Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificates are the files that contain cryptographic keys of your organization’s details. The primary function of SSL certificates is to maintain a secure connection between your web browser and web server so that no one can break-in. You can access your website using https and you will see a little green padlock in the URL bar when you install an SSL certificate that shows your web connection is secure. In this article, we will discuss the importance of SSL certificates for search engines.
Importance of SSL Certificates
Whenever you see the green-colored padlock, understand that the data transferred between the browser and the web server is in an encrypted format and it is protected and secure from hackers. Given below are some points that show the importance of SSL certificates.
Protect Sensitive Data
SSL Certificate’s basic function is to secure all communications taking place between the web server and the browser. With an SSL Certificate installed on a website, all data transferred between the user and the server will be encrypted. This implies it will protect your sensitive data like Passwords, credit card details, and other secret information from hackers.
Sense of Security for Website Visitors
When a user visits a website and they will notice the green padlock, it will give him a sense of security about your website. This will give users confidence while visiting your website. He will not hesitate to fill their information over that website. SSL certificates will make sure that the information will remain protected.
Important for Online Transaction
If you are running an e-commerce website, it will ask its clients to make payments online for the product it sells. To make these online transactions safe, you must install an SSL Certificate with encryption of at least 128-bit. You can request for 128-bit encryption for SSL Certificate when you buy an SSL Certificate from any vendor.
Mandatory from 2018
As per Google terms, they will flag any website without having an SSL Certificate by the end of 2017. This will apply to all the websites on the internet. If your website doesn’t have a valid SSL Certificate, it will show Not Secure notification to the visitors, they will leave your website due to the security warning. You should install an SSL Certificate on your website to make a good and secure impression of your website on the internet.
How Does SSL certificate affect Search Engine Ranking
We mentioned that Google has made SSL Certificates mandatory for every website. We also discussed how these certificates further ensure the security of internet users. Now, we will discuss how SSL Certificate affects search engine ranking.
A website with SSL Certificate will perpetually have an advantage over the other unsecured website without SSL encryption. SSL Certificate is one of the factors for SEO Rankings.
It is hard to estimate the SSL Certificate influence on SEO because there are many other factors to consider for website SEO Rankings. Websites with HTTPS certainly have more eminent effect on search engine rankings on Google Search.
When visitors see your website is using reliable connections and protected from hackers, you will receive more traffic on the website and improves website Google ranking.
Internet browser like Google Chrome adds a visual alert when a user visits the unsecured website without having SSL Encryption. It has been seen in Google research that visitor spends a very little time on an unsecured website. This will adversely affect SEO Ranking of a website.
Ecommerce Website having an SSL Certificate increase trust amongst their clients for the success of business. It gives a reliable and protected online experience to their website visitors and increases traffic.
