As a business owner, there are many things to consider when having an online presence and providing a quality service to your customers. While the functionality and experience of your website is important, something that is equally as vital yet often less considered is your responsibility in protecting the personal information that your customers give you. One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to fulfil this expectation is to have an SSL Certificate installed on your website.
WHAT IS AN SSL CERTIFICATE?
SSL is a two-way encryption technique that scrambles the data sent between a digital device or computer and a website server. The purpose is to prevent the data from being intercepted and then used against your customers.
There are many reasons why your personal data can be valuable. Credit cards, passwords and personal details like your full name and address can be used to gain access to your computer and accounts. When entering these details into a website, be observant of whether the website has encryption technology to safeguard your data from malicious attacks.
An SSL Certificate is a common form of online data protection that can easily be purchased and gives visitors peace of mind when entering their sensitive personal data. The way you can identify whether a website has this installed is to look at the url. If it has “https://…” or a locked icon, you are covered. Please see the screenshot below for a visual reference.
WHY DO I NEED AN SSL CERTIFICATE FOR MY WEBSITE?
SSL Certificates provide reassurance to your website visitors that their personal information is protected. For e-commerce businesses, is it essential. Users who do not have this confidence are much less likely to interact with your website when it comes to joining your newsletter or submitting their credit card details to make a purchase.
As a browsing customer, it can be deterring and rapidly break trust and credibility if they land on a website and are greeted with an error message informing them that the site is not secure or the SSL Certificate is outdated. Some browsers even display a warning page before redirecting to a website, if they detect a potential security threat. Google has stated that websites that do not have up-to-date SSL Certificates will not rank as well organically.
HOW CAN I GET HELP WITH THIS?
Installing an SSL Certificate on your website is more detailed than simply making a purchase through your hosting company. It involves manually changing every link, image file and attachment that exists on your website, including a deep update on the database to ensure files match correctly. It is a complex process that is strongly advised to be completed by a web developer.
If you realise you are not yet doing all you can to protect your customers’ data and need some assistance with installing an SSL Certificate and updating your website, please enquire today 1300 314 172 on our affordable SSL Upgrade packages.
