How Important is SSL for SEO? All You Need to know

There’s a lot that goes into making your online business a success. SEO plays a vital role in helping your business become more visible by ranking them higher on the search engine. One question that we have often come across is how important is SSL for SEO.

If we talk about it briefly, SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer and works as a security measure for websites. With SSL, you have small data files installed on a web server that activates a padlock to allow a secure connection between a web server and a browser. Back in the day, SSL certificates used to cost some money; however, some time ago, they became free. Most online websites still don’t use SSL certificates, and the major reason is the lack of awareness around them. In this blog, we will have an in-depth discussion about how important is SSL for SEO so you can get it for your website.

Why is SSL Important?

One of the biggest reasons why you should get an SSL certificate for your website is that Google prioritises it. Since 2015, Google has made it essential for online businesses to have an SSL certificate for their websites. Other than that, there are several reasons why you should consider having the certificate.

This helps your customers know that your website is secured and verified. The biggest concern for customers when they shop online is privacy concerns. They are sceptical about putting their personal details on websites, and without an SSL certificate, you cannot assure them. When customers see that a website is verified and safe from hackers, they are more likely to trust it. Google also considers it a ranking factor because if your website is verified, then it’s more trustworthy for the customers and deserves to rank higher.

It is a standard for websites these days, and Google doesn’t accept anything less than the best for its visitors. SSL certificate encrypts the data shared between the website and the visitor, which makes it almost impossible for the hackers to abuse it. This factor helps businesses rank higher on the search engine, and SEO services work better hand in hand.

Types of SSL Certificates

There are two types of SSL certificates that you can have for your website. Both of these types help in keeping the data of your visitors safe, so you can choose the one that fits better with your needs.

Free Certificate
Paid Certificate

Free SSL Certificate

By making them free, Google has made it easier for websites to get SSL certificates. This is one more reason to think about how important SSL is for SEO. Google wants all websites to be safe for its visitors. For a free SSL certificate, your web admin can install it if the name servers of your domain name point to your web hosting. The process of installation is free, but your web admin may charge you for their services. In case your name is not found in the web hosting, you won’t be able to get a free SSL certificate.

Paid SSL Certificate

Let’s say that your name servers are not with the hosting company; then, you have to get a paid SSL certificate. To buy an SSL certificate, you need to have an admin email address where the certificate can be issued by the authority. They will send a confirmation email to the company that owns the domain name.

What Happens After Buying an SSL Certificate?

Once you have your SSL certificate, you will receive an email containing a confirmation link after 10 minutes. You can confirm that you are the legal owner of the domain name by clicking on the link. In some cases, there are additional instructions in the email, so if you receive that, you can forward the email to your web hosting company or your web designer to complete the steps. Once you have forwarded the email to the company, they can complete the required steps and install the certificate for you. Depending on their response time, this can take an hour or a few days.

When the SSL certificate is installed successfully, your web address will change from http:// to https://. This will show your customers that your website is protected. Once all of this is done, the website will start functioning as usual within half an hour. You need to ensure that all the http references are changed to https, for example, images, downloadable files, etc.

How Does it Affect Search Ranking?

An SSL certificate affects your Google ranking in many ways. It is one of the ranking factors set by Google because it has a significant impact on both your visibility and user experience.

Better User Experience

If you talk to anyone who shops online, they will tell you their biggest concern with online shopping is a breach of their privacy. With online shopping, we are adding private information to the website, and if the business is not protected, there are chances that the data might be hacked. It becomes easier for visitors to trust a website when they see that it has an SSL certificate. It enhances its user experience, and Google gives utmost priority to its visitors. Google doesn’t rank any website that doesn’t offer a good experience, and SSL certificates take you a step closer to it.

Better Ranking

With an SSL certificate, your chances of getting ranked on the first page of Google are increased. Google indeed gives priority to websites that are encrypted over the ones that aren’t. You can make all the efforts into implementing SEO services, but if there’s a website that fulfils all the SEO algorithms and also has an SSL certificate, it will surely rank higher than you. SSL certificate is an easy way to make your way to the first page of Google. You can simply get your SSL certificate, and the search engine will have a reason to rank you higher.

More Conversions

Trust plays an important role in online shopping for customers. They choose to shop from a brand that they find most trustworthy. It is even more crucial when they are putting their personal details on a website. They need to ensure that their data will be protected. Having an SSL certificate helps you get more conversions, as more customers are likely to purchase from you. When they see that your website is encrypted, half of their worries will be resolved, and they can easily trust you with their information. On the other hand, if you don’t have an SSL certificate, it might be difficult for the customers to put their faith in your unprotected website.

SSL Certificates Based on Validation

There are three types of SSL certificates based on validation that you can choose from.

Domain Validation (DV) Certificate

The first type of SSL is the domain validation certificate. This certificate validates the domain of an online business. This usually takes a few minutes as the credibility of the certificate holder’s website is checked. Once this certificate is installed, the visitors can see a padlock beside your web address. This is the easiest SSL certificate to get.

Organisation Validation (OV) Certificate

When you apply for an organisation Validation certificate, the authorities check how active your online business is. It may take up to 5 working days to check the reliability of your business. This type of SSL certificate is perfect for small and medium-sized businesses, especially for the ones that run on a limited budget.

Extended Validation (EV) Certificate

This is the most expensive type of SSL certificate. It is essential for businesses that require personal information like debit and credit card details from their customers. E-commerce businesses usually take this, and it is a powerful certificate with a strict validation process. It also ensures maximum security for the users. To get an extended validation certificate, you need to fulfil specific guidelines set by the authorities.

SSL Certificate is the Standard Now

Whether your website is an e-commerce business or not, having an SSL certificate for your website is no less a standard now. You have to assure your visitors that their data is safe with you and that hackers won’t be able to abuse it. This increases your chances of getting success in the digital world. We have seen businesses struggling to go to the top of the search ranking despite having excellent SEO services backing them up, all because they don’t have an SSL certificate. Once you get it, you will see that your visibility and conversion will significantly increase. The more you make your visitors comfortable, the more they are likely to purchase from your website.

If you are looking for a digital marketing agency to help you figure out the ranking factors and online triumphs, visit Trajital UK. We have the best team of marketers to help you get to the top of your game. We will ensure that your website serves its audience what it aims for.