Why Your Small Business Should Consider Adding an SSL Certificate
The world wide web gives your small business the power to accomplish things you could only dream of with a brick-and-mortar store.
You can attract new customers, advertise special promotions, and make sales all without a customer ever needing to leave their house.
However, the internet can be a dangerous place too. Lurking behind every corner of the web is a hacker looking to steal your and your customers' private information. This is especially troubling if your website deals in online sales or stores any financial information.
To protect your website, you can purchase a Secure Sockets Layer or SSL.
An SSL protects your site’s valuable information by encrypting the connection between your website and the visitor’s device. In short, this means that information is scrambled from one device to the other. This means that all relevant information is delivered to the hacker in an unreadable format.
SSLs are necessary for many websites. Is yours one of them? Keep reading to find out.
How to Know if You Need an SSL
Not every website has an SSL.
How can you tell sites that have an SSL from those that do not? It’s simple! Take a look at the site’s URL in the search bar across the top of the browser.
You will notice that the site’s URL either starts with http or https. Websites that have an SSL begin with https, while those that are not secure begin with http.
So how do you know if your site needs an SSL?
If you have a website of any kind, you need an SSL.
But I don’t collect or store any relevant information on my site. Why do I need an SSL?
It’s simple. An SSL gives your site more credibility and gives you a boost in SEO. But beyond that, in this day and age, every website is collecting data of some kind. An SSL is the best way to protect both you and your customers.
SSLs protect your business’s and your customer's data and gives customers the peace of mind that their sensitive information will be safe with your business.
Still on the fence? According to the National Cyber Security Alliance, 60% of small businesses are forced to shut down less than six months after a cyber attack.
Once upon a time anti-virus software and firewalls might have been sufficient, but now they are simply not enough to stop major threats.
A cyber attack that results in the exposure of sensitive information can lead to the loss of clients, customers, and even your business.
What are my SSL Options and How Much do they Cost?
Most businesses need an SSL for their website. But there are a few different kinds of SSLs. What kind should you get and how much will it cost?
Below are your options for different SSLs.
Single Domain SSL. This SSL is a great option if you have only a single website.
Multi-Domain SSL. If you need to secure multiple websites with a single certificate, then multi-domain SSLs are the right choice for you. This option allows you to secure up to 99 different domains without purchasing a separate certificate for each.
Wildcard SSL. This is the option for you if you have several subdomains hosted on the same website.
Extended Validation SSL. Extended Validation SSLs are considered the most trusted certificate type. Your business must go through a strict validation process to obtain this license. Sites with this SSL have a green padlock in their search bar along with the website’s name and country code.
A More Secure Website with Legend Web Works
In today's world, a firewall and anti-virus software are not enough to protect your site from hackers.
If your website deals with sensitive information, including online transactions, then you need to protect your page with an SSL.
SSLs are affordable and ensure that hackers cannot get any information from your site.
If you want a more secure website, reach out to Legend Web Works. Our sites are custom built and come with a focus on web security. You can also choose to have an SSL built-in as part of the process.
Don’t leave your website’s safety up to chance, get a better site with Legend Web Works.
