In today’s digital age, websites play a crucial role in the success of businesses. With the increasing number of cyber threats, it is important to implement measures to protect your website and your customers’ data. One way to achieve this is through the Secure Sockets Layer protocol, better known as SSL encryption.
In this blog post, we will discuss what SSL is, its benefits, and how it can improve user experience and page rank for your website.
What is SSL and why is it important for website security?
SSL is a security protocol that encrypts the connection between a web server and a user’s web browser. When a website has SSL implemented, the URL will start with “https” instead of “http”. The “s” stands for “secure”. SSL ensures that any data exchanged between the user’s browser and the web server is encrypted and cannot be intercepted by cybercriminals.
SSL is important for website security because it helps protect against data breaches, identity theft, and other cyber threats. With SSL, sensitive information such as login credentials, credit card details, and personal information is encrypted and secure. This ensures that even if a cybercriminal manages to intercept the data, they cannot read or use it.
How does SSL protect against cyber threats and hacking attempts?
SSL protects against cyber threats and hacking attempts by encrypting the data exchanged between a user’s browser and the web server. When a user visits a website with SSL, their browser will first verify that the SSL certificate is valid and issued by a trusted authority. If the SSL certificate is valid, the browser will establish a secure connection with the web server.
Once the secure connection is established, any data exchanged between the user’s browser and the web server is encrypted and cannot be intercepted by cybercriminals. This means that even if a hacker manages to intercept the data, they cannot read or use it.
Implementing SSL on your website can also help protect against phishing attacks. Phishing attacks are designed to trick users into entering sensitive information on a fake website. With SSL, users can easily identify if a website is legitimate or not. Legitimate websites will have the “https” protocol and a green padlock icon in the address bar.
How can implementing SSL improve user experience on my website?
Implementing SSL can improve user experience on your website in several ways. Firstly, users are more likely to trust a website that has SSL implemented. A study by Norton found that 87% of consumers feel more confident placing orders on websites with SSL enabled.
Secondly, implementing SSL can improve website speed. With SSL, websites can make use of HTTP/2, which allows for faster loading times and improved performance. This is because HTTP/2 uses a single connection to load multiple resources, reducing the number of requests required to load a page.
Thirdly, SSL can improve search engine rankings. In 2018, Google Chrome began flagging websites without SSL as “not secure”. This means that websites without SSL may rank lower in search engine results pages (SERPs) and may receive less traffic.
What are the benefits of SSL for e-commerce websites?
E-commerce websites handle a lot of sensitive data, such as credit card details and personal information. Implementing SSL on an e-commerce website can provide several benefits:
- Improved security: SSL helps protect against data breaches and cyber threats, ensuring that sensitive information is encrypted and secure.
- Increased customer trust: Customers are more likely to trust e-commerce websites that have SSL implemented. This can lead to increased conversions and sales.
- Compliance with industry standards: Many industry standards, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), require the use of SSL on e-commerce websites.
How can I check if my website already has SSL implemented?
To check if your website has SSL implemented, simply look at the URL in the address bar. If the URL starts with “https” and has a green padlock icon, then SSL is implemented on the website. However, some websites may have SSL implemented on some pages but not others. In this case, you can use online tools such as SSL Shopper or Why No Padlock to check if SSL is implemented on all pages.
If your website does not have SSL implemented, it is important to take action to implement it as soon as possible. There are many SSL providers available, such as Let’s Encrypt (which includes a free option), Comodo, and GlobalSign. Your website hosting provider may also offer SSL certificates.
If you’re unsure about the status of your website’s security or you need help implementing SSL and related best practices, reach out for a free consultation.
