You brainstormed and searched for the best domain you could find, one that is easy to remember and accurately represents your brand. You have links, primary keywords, and secondary keywords. You should be watching those SEO analytics grow – unless a browser notices your website is not secure. No matter how you adjust your content, a site that is not encrypted will have serious problems improving its search engine optimization.
Who Cares about Encryption?
If you do not sell physical merchandise online, you might be tempted to believe that no one cares whether or not your website is encrypted. This is a mistake; Google cares and wants all websites to be secure. Soon, Google Chrome will flag all unencrypted sites in its searches. If you are missing the secure https at the beginning of your web address, Google will show your visitors the warning message “Not secure”.
This alert will definitely scare away potential customers and clients. If people believe that looking at your site is not safe, you can say goodbye to any SEO progress along with potential sales. How likely are you to click on a website with a warning? Placing encryption and security on the back burner is not worth the risk to your bottom line.
Why It Matters
Google Chrome is the most widely used browser in the world. In fact, roughly 60 percent of users choose Chrome. With over half of the market on one browser, it is impossible to ignore this new security standard.
The truth is that Firefox and Safari are likely to take the same action, given the rise of hacking and other cyber crimes. Between these three browsers, you are looking at giving 80 percent of internet users a negative impression of your organization if you do not take the necessary steps to encrypt your website.
Get an SSL Certificate
A Secure Socket Layer, or SSL, encrypts the link between the server and browser. An SSL certificate can be purchased, and the one you need is determined by your website and hosting. Once you have the certificate, you will see the secure https on your site.
Browsers will assess your certificate to make sure the site is safely encrypted. Your certificate will expire, so make sure that you do not let anything lapse if you want to remain secure.
As an experienced web design studio in Oklahoma, we understand the importance of encryption and SSL certificates. If you have any questions about SEO, secure websites, or SSL, the myheartcreative team is ready to help.
