How does an SSL certificate improve your site's ranking on search engines?
Security breaches are a concern for all web users. Statistics have shown that more than 68% of users feel that internet security laws are lax and that their data is not safe. Because of this controversy surrounding cybersecurity, the internet search giant “Google” has revealed one of its added policies. New classification algorithm.
Among the 200 search engine ranking factors that Google uses to evaluate the quality of your site. Installing an SSL certificate has gained utmost importance, Google made this announcement in August 2014 stating that websites must have an SSL certificate. However, if you are looking for a budget SSL then PositiveSSL Certification, Basic SSL Certification, and RapidSSL Certification are a few names to realize an advantage in SERP or search engine results pages, along with adhering to other SEO factors.
Before moving on to the topic of the article and talking about the benefits of an SSL certificate for SEO and which certificate you should use, we will first take a look at what SSL certificates are and how they work for our safety.
Overview of what an SSL certificate is
The word SSL is an abbreviation for Secure Socket Layer . Through the name itself, you will feel safe in it. SSL acts as an additional layer of security for your website. It ensures that everything that passes between the server and the browser remains private and encrypted, meaning that when an intruder tries to hack your information they will only receive a combination of numbers and alphabets that will be impossible to decode or read.
When you add this extra layer of security to your website, you are switching from an unencrypted connection (HTTP) to an encrypted connection system (HTTPS), the "S" added at the end meaning security. HTTPS will appear in green on your site so you can confirm that your site is working with encryption.
The encrypted data that flows between the server and the browser can only be decrypted using a private key that is installed, just like what happens on a cheap basic SSL certificate. This way you can be sure that as long as you don't lose your private key, you are safe from a man-in-the-middle attack.
Benefits of SSL Certificates for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
To speed up your site and make it open smoothly and before everyone else in the internet browser, one needs a thorough knowledge of search engine optimization mechanisms. Search engine optimization is the backbone of online business. One always needs to work towards improving the ranking of their website for the top search engine results pages (SERP).
SSL certificates enhance your chances of ranking better among other websites. So let's take a look at how SSL certificates can benefit your search engine rankings.
Enhance search engine optimization
Google, the most widely used search engine, has announced SSL certification as a basic criterion to improve website rankings. By using an SSL certificate, not only does it mean that you will sit at the top of the results displayed, but you will boost your SEO.
A survey conducted in 2014 reported that only 1% of websites are secured with an SSL certificate. So we can definitely expect that the number has gone up even more now, and this number will need to be updated with an SSL certificate along with other SEO parameters to stay ahead of your competitors.
A secure platform contributes to enhancing user confidence
The need for security today is more than ever before. Most people avoid using unsafe websites. When a green padlock is displayed on your address bar, users will feel safe staying on the site.
The more SSL certificate is available on the website, the more users will invest in visiting your website, and thus your web traffic will increase. As traffic increases, your search engine ranking will improve even more.
Increase growth of traffic and conversion rates
Trustworthy sites never receive a pop-up message saying this site is unsafe. SSL certificates ensure that a secure connection is created between the browser server and increase your potential customers.
This increase boosts traffic to your website. When using an SSL certificate, no entity will hesitate to enter their credit card details and other information into your database, which will reduce high conversion rates. This growing scenario improves your search engine ranking.
Decision index for sites in the same ranking
More than 40% of organic results returned by Google show at least one site secured using HTTPS. Since security is the need of the hour, users always click on results with secure connections.
If two websites meet all the ranking criteria exactly then the website with an SSL certificate will be preferred over the other. This may not make a huge difference, but you will definitely get a better arrangement.
Reframe the user's situation
HTTPS improves Google ranking by attracting customers to it. Many conscious users prefer to switch to websites that offer secure connections. So, according to statistics, about 84% of users leave a website when they lack a security feature. Therefore, a secure connection improves rankings by reshaping your site to meet user satisfaction requirements and improve their experience.
Examples of SSL certificates that help boost your SEO ranking
It is always necessary to head in the right direction. You can't just get an SSL certificate without knowing which one you need and which one will boost your search engine ranking. We will now show you a list of SSL certificates and which one you should use.
1. Single domain SSL certificate
Single domain SSL certificates are usually good for small businesses, bloggers, and personal websites. A single-domain SSL certificate indicates that any information a user shares within a domain name remains secure and encrypted, meaning it cannot be deciphered by a third party. These certificates come in a variety of ranges, with prices starting at $10 per year.
Examples of the most famous companies that sell SSL certificates:
- Namecheap.
- GoDaddy.
- Hostinger.
2. Multi-domain SSL certificate
Service providers and large companies need to secure multiple domains and need to switch to a multi-domain SSL certificate. Big companies or service providers have multiple domains because they cannot work under one domain, so they need multiple domains for them.
These service providers even have clients that they need to engage with and provide with secure connections. All of these needs can be fully met using a multi-domain SSL certificate. To save cost and manage certificates easily, a company should consider purchasing a multi-domain SSL certificate . The level of encryption will remain the same for all domains and subdomains included.
You can easily add or delete the domain name or modify the name as needed. It is a flexible and easy to use certificate. In addition, it is readily available and you can obtain it within a short period of time, often up to 24 hours.
3. Wildcard SSL certificate
Large websites use a Wildcard SSL certificate to secure multiple domains. Using a multi-domain SSL certificate to secure a single website's forum, login, and other pages is not a cost-effective solution. Also, for mid-level business websites, you can go for a GeoTrust wildcard SSL certificate that secures unlimited hostnames with a single certificate.
By using a wildcard SSL certificate, you will get a comprehensive solution for all subdomains regardless of the number of servers, as you will be able to secure all subdomains without much hassle. We advise you to choose one certificate with which you will secure all your subdomains.
Conclusion
It's important to be on top to get people's attention. Fortunately Google has made these doors open for you to seize the opportunity by installing an SSL certificate on your website and increasing your search engine ranking.
SSL-SEO can be considered as a dynamic duo that will not only boost your search engine ranking but also help you gain the trust of customers. The more trust a customer has in you, the higher the conversion rate will automatically be. So it's time to act smart and let your potential customers know that you are a safe platform to browse by installing an SSL certificate on your site domain.