Why is a SSL certificate necessary for an online store?

In the context of recent changes related to the introduction of the GDPR, there is a lot of talk about the need to ensure data security. This security should be important not only for people who leave their data but also, and perhaps above all, for those who collect and process this data. Those who do not genuinely care about security now have one more argument against each themselves. Beginning July 2018, Internet browsers such as Google Chrome, Safari, and Firefox mark sites that do not have an SSL certificate as not safe. In a nutshell, this means that every visitor will receive a message saying that the page being viewed is not secure. This is a change to the previous approach, which until now has distinguished between secure pages, in view of the fact that it was considered that the page’s security is no longer a distinguishing feature, but should be a standard.

ADVANTAGES OF HAVING SSL

In addition to the obvious advantages, in the form of peace of mind, that the collection of data by users in the online store is done in a safe way, there is another important argument. Website security is one of the algorithms that is responsible for higher page rankings in search results. A secured site also means more trust among potential customers.

 
FREE SSL CERTIFICATE

Until now, the SSL installation involved the purchase of a certificate, from this year free certificates are also available. The certificate is most often provided by the hosting company together with the purchase of a server that offers it on an intermediary basis. In general, an SSL certificate can be purchased or obtained at a special company that has a license to offer this type of service. One of the best known is Let’s Encrypt. Let’s Encrypt is also the most popular website for creating free SSL certificates. Its sponsors are large companies like Google, Facebook, and Mozilla. Such a certificate is practically no different from the paid version, however, it requires support by the hosting provider.

INSTALLATION OF SSL CERTIFICATION – WHAT TO THINK ABOUT

When implementing a certificate on a website, it is important to pay attention to the following details:

– The need to create redirections from the http version to https. Installing the certificate means that it is possible to use two addresses from http and https in the network, so it is necessary to create appropriate 301 redirects to avoid potential problems with positioning.

– Submitting a new version of the page to Google Search Console – will allow detecting the potential problems with the site and its positioning.
– Changing the links and addresses of the media to safe ones – will allow proper validation of the website via https and to avoid problems with its display to potential visitors.
 
As you can see now, an SSL certificate is an obligatory solution not only when running an online store, but also in the case of an ordinary website or blog.