Secure Certificate – Data Encryption

Today’s web hosting environment is more complex than ever.   For each new site we build, we are recommending that it be protected with a secure certificate.  This is an additional set of code at the server level that will encrypt all traffic to and from your site.  Please notice that the site you are viewing now has this certificate installed.  The website address (the URL) begins with “https://”.  This denotes the encryption protocol.  This is important for three key reasons:

1. Your site visitors will feel better that their viewing of your site, and any information they submit through a form with you is more secure.  All major browsers will display a secure lock symbol beside your URL in the address bar when secure.  Google Chrome, the most popular browser will add the word “Secure” beside your web address in the address bar.   Customer confidence cannot be overstated!
2. Google announced within the last year that it was going to rank websites higher in the search engines that were protected by a secure certificate.   Today, 50% or more of the major sites that rank #1 in the search engines have this encryption certificate associated with their site.
3. If your site is collecting any sensitive information from your customers such as job applications, health forms, online payments, etc., then a secure certificate is required to protect their information.

Call us today at 910.630.1440 if you have any questions or need further information.