It’s Crucial That Your Website Uses HTTPS – Here’s Why

The rules have changed about what good website security means.

All mainstream web browsers now enforce a minimum requirement for websites to install
an SSL certificate and change their URL root from http:// to https://.

If you own a website which does not do this, it will be flagged to visitors as “Not
Secure”. 

In other words, website owners have little choice but to ensure that their web pages
support encrypted connections. The good news is that, by making this
change, you’ll gain other valuable benefits.

So fasten your seat belts securely (pun intended) because it’s time to go on a
journey into the exciting world of SSL Certificates.

What Is An SSL Certificate?

When a visitor lands on a website that is not protected by any type of SSL (Secure
Sockets Layer) Certificate, they’ll see http:// at the beginning of the website address in the
browser bar.

Until recently, this was a perfectly acceptable way to transmit information over the
internet, as long as the website did not require login credentials or collect sensitive information from
visitors.

However, times have changed. HTTP connections are now perceived as insecure.

Any information transmitted via an HTTP connection is vulnerable to being tampered
with, misused or stolen. Your visitors deserve to know that any data they share with you is safe from prying
eyes.

The successful installation of an SSL Certificate on your website will change the
browser bar address to https://, clearly showing visitors that their connection is encrypted.
Having this encrypted connection ensures that the server is authenticated and that data is protected in
transit.

It’s no wonder, then, that mainstream web browsers have made HTTPS the new standard
for website security.

Benefits Of Upgrading To An HTTPS Connection

• Good for Your Bottom Line: Avoiding that “Not Secure” warning is a good
  enough reason in itself to install an SSL certificate. You are likely to lose out on a significant
  amount of site traffic if you continue to use an HTTP connection –  a recent CA Security Council
  report showed that only 2% of their surveyed customers were happy to proceed past the “Not Secure”
  warnings on an HTTP connection.
• Improved Performance: Having a website with
  slow loading times can be hugely detrimental to visitor retention. Encrypted connections are required to
  unlock the latest speed and security features.
• Increased Search Engine Ranking: This is a big one – Google
  includes SSL as a ranking factor, prioritising sites with secure, HTTPS connections over those without. Rank
  above your competition by encrypting every page of your website.
• Delivery of a Seamless Experience: Visitors
  are going to be deterred if they engage with several pages on your site only to be get broadsided with a
  “Not Secure” warning on pages you haven’t protected. Delivering an end-to-end encrypted and secure
  experience will help to ensure that visitors don’t come up against barriers and warnings while
  exploring your site.
• Business Validation Matters Too: HTTPS is no longer optional if
  you are looking to build business relationships online. SSL certificates authenticate your identity so that
  visitors know it’s really you on the other end of their connection; potential clients might not trust your
  website without one.

To Conclude…

The fundamental thing to take from this blog is that all websites, web apps and
systems should have strong and secure authentication in place.

At JBi, we know how important it is that your website is as safe as possible. We want
all of your customers to feel secure and protected while browsing, so the inclusion of an SSL for your web
presence is an essential mandate.

Should you want to test the strength of your configuration, you can follow one of the
below links or, if you prefer the human touch, feel free to contact our team!

• Qualys SSL Server Test
• Synamtic SSL Server Test

If you’re looking to have an SSL Certificate installed for your website, or if you are just looking for support
on a new digital project, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at hello@jbidigital.co.uk