Have you been considering whether you should purchase an SSL certificate lately but are unsure whether it’s really necessary? If so, let us answer that question for you in no uncertain terms: yes. Yes, you should. Still not convinced? Fair enough, read to the end of this article, and we guarantee that you’ll soon be convinced that your site needs an SSL! 

SSL encryption is essential to safe web browsing

Do you like feeling safe online? Do you like to make your users feel safe online? Hopefully, the answer to both of those questions is yes. And if it was, an SSL certificate is a surefire way to achieve online safety, at least where privacy is concerned. If you’ve ever made a purchase online, you’ve probably (hopefully!) noticed the SSL padlock featured in the address bar. That padlock symbolizes your personal data, such as your credit card number and home address, staying safe from prying eyes. Even if you don’t have an e-commerce store, all websites can benefit from SSL.

Why exactly is that?

When you install an SSL on your site’s server, it facilitates an encrypted link between your server and any client (like a web browser) accessing it. Encryption serves to scramble any data exchanged over this link. This means that sensitive data, like banking information or social security numbers, is rendered unreadable to potential prying eyes while in transit. This protection is paramount for going about your day-to-day activities online. It’s also a great way of fostering customer trust. When they see the padlock on your site, they’ll know they’ll be safe using it. Another potential benefit is improving your site’s SEO. Google always ranks websites with SSL higher than websites that don’t have SSL… Just a little food for thought!


It’s kind of becoming mandatory

If the last point for some reason didn’t convince you, then perhaps this one will. These days, you kind of have to have an SSL. No, there’s no official law or anything, but major web browsers have started encouraging widespread adoption of SSLs to the point of penalizing websites without it. That is to say, if you don’t have an SSL, your website may not load as intended on certain web browsers. When users try to visit your SSL-free site, they’ll likely be greeted with a worrying message decrying your site as potentially unsafe and insecure. They will be asked if they still want to proceed. What do you think most users do after seeing a message like that? That’s right; they run. Do you really want to lose visitors just because you weren’t bothered installing a simple digital certificate on your server? Yeah, didn’t think so. 

Conclusion

Convinced yet? Adding an SSL to your site really doesn’t have a downside. If you want to make your site safe, your customers trust you, and make search engines and web browsers love you, an SSL certificate is a great way to go.

Image Source: BigStockPhoto.com (Licensed)

 

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