Why you must have an SSL certificate for your domain

06.11.2018 1,756 14

Martin Pramatarov

If you are just getting started with your first website, you can easily get overwhelmed by the plethora of options for hosting, domain and extra services, faster cache, DNS, failover, DDoS protection and many more. Among them is the SSL certificate. Is it really worth it or is it just a fancy tag?

What is an SSL Certificate?

Let’s first understand the meaning of those 3 letters. SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. It is basically a technology that encrypts the data traffic. A protocol that secures the two sides of the communication, the web browser and the servers of the website. The SSL can protect the flow of important information such as user data, passwords and bank details. With SSL you can have a safer site. When you set it up properly, you can show your visitors the HTTPS right before your domain name.

Advantages of having an SSL certificate

Buying an SSL certificate is far from a useless expense, it will bring various benefits to you and your visitors.

Provides trust

Not having the certificate will make the visitors suspicious about entering. They can decide to just skip your site and go to another. This can be extra bad for new and small sites that are still not popular enough.

It can affect severely the online shops. They manage delicate information like PayPal accounts and credit card details. If the visitors feel unsafe, they won’t buy!
The SSL certificate also guarantees that you are, who you say you are. To obtain it, you will need to prove ownership of the site.

Encourages interactions

When people feel safe, they are far more likely to act. They can go, without fear, and click the contact form of your page, subscribe to your newsletter or engage in some other form of conversion with you. They can sing up and become a member of your site and message other visitors. The SSL provides a safe environment for interactions.

SEO

Google, the biggest search engine, openly states that it ranks higher the sites with an SSL certificate.

This is probably the strongest argument. If you want to be among the first-page results, you must get it.

The same company also “shames” the websites lacking a certificate in the Chrome browser. If you enter a normal HTTP page, it will display a warning that the page is unsafe.

Now you know, the few extra bucks dedicated to an SSL certificate are not a waste of money. This certificate provides excellent benefits and security. We strongly recommend that you get one for your site.