Just in case you missed it, having a secure website is becoming more important, if not necessary. The way to make your website secure is through SSL certification. Standing for Secure Sockets Layer, SSL has become the standard in letting site guests know that your website is a secure site. The SSL certificate is a small digital file added to your website and is indicated on the search bar in green text stating “Secure | HTTPS” along with a small deadbolt.

When SSL certificates were originally introduced, they were viewed as a “must have” for any e-commerce site, payment processing sites and financial institutions. However, today’s consumers are also concerned about identity-related information. Thus, HTTPS sites let people know that their personal information such as name, address, phone number and email is protected thanks to a secure channel encrypted at one end and then decrypted at the other end. As a result, even if unscrupulous entities collect the information, it is of virtually no use to them.

While the protection SSL certification offers is a boon to site guests and owners alike, there are a number of other reasons to upgrade your website with HTTPS.

Higher Search Engine Ranking – SSL certification is now a primary factor in search engine ranking. Consequently, another advantage the certification brings is boosting your position in search engine results.

Professionalism – Name a popular eCommerce site. Any one that you name is guaranteed to have an SSL certificate. Why? Because it not only makes them safer, but shows guests they can expect privacy.

More Sales – According to a survey by Actual Insights, 60 percent of those polled indicated they had not purchased something because there was not a trust logo visible on the page. Furthermore, 75 percent said they did not buy something because they did not recognize any of the trust logos displayed. As a result, by having an SSL indicated in the address bar, you are letting guests know their information is secure and ensuring them it is safe to make a purchase from your site, which in turn means more revenue.

Re-crawl – If you are looking for a way to garner Googlebot’s attention – especially if you have a site with an excessive number of URLs – then changing your site to an HTTPS along with implementing some other SEO improvements, will bring it to the bot’s attention and get your site re-crawled.

If your website does not yet have SSL certification, then what are you waiting for? Contact WebDrafter today or call 866-421-3723 to get started.