Why Your Website Needs SSL in 2021
You may have noticed that many of the websites you visit on a daily basis have upgraded to SSL (or Secure Socket Layer) connections recently – including many that aren’t associated with huge brands or heavy ecommerce. There’s a good reason business owners and marketers have been making that change… and why you should consider following their example.
To understand why, let’s explore a few of the issues and reasons behind the switch to SSL connections:
What SSL is All About
Secure SSL connections used to be associated with banks and online retailers. That’s because they employ encryption anytime a transfer is made between a server and the receiving computer. So, if you have customers who are submitting information forms, offering financial details, or conducting other sensitive transactions on your website, using SSL connections is an easy decision.
Lately, though, you may have noticed that all kinds of businesses are incorporating SSL. That’s not necessarily because they are concerned about cyber crimes, but because they want to keep attracting search engine visits from Google.
Google is Prioritizing Websites Using SSL Connections
Earlier this year, Google’s engineers announced that SSL functionality would be considered a search signal. That means business websites that use SSL connections will be prioritized in search results. Conversely, websites without secure connections are now being punished. So, if you are offering better security than your competitors, it’s going to be easier to outrank them on Google and attract new customers as a result.
Two things need to be noted here, however. The first is that SSL connections are just one part of the bigger search engine optimization puzzle. You still need to focus on content, links, and on-page visibility factors.
The second thing to remember is that SSL functionality is all-or-nothing. While some web designers and marketers like to incorporate SSL onto specific pages within a website (like those containing forms or e-commerce features), Google wants to see added security throughout your site as a whole. That’s not just a good idea for SEO purposes, either. As it turns out, adding secure functionality to your web presence is good for the bottom line.
Upgrading to SSL is a Strong Business Move
Lots of business owners are making the decision to upgrade to SSL because they want to stay on Google’s good side. At the same time, they are getting a lot of other benefits, as well.
For one thing, secure functionality makes their websites safer from hackers and online thieves. The last thing you want is someone tinkering around with your code or stealing customer information. And for another thing, SSL functionality is usually accompanied by other premium web hosting features. That means an upgrade could cause your pages to load faster, and come with other perks like automatic daily backups.
Faster page loading times further boost your search engine visibility, and more security is always a good thing in the digital age. Given the very low costs associated with good web hosting, upgrading to an SSL-enabled package might be one of the best investments you make this year.
If you want to know more about SSL functionality, or search engine and Internet marketing in general, now is a perfect time to talk with the Medora team. Call or email us today to see what we can do to help your business grow!
