How Having (or not having) an SSL Certificate Impacts SEO

Having a good position on Google is what makes your website stand out above all the others. As of January 2018, there were over 1.3 billion websites, so it’s pretty important to try and stand out above the competition. That’s why companies like Webster Digital Marketing do Search Engine Optimization (SEO)—to help you get your business ranking on Google’s first page. However, Google’s algorithm for SEO is constantly changing, and security has become their number one priority.

Don’t know what an SSL certificate is or how to get one? Don’t worry. We’re here to help.

SSL stands for Secured Sockets Layer and is a standard security protocol for establishing encrypted linked between a web server and a browser in an online communication. Essentially, it encrypts your data keeping your web browsing secure.

SSL Certificates are blocks of code on a web server that provide security for communications online. Having and SSL certified website changes your URL from HTTP to HTTPS, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. HTTPS provides your users with a secure connection on pages where they share personal information with you. Google is calling for HTTPS everywhere, and when Google asks, we listen.

It also means that sites that are still HTTP will be labeled “not secure,” which also has the potential to drive customers away. Having website security in such a digital age as today is crucial! So you should at least consider getting SSL certified.

The good news is that, most of the time, we can work with your hosting provider to provide SSL security. To be able to use HTTPS, you need to get a certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA) organization and file a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) form. The organization will validate your identity and then send you a ZIP containing all the files necessary to configure your website with.

There are multiple CAs to choose from, some being free and others costing money. Some that come to mind include Symantec, GoDaddy, GlobalSign, GeoTrust, DigiCert, and Comodo. When deciding, you will also need to know which kind of certificate you need; single, multi-domain, or wildcard certificate. for example, a single SSL certificate from GoDaddy is less than $100 per year.

This can get confusing, but Webster Digital Marketing is always here to help.

At the end of the day, SSL certificates are for SEO and security. An SSL certificate is one of the easiest things a site owner can do to boost SEO ranking. Google has stated that if all other factors are equal, HTTPS can act as a tiebreaker in the search engine results. Currently, over 90 percent of the top 10,000 domains had implemented HTTPS—which is only possible through a SSL certification.

Time and time again, it pays to be at the top of search engines. Clients can’t give you their business if they can’t find your company!