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tiffany@tiffanycoxdesign.comWhat is an SSL Security Certificate? And why you need one!
7 . 24 . 2018
You may have been hearing some hoopla lately about Google “punishing” websites that aren’t secure. Well, the time has come and the official word is in! As of July 2018, Google will now be labeling non-secure websites as “Not Secure” in both their search engine and Google Chrome browser. Let’s go over what an SSL Security Certificate is and why you need one. So you not only protect your clients but make Google happy as well!
SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer which is just fancy talk for a web protocol that creates a secure connection between your website and the server it’s sending information to. SSLs used to mainly be used on websites that took customer credit card information such as an e-commerce store. But today it’s important to have an SSL for a few more reasons. Let’s go into those!
Hackers are always fun, aren’t they? Always getting into things they aren’t supposed to! An SSL can help keep your website from getting hacked by encrypting your login pages. This protects your login information from any prying eyes. You definitely want to take some other steps to protect your website from hackers but having an SSL Security Certificate is a fantastic start!
Even if you don’t have an e-commerce store that takes credit card information an SSL is necessary to protect your customers’ valuable information. Even a simple contact form is enough personal information for an identity thief to do a lot of damage. Like we talked about before, an SSL adds a secondary security layer to your website and the server. So any information sent from that website can’t be intercepted by a hacker. This will ensure your customer’s personal information is safe!
Like we mentioned earlier, Google will now be pointing out that your website is “Not Secure” in its search results. How does that look to a potential customer? Not so good right? Not only does that make your website look “sketchy” it’s also been rumored that Google will now start favoring secure websites in its search results. So if your page is #1 on Google and you don’t have an SSL you might see your rank go down. And if you are looking to get on page one, an SSL will definitely help your odds of getting there.
Now that you know why an SSL is so important to have on your website, how do you get one? SSLs are so easy to install, especially on WordPress. Contact your hosting provider to have them install one on your website today.
And of course, all Tiffany Cox Design Website Maintenance and Security Packages come with a FREE SSL Security Certificate automatically.
Contact us today if you’d like to learn more about how to keep your website safe and secure.
