If you’re running a website or online company, you probably already know the importance of things like SEO. You know that you need keywords, that you need a great landing page, that you need social media profiles and ways for visitors to easily contact you.

But, did you know that you may be overlooking one of the most powerful tools you need? If your website does not have a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) or Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) certification, then you could be losing out on many customers. You’re at risk for losing traffic, potential leads and your ranking on search engines.

who needs a ssl or https site?

In October 2017, Google will begin to mark websites who collect information on the web with a "not secure" warning if they do not have a SSL certification. Additionally, if you search the web in incognito mode, all sites will be marked as "not secure".

Before now, only websites that collected credit card information were required to have this type of protection, but it is more important now than ever to keep cyber attacks at bay. This new security will put you at ease when filling out even the most simple "Contact Us" form. 

The Importance of SSL and HTTPS

If you’ve spent much time online, you may have noticed the “secure” notation that shows up in your browser beside web addresses with an HTTPS address. This secure connection helps protect sensitive information – like credit card numbers and other private information. It encrypts and authenticates your site.

There are a lot of tech and behind-the-scenes reasons to take advantage of SSL and HTTPS certifications, but there are also some things that these certifications impact that are of concern to you when marketing your brand.

SSL Certificates Can Improve SEO

We know you’re always trying to raise your SEO – after all, it is one of the most important metrics for your website. But thanks to an initiative by Google called HTTPS Everywhere (link no longer available as of 08/2019), it’s become even more vital to your SEO that you have an HTTPS or SSL certified site. This initiative boosts webpages with an HTTPS certification above those without, and in October 2017 it will put a warning message on sites that don’t measure up. With over 50 percent of web users operating through Google Chrome and Google web search tools ranking at the top, it’s vital that you comply with Google’s new standards if you want to maintain your rankings.

SSL Certs and https Can Improve SERP Rankings

SERP rankings (Search Engine Result Pages) can also be impacted by whether you have an HTTPS designation. Every SERP is unique, based not only on the keywords searched but other things like the user’s geographical location, preferences, search history and more. Like with SEO, having a SSL or HTTPS certification can improve your ranking on Google search results and drive more traffic to your site.

SSL Certificates are more important than you know

Here’s what it boils down to: If you have a site that is not secure (because you are collecting information), Google and other search engines might mark your website as “not secure” or even warn users against clicking on it. A red X or a popup message is going to prevent people from clicking through to your site, losing your clients and visitors.

Don’t miss out on potential website traffic because modern website visitors are spooked by a big “not secure” notice. Purchase an SSL certificate today and stay on top of the SERP rankings.

If you're a current customer and want to add an SSL certificate to your website - fill out the form on this page and we'll be in contact.