Throughout history, we have seen a direct correlation between the rise in population and the rise in crime rates. This has held true in the digital space as well with cyber thefts as the fastest growing crime in the U.S. From intruders to hackers, it is imperative now more than ever we as professional marketers secure our websites to protect both our business and our users. Google has recently campaigned for website owners to convert to HTTPS by rewarding secure URLs with a minor SEO boost. Google currently holds 77.43% of the market shares, making SEO vital to the success of your business’ site.  Not only is making the switch the ethical thing to do, it’s quickly becoming a necessity.

HTTP… ‘S’

HTTPS stands for hypertext transfer protocol secure. So, what’s the difference between HTTP and HTTPS? A layer of security. HTTPS comes with a secure sockets layer (SSL) certificate, which encrypts data to ensure only the intended server and browser can read the information. In other words, an SSL certificate is a small data file that monitors and transfers data safely between two points. Although nothing on the web is 100% secure, encrypted data is usually of no use to hackers. HTTPS will also prevent intruders from being able to listen to communication between your users and your website. Images, cookies, scripts, and HTML are all exploitable for intruders, and they can use unprotected communications to insert their own advertisements, trick users into giving up information or installing malware. These intrusions can happen at any moment, and it is crucial that we protect ourselves by adding an SSL certificate to our websites.

‘S’ means business

Web security is no longer solely important to just e-commerce. Every website should be securing the information of their users in order to be competitive in the marketplace.

Google Chrome is officially listing HTTP-based sites as “unsecure,” which means if you haven’t made the switch to HTTPS you could lose some business. HTTPS is a stamp of approval for website users. When entering an HTTP site, Google will give users a “Not Secure” warning, which can scare them away from sites even if the actual risk is minimal. Google is also ranking web pages with HTTPS higher than websites using HTTP; therefore, not only will users be turned off by unsecure websites, you could lose prospective viewers.

How to get an ‘S’

With the need for cybersecurity increasing, getting an HTTPS security certificate has become more streamlined and accessible. NameCheap offers SSL certificates for as low as $39 per year, and WordPress, which we use as our CMS, offers SSL certificates for free. It’s time to secure your website—obtain your SSL certificate through the resources listed here:

Let’s Encrypt
Comodo
Thawte
GoDaddy
Digicert
Symantec
GeoTrust

SSL certificates have many advantages including higher search engine ranking, uninterrupted traffic and higher credibility amongst users. Acquiring these certifications is both accessible and mandatory now more than ever. Securing your website is imperative to ensuring visibility and continued growth for your business. Don’t let your website go unseen.