SSL: Is Your Site Secure?

Crucial changes that affect your website!

Did you know that from July this year, Google has been flagging websites that don’t have an SSL certificate installed as “Not Secure”?

This blog explains what SSL is and why Google took this step. Most importantly, it explains why you should install an SSL certificate immediately, if you haven’t done so yet.

What is SSL?

SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer and is a security protocol for the web. SSL encrypts communication between the server and the visitors to your site.

In layman’s terms, it transforms information (data) into a code to keep the information private. It also prevents unauthorised access. SSL converts the website security from http (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) to https (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure).

From July this year, secure websites will start with https whilst unsecured websites (http) will be flagged with the “Not Secure” warning.

No matter what business you are in, SSL is a must.  SSL tells your visitors that your website is capable of safely and securely processing their sensitive information.

An SSL certificate ensures that your site is trusted and secure, a must-have in today’s internet-based society.

Think of all the data we punch into websites on a daily basis, almost without thought. We share our email address, contact details, delivery address and billing information without stopping to think if what we are providing is actually kept safe.

No doubt, seeing a “Not Secure” warning on a site will be an immediate turn-off for potential visitors. This will negatively affect all business owners who haven’t upgraded their sites as required. Visitors will click away from your site and worse, will be extremely reluctant to make any purchases.

In case you need more convincing, this added security measure also protects against cybercriminals. If you want to build trust and brand authority amongst your followers, ensure that you comply without delay.

Simply put, you must have SSL on your website!

Why all the fuss?

In the past, web surfers happily clicked on websites irrespective of whether they were http or https. Even today, most people don’t take notice of the security of the site, except if they are doing some online shopping and punching in their credit card details. This is because “https” is frequently seen on eCommerce sites.

This year, Google decided they would start forcing website owners to increase the security level of ALL websites, by posting a “not secure” warning for sites without an SSL certificate installed.

They set the deadline for July 2018 and warned that ignoring this requirement will adversely affect SEO, traffic and ranking.

Check your website immediately

If you are concerned about the status of your webpage, simply type your website into Google and you will quickly spot if it is secure or not.

If your site does not have an SSL certificate and is therefore not secure, it will appear on Google like this:

If your site is secure, it should look like this:

Oh no! My website is not secure!

First of all: do not panic. This is fixable.

If your site has the “Not Secure” message, it means that your SSL certificate either isn’t installed correctly or it hasn’t been installed at all.

Here are 3 scenarios which could apply to you:

1. Your website is being managed by an external company that looks after your website for you: get hold of them and ask for their advice and assistance to get an SSL certificate installed immediately.

2. Your company has an I.T. department: they need to remedy this without delay. In fact, any I.T. person worth their salt would have already sorted this out. At the very least, they should have consulted you about what steps to take – some hosting sites require the SSL certificate to be purchased, and they might need your go-ahead to proceed, for instance.

3. Some hosting companies, like HostGator, have provided FREE SSL certificates to all of their clients. The process to install and activate the certificate is really painless.

If you are a HostGator client, simply click on this link to learn how to download, install and activate their free SSL. They also have a paid version available which includes a warranty and site logo but at the very least, install the free version.

It is possible that none of the options above apply to you. In this case, find out who your website is hosted with. Most hosting companies have already communicated with their clients via email regarding this important requirement by Google, so follow their instructions to the letter.

In the unlikely event that you haven’t been contacted by your web hosting site, Google them to see if there is more information on their website. Finally, if you still can’t find any information, submit a query to them asking for their assistance.

Most website hosting companies are bending over backwards to assist site owners to install SSL.

Remember, it directly affects them if their clients migrate their websites to other hosting companies that are providing SSL for free, or facilitating the installation.

Phew, I’m good!

You have checked your website and it has passed the https test! Well done!

Just be aware that with some hosting companies, the certificate is only valid for one year.

Mark it in your calendar to renew or update your SSL every year, even if they say they will email you a reminder. This is not something you want to accidentally forget about!

The Takeaway

If you have realised that your site is not yet secure, please do not despair.

Even if you are B.C (before computers), there are loads of resources out there to get your site secure without you losing your mind.

Take the advice of this blog and also do your research to get your SSL certificate installed a.s.a.p.

Once your site is secure, you can breathe a sign of relief!

SSL ensures that your visitors can safely and securely interact with your site, and you can confidently continue to build your brand on the web.