There has been much to do about security and privacy on the Internet lately. We are talking about HTTPS security (also known as “SSL”, or “The green lock in the browser”). Where it was previously reserved for webshops and large companies, I believe that every website should be protected by HTTPS. And that’s what Google believes: HTTPS websites scores higher in search results recently. The more reason to get started!
What is HTTPS?
HTTPS is HTTP’s secure counterpart, the protocol used to retrieve webpages. HTTPS uses TLS (or actually: TLS / SSL), and that’s an encryption protocol to encrypt internet traffic. The purpose of the technology is to completely encrypt communication between visitors and the websites they visit so that no one can see. Such security is especially important for applications such as online banking and the entry of sensitive data (think of entering your address details with an order, or logging in to the tax office).
You can easily see if the website you’re on is secure with HTTPS. If this is the case, you will see a lock in the browser:
Until recently, the answer was: unless you use sensitive data (personal data, credit card information, etc.). However, this vision is obsolete, among other things by the revelations of Edward Snowden. Intelligence services prove to be largely intercepting and storing data from Internet users. By using HTTPS everywhere, intelligence services can hardly see what exactly is communicated (read: what a visitor has filled in or requested).
For webonline.international we therefore have the statement: HTTPS is default, unless there is a good reason to not use it (and those reasons are rare). We notice that HTTPS security provides an added benefit: the confidence of visitors in your business increases. The default security of the website indicates that as an organization you consider security and privacy important.
But if these arguments are not enough to convince you, we’ll come to the following:
Does HTTPS affect my Google position?
The short answer: yes. Since August 2014, you will receive Google benefits when the website is protected by HTTPS. Even if you have not yet been convinced of the usefulness of HTTPS, I think this is a good reason to use it!
How do I provide my HTTPS website?
The addition of HTTPS security process it consists three steps:
First of all, a so-called SSL certificate must be purchased
Next, the certificate must be installed on the web servers
Finally, the website must use HTTPS instead of HTTP (the web builder must make some adjustments here)
