As the current knowledge economy continues to grow leaps and bounds, there is more exchange of information every microsecond. But such developments also make the said information vulnerable. That is why security is a major concern. To keep websites and webpages more secure than ever, search engines like Google have introduced a mandate that requires all websites and webpages to have a security certificate, which, is otherwise known as Security Socket Layer or SSL. It is determined by an ‘S’ at the end of your URL prefix (HTTP). The SSL certificate helps protect the privacy of critical data (and other content) on your website, and as a site owner, it is your responsibility to ensure that your website carries an SSL certificate.

Apart from this, there are a few other direct and indirect reasons for including a security certificate on a webpage, each of which is explained below.

Authentication of site

As mentioned above, search engines authenticate a site that carries an SSL certificate. It means that a web URL carrying an HTTPS is more likely to be considered by search engines as safe for browsing and a site without the same (HTTP) will be marked as ‘suspicious’ or ‘unsafe’. Depending on the type of security certificate, your website will be assigned a ‘trust indictor’, so the user knows if the site they are browsing is safe or not, and to what extent.

Better Search Engine Ranking

Search engines like Google bank a lot on a website’s authenticity and security standing, when it comes to ranking them on search result pages. Suspicious websites or sites that tend to redirect or face downtime are usually deemed ‘unsafe’ by Google, and this can largely affect the Search Engine Result Page (SERP) rankings, which eventually affects the SEO of your website. So, more secure your site is, the better the SEO score you can expect.

Safer payment gateway transactions

Most payment card authorities require a site to carry an SSL certificate, to authenticate transactions done on the site. This is more essential for e-commerce and banking sites, which rely heavily on online transactions through payment gateways. 

Enhanced customer trust

This is an indirect advantage that SSL brings to your website. When a user sees that the site they are browsing or sharing personal details with, is safe, it instills a sense of trust in them. They become more confident about accessing your website and interacting with your brand, which, needless to say, leads to loyalty and thus, better chances of conversions.

Summing up…

Security is a non-negotiable aspect of any business, but more so, in today’s times, when businesses are more online than ever. And hosting has a role to play in this. One of the best ways to ensure that your site has a security certificate is to find a web host who includes an SSL certificate in their service plans. With a recognized cloud web hosting provider, you can expect even the basic plans to offer you a free SSL certificate. You, however, need to provide the necessary information, and the hosting provider takes care of the rest.