How secure is your website?
Your home probably has locks on the doors, as well as a burglar alarm and motion sensors, so shouldn’t your website be as well protected?
We live in a world with an ever-growing number of online threats, which is leading to Internet users becoming more and more savvy.
For that reason, it’s more important than ever for any website to have an SSL Certificate installed.
What is an SSL Certificate?
You’ve probably seen a little padlock icon appearing up at the top of your screen when you visit some websites. It means that an SSL Certificate is in place, encrypting the connection between you and the server. Any data you enter will be sent across the Internet in a secure tunnel, making it much harder for anyone to intercept it.
Why do I need an SSL Certificate?
The security benefits are obvious, but there are several other reasons why no website should be without an SSL Certificate:
Increase consumer confidence: a lot of people now expect to see the padlock icon by default, so if your website doesn’t display one it could cause visitors to be cautious. Having it there provides a noticeable and comforting reminder that you are committed to security.
Enhance business reputation: there are a number of checks that are performed on every order for an SSL Certificate: they’re not issued to just anyone. Depending on the type of certificate ordered, this varies from making sure you have control over the domain, to vetting various aspects of your business to ensure it’s legitimate.
That little padlock icon advertises to the world that you are who you say you are, instilling trust and confidence into all who see it.
Avoid Google penalties: when you take a look at the results of a Google search, you’ll see that quite often there is a “not secure” label beside websites that don’t have the padlock icon. It can be quite off-putting, and would almost certainly make people think twice before visiting the website.
The last thing you want is to turn away any potential new business; keeping Google on your side is key to maintaining your standing in their search results.
Which types of SSL Certificate are available?
Here at LCN we offer a number of SSL Certificates:
Domain Validated: our entry-level certificate, ideal for personal or hobbyist websites. To be eligible for this, you will simply just need to prove that you own and have control over the domain. As long as you can do this, then the certificate is usually issued within 24 hours.
Organisation Validated: our mid-level certificate is suitable for use by registered businesses or sole traders. As well as the domain ownership verification, a few other checks are done to be sure that your business or trading name has been properly registered with the relevant authorities. For this reason, it can take up a few days for this type of SSL Certificate to be issued.
Buy Organisation Validated SSL
Extended Validation: this highest-tier certificate is available to registered businesses only: it can’t be used by individuals or sole traders. A comprehensive set of verification checks are carried out with Companies House (or their equivalent for the country you’re in) to make sure that you’re fully registered and in good standing. As a result, it can take up to 3 weeks to receive this type of certificate. It’s worth the wait though, as the presence of this SSL Certificate on your website is the clearest indication possible that you are a bona fide legitimate business.
Get your SSL Certificate today
No matter what type of website you have, an SSL Certificate is an essential security accessory. Get yours today to improve your business reputation, enhance consumer confidence and keep Google happy!