SSL certificates are more critical than ever—here’s why

Most website owners have heard of SSL certificates but might not know when the right time is to use one. Well consider this your wakeup call: No matter where you are with your website or user base, having an SSL certificate can benefit you in a number of ways. These important factors are just part of the reason why SSL certificates have become a necessity for all website owners.

GDPR

Remember a few months back when you were receiving tons of emails from websites that were suddenly very concerned about your privacy? The cause of all of that pandemonium is GDPR, which raised the stakes for any website collecting data from customers in the EU. Those who are found to be in violation of this data protection law can face hefty fines and serious consequences. SSL certificates encrypt any sensitive information collected from your customers, lowering the risk of that data being compromised.

Registry expectations are changing

There has also been an emerging trend of New TLDs requiring HTTPS connections before a website using their domain is able to properly load. Such is the case with Google Registry’s .APP domain and the soon-to-launch .PAGE domain. By requiring these added levels of security, the Google Registry is creating an entirely secure web space that offers a higher level of trust than traditional domains. It may be a good indicator that more registries plan to follow suit by requiring an SSL certificate for all website owners using their domains.

Google prefers secured sites over non-secured ones

Google’s advocacy for secure connections goes beyond their own TLDs as well—it’s also a factor for determining search rank. Sites secured with SSL certificates receive a ranking boost in search results, which could bring your site more organic visits and connect you with a larger audience. This preferential treatment of sites accessed through HTTPS goes to show that one of the most influential tech players in the world advocates for their use.

Users want secure browsing

Website visitors are getting more internet savvy and understand the importance of secure browsing. If you are accepting data or processing payments on a site that is not using an SSL certificate, some users may choose to not trust you with their information, meaning less users or customers for you. Having a padlock icon or green bar in the browser can go a long way to inspire trust and ensure the returning business of people who access your site.

Here at Name.com, we’re doing whatever we can to make sure that our users are using SSL certificates to secure their websites whether that’s by proving them for free via our website hosting plans or offering various levels of security at every price point. If you are still using an HTTP connection, it’s time to look into providing secure browsing for your users.