GOOGLE ANNOUNCES IMPORTANT WEBSITE SECURITY UPDATE!
Gone are the days that SSL certificates are only required for websites that capture sensitive information from visitors such as credit card details. This month Google has announced that websites with any kind of text input (yes, that includes your contact form) will require an SSL certificate or face being penalised with a decrease in traffic and sales.
SSL and HTTPS – What the..?
SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer which is a fancy protocol that helps encrypt communications over a computer network. Once installed your website will change from HTTP (unsecure) to HTTPS (secure) – so what is HTTPS? HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is used to transmit secure communications via the internet. In short, it helps keep data safe so no one tampers with it. Got all that? Ok, let’s move on.
What do these changes mean for you?
Basically, if you DON’T have an SSL certificate installed on your website, you run a massive risk of losing valuable business through decreased website traffic via direct leads and sales. Without an SSL, website owners may not be viewed as ‘legitimate’ or ‘safe’ to customers searching them online.
What can you do to avoid being penalised by Google?
To ensure that your website is protected from Google’s security update, you will need to upgrade your site to include an SSL certificate ASAP. The Mediamojo team have already started upgrading our clients and it’s not really a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’ you should upgrade yours too! Call 07 5455 5058 or email us today to schedule in your SSL upgrade.
*Please note: Installing an SSL Certificate does not mean your website becomes completely secure. While HTTPS keeps information secure in transit, SSL unfortunately doesn’t do anything to protect your website from hackers.
