platform to make your website secure and trustworthy to visitors. Let me tell you a story – Suppose you search for a website for purchasing a new Smartphone and suddenly a warning message comes to your browser like “Your connection is not private”.
Would you continue shopping? I think you probably not. Very few people will visit that type of website after seeing that warning message. Besides, the URL is also showing that it’s not secured. So, it’s really risky for you to purchase things from there.
Instead of looking classy and elegant as a website, you should not proceed to that. Because it can cause information leakage. And trust me no one wants to make personal information get accessed by others.
But if you are not convincing yet then here are some important reasons:
Site Security
SSL makes your site protected from Identity theft. It will protect the sensitive data transmitted from and to your website. Such as login information, signup details, addresses, payment details, or personal information. SSL will encrypt the connection between the servers and help you to protect visitor’s data from attackers.
Gaining Trust for your Visitors
Without trust, no one will step further to your website. With an SSL Certificate enabled on your website your customers will see secured connection information.
That will help you gain customer trust. A security padlock will be enabled also in your browser address bar. When a visitor finds that you take their privacy seriously, they probably make a purchase or create an account on your website.
Subdomains Safety
There are some types of SSL named Wildcard that will let you secure not only your domain but also all of your subdomain also. That will be very useful if you are a business owner and you maintain multiple websites with individual subdomains. But if you use standard SSL, you will have to install SSL Certificates separately for each of your subdomains.
Increased Traffic and Visibility
HTTPS-secured websites always step ahead on topmost ranking factors for Google. In 2018 Google announced to flag any site unsecured without SSL Certificate.
Remaining on the first page means more traffic and visibility for your website right? Google always gives an advantage if you have an SSL Certificate on your website.
Why SSL is Important for eCommerce
SSL is most important for E-Commerce websites and Online stores. Because customers need to provide card details to make the payment completed. That’s why SSL needs to encrypt the payment details as well as the other information of the customer.
Statistics say that 82% of visitors won’t visit or buy anything from an unsecured website. So, it’s a must to activate an SSL Certificate on an E-commerce site.
Why SSL is Important for SEO
Do you know Google doesn’t index properly when your website doesn’t have an SSL? Yes, you heard it right. Google gives a slight boost to your website if it contains encrypted connections. Besides, having an SSL will also give you an advantage over your other competitors who don’t have an SSL Certificate yet.
SSL Features in Different Types of Websites
Nobody wants to remain unsecured nowadays. Whether it’s in real life or an online platform. That’s why the SSL Certificate comes first. Every website should have an SSL Certificate enabled to give their visitors the belief that their information is secured with them.
Some people think that SSL is only needed for E-Commerce websites. But it’s wrong. Every single website must need an SSL Certificate as I recommend. Now, let’s discuss the different purposes of SSL Certificate for different websites –
SSL for Portfolio Website
You might think Why do you need an SSL Certificate on your Portfolio website. Well, we already told you about the trust-building part. People might be left from your websites as they found the connection is not secure.
Besides, Google will not boost your website in the search engine if it’s not finding the HTTPS tag on the search bar. Search ranking is a must for a portfolio website. That’s why SSL is important for a portfolio website.
SSL for Business Website
A business website also needs an SSL Certificate as the company provides or sells service through the internet. So for a secured connection between servers and clients, you must install an SSL. Besides, if you implement membership functionality you need an SSL as you don’t want to leak your client’s valuable information.
About Free SSL Certificate
Recently SSL Certificate has become paid. Free SSL Certificates are issued by non-profit certificate authorities such as Let’s Encrypt. These companies aim to encrypt the whole web to a new level and that becomes a standard feature.
Paid SSL and free SSL have some differences that vary. Generally, the lifespan of free SSL lasts for 90 days, while the maximum period for a paid SSL lasts for 2 years.
Besides, Free SSL comes only with a DV (Domain Validation) option. On the other hand, paid SSL has some other options with each distinct validation level and for unique functions.
Conclusion
From the last, we can say that SSL is a crucial part of a website. It will give you maximum protection from hackers and attackers. It is unlikely that SSL can be hacked. But you already know that nothing is impossible. But the chances are very slim. It doesn’t always mean that you installed an SSL Certificate and you are 100% protected. It’s also crucial that you understand why SSL is important and how it works. But apart from that just remember that it only makes your connection secure between your browser and the website. I often advise you to click on the search bar padlock to learn about the site’s SSL information whether it is issued for an authentic organization or not. That’s the reason why SSL is important for a website.