What is SSL?
A SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is the standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. The link ensures that all data passing between the web server and browsers remains private and integral. SSL is an industry standard and is used by millions of websites to protect their online transactions with their website visitors and customers. These days it’s a big security risk to run an e-commerce website, membership website or any website that asks for customer’s information to run without SSL (aka https://).
Advantages of HTTPS / SSL
- SSL increases security on your website by encrypting the data transfer between your website and its visitors.
- SSL hides your website’s important information from hackers and prevents that information from being intercepted in between the communication.
- SSL is becoming a requirement for more and more services one finds online. Google finds it very important.
- Google announced in early 2017 that they would be using HTTPS and SSL as a ranking signal. This means that having HTTPS and SSL will also help improve your website’s SEO (A very BIG advantage).
- Many clients/users/visitors appreciate that your website is protected by SSL, which is indicated by the “https” in the browser’s address bar.
NOTE: To be able to create an SSL connection a web server requires an SSL Certificate.
Articles
Why Google is Forcing You To Have SSL Certificates on Your Websites
Google Warnings For Form Input Over HTTP Coming in October 2017
Free SSL certificates
Green Geeks: They also offer free and paid SSL certificates
ONE.com : If you host your Website with ONE.com you probably have the option for a free SSL certificate. Read the articles below to explain about their SSL setup. Should you need help with this, please let me know.
Web hosts like Siteground offer FREE Let’s Encrypt TLS/SSL certificates. You might want to check your web host’s website or contact them if they too offer a way to install Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates.