Establishing trust is the first step in a visitor’s journey to becoming a customer. And it all starts with a secure web design. In the online landscape, establishing legitimacy and trustworthiness is essential, especially with the growth in online transactions and data sharing. Secure Socket Layer (SSL) and HTTPS are two key web design components that help to create a secure and trust-building browsing experience for your customers.
What Is SSL and HTTPS?
An SSL certificate is a digital certificate that helps to encrypt information when it is passed from a web server to a client’s browser. This prevents hackers and cyber attackers from intercepting data and gaining access to confidential information. When your site is encrypted using SSL, the address in the browser is no longer the standard “HTTP:” but the more secure “HTTPS:” This signifies a secure connection and is your first step in ensuring that your site is secure.
Why Are SSL and HTTPS Important for Trust?
SSL and HTTPS help to instill trust in your website and your customers. According to a 2017 study by the Digital Defense Company, 53% of all online consumers will leave a site with “not secure” flag in the URL, or a misconfiguration of SSL. This reveals insecurity in the site and drives potential customers away. On the contrary, having the “Secure” flag instills trust and security in visitors and can greatly reduce your bounce rate.
How Do SSL and HTTPS Protect Your Customers’ Data?
When your server is protected by an SSL certificate, your customer data, as well as other sensitive information, is sent securely between the server and the client’s web browser. By protecting customer data, you can protect against data breaches, identity theft, and other cyber threats.
Steps to Secure Your Website
Purchase an SSL certificate
The first and most important step in securing your website is to purchase an SSL certificate. This certificate is issued by a third party and can be used to encrypt the information sent between the web server and the client’s browser. A reliable certificate authority (CA) is needed to ensure that your SSL is secure and trusted.
Install the SSL certificate correctly
Once you have purchased the SSL certificate, you must install it correctly on your server. Most hosting providers provide the installation at no cost. However, it is still necessary to verify that the certificate is installed correctly and the website is properly connected.
Maintenance and Regular Updates
In order to keep your website protected, you must keep SSL certificates up-to-date. Once installed, it’s important to maintain regular updates to avoid any vulnerabilities. Frequent checks are essential for best practice and customer satisfaction.
Conclusion:
Building trust with your customers is key to growing your online business. SSL certificates and secure website designs are one of the most important steps in achieving that trust. By encrypting your site with HTTPS and an SSL certificate, you can ensure that your customers receive a secure web browsing experience. Let’s get started on building a secure and trustable website!