Why Your Website Needs an SSL Certificate

If you’re here and have no idea what an SSL Certificate is, don’t worry. As long as you have a website of some type, you’re in the right place. Let’s dive in.

What does SSL stand for?

Secure Sockets Layer

What is an SSL Certificate?
SSL Certificates provide a layer of security for your website, creating a safe place for credit card transactions, logins and other instances where data is shared. Websites that have SSL certificates display https in the URL, while websites without the certificate only display http. The s stands for secure.

What’s changing?
Google announced that, starting in July 2018, it will mark all websites without an SSL Certificate as “Not Secure.” This means that anyone visiting a website that doesn’t have an SSL Certificate is going to be warned that they’re visiting an unsecure website (see image below).

Note: While Google hasn’t actually implemented this change yet, they likely will soon.

What does this mean for your business?
If your website already has an SSL Certificate, you’re good to go! Your website is secure. You can verify this by visiting your website and making sure there’s a green lock icon to the left of the URL.

If your website doesn’t have an SSL Certificate, we strongly suggest you get one. Here’s why.

• It keeps users’ information safe.
• It keeps users on your website. (Let’s be honest: the red flag warning about an unsecure website is enough to scare anyone away.)
• It will boost your SEO. Google ranks https sites higher than http sites.
• There may come a time when Google penalizes websites for not having SSL Certificates. It could save you a lot of stress down the road to go ahead and get your certificate now.

How to Get an SSL Certificate
We recommend getting your website’s SSL Certificate through Afterburner Hosting, our preferred hosting provider. The Afterburner team will be able to get your website secure and squared away, and you can count on them for keeping your website safe and sound.

Have any questions?
If you have any questions about SSL Certificates or if your website needs one, we’d love to connect you directly with the Afterburner team. Contact us today!