An SSL certificate allows you to send encrypted and secure data from the website visitor’s browser to the web server where your site is hosted. SSL certificates are identified by the “https://” commonly seen in the address field when visiting a website, where the “s” stands for “secure.” If the site you’re visiting displays only an “http://” in the address field, the site you are visiting does not have an SSL certificate installed.
SSL certificate management is the process of monitoring and managing the life cycles—from acquisition and deployment to tracking renewal, usage, and expiration—of all SSL certificates deployed within a network.
Ultimately, there are three key reasons to install an SSL certificate, regardless of whether or not you intend to collect sensitive information on your website.
Security
No matter what type of information you’re collecting on your website, even if it’s something as simple as an email address or a contact form correspondence, it’s important to ensure all information is transmitted as securely as possible. An SSL certificate allows you to encrypt all data submitted through the forms on your site, ensuring you are the only recipient.
Credibility
An SSL certificate will improve your credibility with those visiting your site. When users see a “Not Secure” message at the top of their browser window on your website, they may start to question your overall security practices. They may give pause when considering a donation (even if your site links to a third party vendor to accept online payments). By installing an SSL certificate, you can remove any immediate concerns over the way your organization collects and stores personal information and other sensitive data.
SEO
While the use of an SSL certificate may not have a significant impact on your rankings in the SERPs, it definitely plays into the algorithm. In order to ensure you are doing your due diligence to remain relevant in online searches, it’s important to install a certificate for your domain. Thankfully, the process has become much less expensive and significantly less work than it once was. With a quick call to your web host, you should be able to get a security certificate installed in no time.
Let Bright Ideas Website Design help you add and manage an SSL Certificate on your website.