Say Hello to SSL for your SEO

Google have recently announced that site security will start to become a ranking factor from October 2017. With this in mind we are recommending to all our clients that they look to make sure their site is secure as soon as possible.

In the past SSL certificates were generally only used on websites that collected sensitive data, such as payment details on ecommerce sites. With the growing number of cybercrime attacks Google are looking to website owners to make sure that they have protection in place.

Below we look at what SSL means for your SEO.

Security with SSL Certificates

SSL stands for ‘Secure Sockets Layer’; it encrypts information passed between a website and a user. It protects the privacy and security of your users by acting as a guard and preventing the gathering of personal data by third parties.

Data can be picked up by third-party companies and hackers by spying on the information passed on by a user through an unsecured website. This can include browser data such as web behaviour and user identities.

SSL uses heavyweight encryption that hackers and data gatherers will be unable to unscramble ensuring that user data is protected.

A user can easily identify if a website has a SSL certificate installed on their server through the use of HTTPS:// preceding secured sites (the S stands for ‘secured’).

It will Benefit your SEO

Not only have Google announced that there will be SEO benefits to those websites that comply, there will also be deterring messages on sites that do not make the transition from October 2017.

We are concerned that the warnings users see on a non-secure site will result in them leaving the site and looking for a competitor that has implemented increased security measures.

In order to remain competitive online against your HTTPS:// counterparts, website owners will need to start making the transition to a secure connection, otherwise they risk losing out on ranking positions.

Keep your Website Private

SSL certificates are available from trusted Certificate Authorities. There are numerous ways of obtaining a certificate and your webmaster will be the best person to speak to. They will be able to discuss with you the level of encryption you require and therefore which type of SSL certificate will be suitable.

We strongly recommend that SSL is top of your agenda to ensure that your website is secure and also that your SEO does not suffer.

Red Ant Solutions are able to carry out the transition from HTTP:// to HTTPS:// from consulting on the best SSL certificate solution for you through to site redirects after transitioning. Just call us on +44 (0)1483 863 338 today, before your SEO is affected.