Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificates
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a computer protocol that helps secure communications over computer networks. An SSL certificate is a digital document that ensures the content provided is from the correct (verified) sender.
An SSL Certificate carries an annual cost with discounts for multi-year purchases. If your website is being updated to have an SSL, there will be a one time cost to update the site elements like file references and off-site inclusion scripting to make everything compliant and secure.
All new sites built via Sanders Software are built for SSL compliance and have an SSL Certificate added as the time of going live.
Importance of switching your website to HTTPS
When you add an SSL certificate to your site, the site links become https (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) rather than basic http. This ensures the data between your web server and browser remains private and secure. When an SSL certificate is installed on a web server, it operates as a padlock and acts as a secure connection between the web server and browser. An SSL certificate binds together your domain name (or server or hostname), company name and location. This means that even if a hacker manages to intercept your data, he won’t have the private key to decrypt it.
The SEO Benefit of Having an SSL Certificate
Security is more and more important for consumer and professional commerce online. So Google, along with all the major internet browsers, have instituted warnings and incentives to get your website secure using SSLs. SEO experts have seen a marked improvement of up to 5% in some cases simply by adding an SSL across a website.
The consensus is that search engines have been doing one of two things regarding sites with and without SSLs. One idea is a percentage of boost upwards in rank for being compliant with SSL standards. The other is an undocumented penalty downward in ranking for lacking an SSL. Either way, it’s clear, having an SSL certificate on your site can help improve and/or maintain your SEO.
