What the
SSL?
A
ccount Manager, John has been sharing his thoughts on the importance of website security in line with GDPR best practice, with added benefits too…
What is an SSL certificate?
SSL stands for ‘Secure Socket Layer’. They’re small data files installed on a server allowing a secure connection between the server and browser. Having an SSL certificate in place ensures that any data transmitted via your website is encrypted, making data transfer safer.
But what does that mean?!
With an SSL certificate in place, any information passed through your website is safe and secure. This could be anything from payment information for online purchases, email addresses for your newsletter, or as simple as personal information requested on a contact form.
Do I really need one?
If you have an e-commerce website, the simple answer is YES!
However, if you don’t take online payments you may think that an SSL certificate isn’t important. We’d suggest it is for 3 reasons…
1. Improved user experience
If you don’t have an SSL certificate in place, when someone lands on your website they’re faced with the message ‘Not secure’ This can cause concern to some users. With an SSL certificate in place, your url (website address) is prefixed with ‘https’ (instead of http, the ‘S’ stands for ‘Secure’) and a padlock. This is instantly recognisable to users as a safe website to interact with. Users nowadays are much more tech savvy and safety conscious when it comes to digital habits, confidence in your website significantly improves with the addition of the familiar padlock.2. GDPR
You thought you’d heard the last of this! But there are still best practices to be put in place, and this is one of them. Having an SSL certificate in place adds an extra layer of security to data being transferred via your website, even if the only data you collect is from a contact form. As a data controller or processor, it’s your job to ensure appropriate technical measures have been put in place to protect the data you handle.3. SEO
With the ever-changing algorithms of search engines, it’s hard to keep on top of what’s important. But we’re certain that having an SSL certificate in place will be beneficial, as they see this as a sign of trustworthiness. Over 40% of sites appearing on the first page of Google are https. If your site is flagged as ‘Not secure’, it could be getting outranked by your competitors.If you don’t have an SSL certificate in place, you could be losing out on business, enquiries and website traffic – so go and get one! If you need any help, get in touch with us, we’re happy to point you in the right direction.
