Why your brand needs an SSL certificate now more than ever!

by Monika Satyawali digital marketer

The internet is becoming a more and more dangerous place to tread in. This cyber jungle filled with trojan horses and malicious content lurking around every corner makes it unsafe for first-time visitors. I still remember a decade ago, where I would waste so much time clicking on pop-ups and inviting offers because I trusted them so blindly. I didn't have the eye for those misleading offers and thought every click was something substantial. After more than a decade of scavenging through this treacherous forests, I have learned a lot. Of course, we all have. Right now I can spot the right download link from a sea of ads right away. I've mastered the art of clicking the Xs' on pop up ads at lightning speed. For a trained internet veteran like me( and other millions of us), the web is under our control.

But to the untrained eye, the place is still hostile - maybe even more so now. This is why Google has rolled out their new update to Chrome - an update that separates a secure website from an unsecured one.

What Update?

If you have been a regular on the internet for the past couple of months you must have come across certain websites that show a warning before entering. The warning here explicitly states that "Your connection is not private" and comes along with two buttons. One stating - "Go back to safety" and the Other being "Advanced". If you would still like to visit the website, you have to click on the advanced button and then on the link that says visit website anyway.

This update is one of the most crucial updates on Google Chrome ever and secure websites that have been riding on the coattails of HTTPS are still having their fun. But all those millions of web pages that are still on HTTP are taking a hit more than ever. Almost every single visitor on an HTTP website now has to go through some hoops to visit their landing page. The loss of trust in the brand is so apparent and fast. Customers do not want to make do with an insecure website! This is why you should start working on your website to get it back in the playing ground with the HTTPS bad boys. Let's have a look of how to get started.

SSL Certificates

Now to get down and dirty with the details. The main factor separating an insecure HTTP website from a secure HTTPS one is the availability of an SSL certificate. This digital certificate is a bunch of data files that you add onto your server. In doing so you get the added functionality of achieving a secure encrypted connection between the browser and the server. This is huge for all of us paranoid users. Lately, all the news about hackers and cybercrime all over the country has made us a very alert and paranoid bunch for sure. Having this certificate on your website adds a little green lock symbol right next to your URL that lets the visitors know that they are on a site that you can trust.

How do I get there?

If you are running an e-commerce business, you should know already that for transactions to occur you need an SSL certificate. A Secure website is one on which you can confidently use your PayPal or go ahead and enter your credit/debit card details. Is your a website who has been recently hit by this Chrome update? Is your traffic on an all-time low? It is time to get you and your website straightened and plant that SSL flag high and proud.

To do that all you need is fulfill a few requirements. One of the first requirements you need to fulfill is the making sure that your website - the .com that you have purchased is your legal property. As all legal property purchases go, this one too goes on the record. This means your website is officially registered with your name and location and contact information. Whois is an online resource where you can find all these details. It is your duty to keep all the information on it up to date to continue your SSL privileges.

The other requirement involves paperwork. Stop whining, it ain't so bad and the results are worth it. You've got to prove that your business is, in fact, a legal one. For that, you need to provide the SSL certificate issuer with certain documents like a corporate charter, a zoning permit or a tax form. After you have submitted the said legal documents, the issuer checks and validates the information. Once you've got a clear that it! You can now enjoy a green lock and a boost in customer confidence.

Final Words

You might have been in the online business industry for a long time without having to move over to a secure connection. I wasn't a problem before and you might think why all the big fuss now. Times have changed and Google is changing. You cannot run a secure website without an SSL certificate anymore - at least in the eyes of your customer. If you are a brand that is starting out and finding the entire process of buying the certificate too costly, there are some website hosts that provide it for free. Adhuntt is a digital marketing service that provides an all in all solution for your secure web creation needs. Right from slick pages to the SSL certificate, we got it all. You can sign up for the perfect package that suits you, and guess what - you'll be saving a lot of hard earned money that rather be spent on boosting your brand. The entire HTTPS HTTP story is quite an interesting one. In case you guys want to share your thoughts or want to learn more, do comment below. I would love to hear from you and will get back as soon as possible. Keep learning future brand leaders. Until next time, Ciao!

To read more click here>> social media marketing companies in Chennai