The Importance of an SSL Certificate

What is an SSL certificate?

SSL is short for Secure Socket Layer, something similar to Secure Sockets Layer.
An SSL certificate is a data file that contains a cryptographic key that can access the particular details of a company. Once it is installed on a web server, it can unlock the security door and allow a secure connection transmission between the browser and the server that keeps the website running. It is a security mechanism that is most involved in transferring data and logins, credit card transactions, and is recently becoming the norm on social media websites.
An SSL certificate is a key security component of any website because of how it holds the domain name, server name, and host name together as well. It also contains the details related to the name/identity of the company as well as its location.

How does an SSL certificate keep your website secure?

Several websites require users to enter personal information before they can continue with the website experience. When a website user enters personal information on a website, that data must be digitally transferred from the user's computer to the website's server where it is stored.
If the website in question does not have SSL, it means that the website is not secure because information being digitally transported from the point of submission to the point of storage can be easily intercepted and read by hackers. This is the reason why websites require SSL to keep them secure as it acts as an encryption protocol to ensure the secure transfer of data over the Internet. It is a security layer that helps maintain the security, integrity and privacy of users who visit your website and enter their personal data.

Why does your website need an SSL?

An SSL certificate is similar to wearing a seat belt while driving your car; it is a safety precaution that is much better to have. It prevents you from getting entangled in difficult situations and offers security and protection. However, in 2020, having an SSL certificate for your website is more necessary due to how hacking mechanisms have transformed and evolved. Here are some of the most important reasons why your website needs to have an SSL certificate:

To have a better ranking in search engines.

This is one of the less obvious advantages of having an SSL certificate for your website and therefore deserves to be mentioned first.
Since 2014, Google's algorithm has been changed to favor websites that have security mechanisms in place, such as HTTPS-enabled websites. This has been verified by professionals conducting advanced research related to SEO. If you have a website with an SSL certificate, it is more likely to be visible in search engine results pages, compared to a website that does not have an SSL certificate or HTTPS enabled, and is therefore not as secure. It doesn't matter if it is a website that collects information from users or not, the truth is that you will still be penalized by Google's latest algorithm if it is a website without SSL.

Helps prevent hacker attacks.

One of the most popular ways hackers can intercept data being transferred online is to use a "man-in-the-middle attack," where they take advantage of a website that doesn't have an SSL to gain access to sensitive data. In such an attack, the attacker secretly broadcasts and switches communication channels between two parties who believe they are directly communicating with each other. Having encryption-based mechanisms, such as an SSL, is one of the ways such security breaches can be prevented.

SSL Certificates confirm identity.

An SSL also provides authentication to your website, giving you the security of being sure that the data you are transmitting/receiving is the data you were meant to receive with no changes being made. Maintains data integrity when it comes to hackers and malicious programs/programs. Once your site has passed identity checks, a trusted SSL provider can authorize an SSL certificate for your website.

Helps keep your information private.

Once you have managed to install an SSL on your website, it will encrypt all the communication that takes place between the client and the server; this means that a third party does not intercept the data while it is digitally transferredto the storage point. This is particularly important for sensitive data such as passwords, family information, credit card numbers, phone numbers, and addresses. By virtue of having an SSL certificate, you can be sure that data remains confidential as it is transferred from one computer to another and reaches the desired server. SSL also provides authentication because it maintains the integrity of the data and ensures that it is not corrupted or altered as it is digitally transmitted. Certain SSL certificates require more validation than others, which means they belong to a trusted company that goes to great lengths to perform thorough verification.
Choose an SSL certificate provider for your website that uses the best encryption and complies with all security protocols.

Improves the relationship with customers and clients for reasons of trust.

From a customer's perspective, it makes sense to establish that visitors are more comfortable sharing their personal information with a website that their browser has explicitly told them is secure enough.
If a website does not have an SSL certificate installed, Google will flag it and make it obvious to online browsers. Browsers like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox will write "NOT SECURE" in the URL bar if you try to access a website that does not have an SSL certificate installed. Customers will be willing to trust what your website has to offer if they see that their browser is giving them visual cues about the safety of the page load. It doesn't matter if you have a simple travel blog or a growing e-commerce company, you simply want to have an SSL to be on better terms with your visitors.