With increasing internet penetration and the explosion of social media, small businesses are no longer at a disadvantage. They can sell their products and services globally, target audiences in any segment and region, and position themselves for growth. While on-ground infrastructure needs to match to achieve success, the internet has ensured that small businesses have a new avenue of reliable and affordable marketing. They can effectively explain their offerings and are assured of an upward trajectory, provided their strategies are right.

However, the linchpin for the entire operation is a website, and all factors revolve around it. When visitors come to the website of a small business, they should be able to get an intuitive feel and easily obtain what they are looking for. Additionally, visitors are increasingly concerned about data security whenever they engage online. Hence, the security of a website is a very important factor, and visitors must be assured of it to retain trust and build a bond.

This is where the role of SSL certificates comes in. SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer, and this certificate is a small data file that digitally binds a cryptographic key to an organization’s details. Organizations need an SSL certificate to initiate a secure session with browsers. After installation, the application protocol changes from HTTP to HTTPS, and depending on the browser, a padlock or a green bar is displayed.

The Key Advantages for a Small Business Are:

1. Business CredibilityBy proactively installing an SSL certificate, businesses indicate that they care about data security. Installing an SSL certificate is not an off-the-shelf operation. A governing authority performs several checks to authenticate a business before the certificate is issued, ensuring the business’s legitimacy.
2. Data IntegrityWith SSL certification, data is encrypted, files are prevented from being corrupted during transfer, and protection from malicious attacks is ensured. This guarantees that information only reaches the intended recipients and is not intercepted by any third party.
3. SEO BenefitsSSL certification is a key factor for Google SEO. Nearly 40% of organic listings on the first page of Google are HTTPS. Since 2014, HTTPS has been a signal in Google’s algorithm, boosting the rankings of secure websites.

All of the above factors lead to increased customer confidence and conversions, which is the primary aim of having a website for any business. Therefore, SSL certificates are vital for any small business website.