The internet is not as safe as you may think. There are all sorts of nefarious characters trying to steal data, and more. That’s why there is a protocol that is meant to help thwart this, especially if the information is being transferred between websites and the general public. That is known as SSL or secure sockets layer. It is a standard of internet security, and it encrypts information that passes through a website, a server, and even email. It is the framework that keeps certain information privacy overall. Without this in place, information that is passed through online can be open to the general public, and that will be usurped by hackers, and others that want to exploit information.

Does Your Website Need To Be SSL Compliant?

There was a time online in which not every site needed to have SSL compliance or certification. Only sites that were selling items, specifically with the intent of taking credit card information. However, times have changed. Google’s latest algorithm shift has given special credit to sites that are compliant. This means that if you want to reach the #1 spot on Google with search engine optimization, your website needs to follow this protocol.

The New Standard

Even if you are not planning on selling anything on your website, you will need to be compliant. The reason why is simple, you need to make sure that you’re meeting the standards of the internet today. Google sets standards for website rankings and listing on their search engine. You cannot get yourself moving forward online without focusing on the new standards that are progressing. The internet is evolving, and the standards are constantly changing. This is a move that rewards sites that have security in place, which is the main reason why SSL even exists.

Encrypting Information (Even Basic Information)

If you have a comments section, if you have a form, or any sort of information that goes from people that hit your website, you should be SSL compliant. That includes sites that may remain static, as today’s ongoing security standards are meant to not only help improve internet data, but it is also meant to help consumers online. By adding this simple compliance, you’re going to ensure that people visiting your site can trust that their information is not going to be sold, stolen, or used for anything other than the intended purposes that you may have. Whether it’s to sign up for a newsletter, or it’s to follow along with specific information, you’ll find that this gives a sense of trust upon every visit.

You do not want your website to be part of a hacking scandal. You don’t want nefarious individuals taking information from your users, your email, or anything that you have on the backend of your website. When you are compliant in this manner, you will be satisfying the new standards that Google is using in their algorithm for rankings, and of course, protecting your visitors at the same time. If nothing else, you want to do this because it will increase your traffic, because you’re complying with the internet’s largest SEO resource, Google.