You’ve probably noticed a little green padlock right next to “Secure” sign and URL of your e-banking, online shop, PayPal or similar websites which require your personal data. That little green thingy called SSL is your ticket to secure surfing, encrypted data aka safe communication, and represents a sort of a “reliable website/company” badge.
A bit of nerd talk to set up some ground info: SSL stands for “secure sockets layer” and is a form of security for sites that handle sensitive data such as client names, phone numbers, addresses and credit card information.
SSL is fundamental for any site that sells goods or services as it guarantees that all information handled remains private and secure. It creates a secure connection between a customer’s web browser and the server of the company they’re associated with.
One of the most recognizable ways (other than a padlock) for customers to see whether a site has encryption in place, is seeing of the https protocol instead of regular http.
Shoppers today are educated in a manner to look for these things before making any online purchases.
What is more, statistics prove that by not having SSL, impact on the business will be tremendous. According to Gartner, 70 percent of people shopping online has canceled an order because they did not trust the website. Yet, 64 percent of those shoppers claimed that they would have finished the purchase if a website had an SSL certificate in place.
So, let us tell you a few things about advantages and benefits of SSL for your business.
1. Encrypts data
Transferring the message to the end user, or intended party without further noise and interference is the job done by encrypting information which is indeed is the major job for SSL. Data submitted on web forms often passes through more than one computer before reaching its final destination, and the more “stops” it has to make, the higher the chance that a third party could get to it.
In case that the information ends up in the wrong hand after characters are being inserted, information becomes unusable. Only the proper encryption key is able to translate the meaning of information.
2. Provides Authentication
When acquiring SSL certificate there is another type of protection and validation given, it is called a server certificate. This certificate is considered to be a mediator between browsers and SSL servers. This ensures that information is transferred to the correct server without being intercepted. Documents given are at customers disposal and anyone can view it and validate if the SSL certificate of the site is up to date to ensure that the information that they are willing to place on the page is original and safe not fraud.
3. Fundamental component of payment processingWithout further ado, there are some policies that need to comply. Namely, Payment Card Industry compliance indicate that e-commerce needs to have an SSL certificate with the appropriate encryption of at slightest 128-bit. What is more, SSL needs to come from a trusted source, to have the appropriate strength of encryption together with private connection for every page that is having paying process. Without those standards in place, a site won’t be able to take credit card payments.
4. Guards Against Phishing
SSL certificates are not easily obtained. Fraud sites or fake sites that have an aim to steal credit card information through advertisements or phishing emails or malicious user will have a difficult time getting a true SSL certificate. At this point, customers are informed just enough to go away from sites that are not SSL protected without entering any information.
5. Offers Added Brand Power
We’ve said that ‘https’ is one of the visible forms that site obtains alongside with icon. However, companies also display images and site seals to show well-trusted encryption is in use. By showing these symbols it further gives clients level of security that information provided will end to where it has been intended.
6. Business Future Proofing
A step forward in proofing validity and the security level is EV SSL. This security measure meets bigger risks that come with e-commerce today. Not many companies have this today, yet it is a really important step into future proofing.
7. Improves Customer Trust
All of the named elements are joined together to form trust bond between a customer and a business. E-shoppers seek reassurance that their sensitive personal information is secure as it ‘travels’ through cyberspace, by providing SSL is the best way to make them comfortable.
8. SSL certificate improves SEO
One of big elements for your site to climb as Google’s Search top result will happen extensively with the help of search engine optimization (SEO). Much is needed to contribute to this results, quality content, adequate keywords, Google AdWords and UX website with great design.
Hence, to maintain well on Google and perhaps upgrade it is very advisable to add an SSL to your site. From Google’s angle, SSL shows that site is “trusted and certified” and it will further reward it.
9. Descriptional clarificationAlthough direct benefits in correlation to having SSL have been explained, we’d like to describe you operational part of SSL by correlating it to the real-life scenario.
When a customer enters a secure website they seek authentication and identification from the web server, which is presented through its SSL certificate. It is very much similar to what we have in real life, and that is identification card ‘personal ID’. The website cannot simply say I am “May’s” company it needs a trusted certificate provider to prove their identity. Back-and-forth communication is needed for identification process to take place by which customers do not get fooled.
Keeping in mind what we’ve just listed above, SSL is most certainly the very least of guaranteeing the security of information exchange and communications over client and server. No site or application ought to be without it, and all people are advised to keep their information on secure sites only.
