Why Are They So Important?
SSL is the acronym for; Secure Sockets Layer
HTTPS is the acronym for; HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure
Put simply an SSL certificate attached to a website changes the url (www) of the website from http to https. This in turn creates an additional encrypted layer through which information to and from the website must pass thus making it much more difficult to this information to be intercepted and stolen.
Whilst many people think this is only of value to those sites which collect credit card details the truth is that most websites have an online contact form encouraging users to send their contact details online. From an online fraud point of view these details can be just as valuable to hackers as credit card details.
There is however a VERY common pitfall many businesses fall into when installing an SSL certificate to their website. As we mentioned before an SSL certificate CHANGES the url (www) of the website. This means that unless the SSL installation coincides with a REDIRECTION of the url of each and every page on the website. Do this and you won’t be penalised by Google or Bing for changing your url. (Special Note: this should not be done by an IT novice).
For an obligation FREE quote to install an SSL certificate on your website send us your contact details via our SECURE FORM below.