My initial review of client’s existing websites reveals that most sites don’t use SSL certificates. The reason is mainly due to an understanding of what they are and the benefit of having one.
SSL Certificate Benefits
The primary benefit of using an SSL certificate stems from its ability to provide encryption protection during the online transfer of sensitive information such as passwords or credit card numbers. If a site has a contact form, eCommerce presence or some type of user registration, SSL certificates can help you gain your customers’ trust and protect against phishing schemes. Additionally, Google now adjust its indexing system to look for more HTTPS pages.
What’s A SSL Certificate?
SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer, a security method which allows for the encryption of data when being transferred over a server. SSL certificates help to protect the transfer of sensitive information such as credit card numbers, passwords and usernames, Social Security numbers and other sensitive information. For visitors to your website, they can be confident they are dealing with an actual company and not an impostor. Just review your any well-used site such as your bank, Amazon, or PayPal, you you’ll see the https at the front of the url.
How To Spot A Certified Website
* The address bar will have a green background color to indicate a higher level of security vetting, called Extended Validation.
* A tiny padlock appears on the left-hand side of the browser bar. If there isn’t a padlock, or the symbol is “broken,” visitors will know that the company isn’t using SSL.
* You’ll find an SSL image, typically at the bottom of the webpage. Custom images are available, but most contain a padlock, “SSL” or “Security,” and other information that indicates a certificate.
* The URL starts with “https” to indicate that you are connected through a secure server. Hypertext Transfer Protocol (http) is a system for transmitting data on the web, and the “s” at the end is the security indicator.
