Is an SSL Certificate Necessary for my Online Store?
SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer, and for a long time, it represented your website’s best defense against hackers and cybercriminals. How so? Well, anyone with solid programming knowledge can access the content on your website, whether it’s the visible, aesthetic front end, or the unseen source code on the back end. You’re always at risk.
Of course, computer gurus aren’t generally concerned with randomly changing the color or font on your website. Instead, they’re seeking more valuable data, like login details, email addresses, and other forms of contact information.
Once someone unscrupulous has this information, they can replicate your information and commit fraud. SSL resolves this problem by encrypting data before transfer. This means that even if interceptors could grab that information in transit, they couldn’t read it, so they can’t use it.
More Than Just Security
Another advantage of SSL is that search algorithms seem to give them higher priority in page rankings. It’s not something that’s overtly mentioned, but it does make sense. Search engines are built on credibility, so if a search engine keeps leading users to infected sites, they might not keep using it. This is important because superior page ranking brings you traffic.
Grab the passers-by
With a physical store, location is everything. A high-traffic spot is likely to draw in impulsive customers, people who weren’t in purchase mode, but something in your shop front caught their eye. The digital equivalent is potential customers that find your online store via search queries. So if lacking TLS / SSL will reduce eyeballs, that alone is worth investing in it.
The most important reason your online store needs SSL is PCI compliance. Without the encryption levels offered by SSL, many credit card networks will block their customers from transacting on your site.
For more information on SSL certificates for your online store, or to sign up for a merchant account, please call (888) 924-2743 or go to Charge.com.