Why Your Online Store Must Have an SSL Certificate

Are you running an online store or planning to set one up soon? If so, you must understand why your website must have an SSL certificate, whether a free, cheap SSL certificate or even a very expensive one.

With the rise of cybercrime and identity theft, online security has never been more crucial. However, obtaining an SSL certificate can help protect your customer's financial and personal data, build trust, comply with industry standards, and improve your website security and search engine ranking.

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What is an SSL Certificate?

In the current era, dominated by digitization, online security is more important than ever. As more people shop online, e-commerce businesses must take the necessary steps to protect their customers' personal and financial information. Perhaps you ask how to go about this. One essential step towards improving online security is obtaining an SSL certificate.

So, what is an SSL certificate? An SSL certificate, or Secure Sockets Layer certificate, is a digital certificate that creates a secure link between a website and a user's browser. It ensures that any data transmitted between the two is encrypted and secure. This means user's information entered on an e-commerce website, such as credit card details, is protected from hackers and cybercriminals.

Further, when a user enters information on a website having an SSL certificate, the information is encrypted before being transmitted to the website's server. This means that even if a hacker intercepts the data, they won't be able to read it. SSL certificates also verify the identity of the website's owner, ensuring that users interact with a legitimate website and not a malicious copycat.

Certificate Authorities (CA) typically issue SSL certificates, which are trusted organizations that verify the website owner's identity and issue the certificate. When a user visits a website with an SSL certificate, their browser checks the certificate to ensure it is valid and issued by a trusted CA. If the certificate is valid, the browser displays a padlock icon and an "https" prefix in the URL, indicating that the connection is secure.

Why an Online Store Must Have an SSL Certificate

If you have been seeking the 'why' of having an SSL certificate on your online store, you are at the right place to access the information you desire. So why? The reasons you and every other online store must have an SSL certificate are:

1. Improved Customer Trust

The first reason is that it helps to build trust with customers. When customers see that a website has an SSL certificate, they know that their information is safe and the website has taken steps to protect their privacy. Besides, you cannot build a successful online store without unfailing customer trust and confidence. Thus, it is vital to demonstrate your commitment to security and protecting sensitive information by owning SSL certificates. Consequently, your business or online store will experience increased sales and customer loyalty.

2. Regulatory Compliance

SSL certificate is essential for compliance with industry standards and regulations. Besides, can you afford joking with regulatory compliance relevant to e-commerce business? We guess not, and it will be best to follow compliance rules to avoid the associated legal punishment of non-compliance.

For instance, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) requires e-commerce websites to have an SSL certificate to process credit card transactions. Thus, failure to comply with these standards can result in hefty fines and reputational damage. In addition, poor data breach compliance processes can harm customer retention and adversely affect your business' bottom line.

3. Enhanced Search Engine Ranking

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) focuses on helping search engines like Bing and Google rank your website against similar websites. Thus, you can help your website rank better or improve your website's search engine ranking by having SSL certificates.

Moreover, Google announced it would give a small ranking boost to websites having an SSL certificate in 2014. Do you know what this means? It means that if two websites have similar content and user experience, the one with an SSL certificate is more likely to appear higher in search engine results. The same applies to online stores whenever customers search for products and services.

Types of SSL Certificates

There are different types of SSL certificates to choose from, each with its advantages and varying encryption and validation levels. The most common type is the domain-validated (DV) certificate, which verifies the ownership of a domain and encrypts all data transmitted between the website and the user browser. This is the most basic level of validation for SSL certificates and is suitable for small businesses or blogs.

Another type of SSL certificate is the organization-validated (OV) certificate that requires more rigorous checks to verify a website owner's identity. This certificate type suits larger businesses or e-commerce stores that handle sensitive customer information.

The highest level of SSL certificate is the extended validation (EV) certificate, which provides the highest level of assurance and requires the most extensive checks to verify a website owner's identity. This is the best option for e-commerce stores that handle large volumes of sensitive customer information, such as credit card details.

Summary

SSL certificate is an essential tool for any online store that wants to protect its customers' financial and personal data, build trust, comply with industry standards and regulations, improve search engine ranking, and choose from a variety of different types of certificates to suit their specific needs. Therefore, e-commerce businesses can create a safe and enjoyable shopping experience for their customers, resulting in increased traffic and improved bottom line by taking necessary steps to improve online security.

Finally, we recommend you implement SSL certificates on your online store to provide an extra layer of security and protection against hackers and cybercriminals. Lest we forget, the credibility SSL certificates give your online store is also priceless.

Micah Soto

Update 18 April 2023