A secure server is something you’ve heard of, but is it something that you have? It’s easy to assume that all websites are secure, but that is not always the case. The misconception many website owners have is that they don’t need a secure server if they’re not selling goods. This is not the case. In fact, your website will show that you are not secure in those precise words if you do not allow for proper server security. Basically, Google will actually write the words “Not Secure” in the bar where you find the URL to websites you visit.
This is not a big deal to some, but it is to others. There are some internet users who will not open a website that’s not secure, which means your business, blog, or website might suffer a loss of traffic thanks to your lack of an SSL Certificate. If you’re not sure what a secure server is, how it works, or if you even need one, now is the perfect opportunity for you to learn all there is about this kind of server and how it might work for you. It’s beneficial to your site to have one, which means you’re going to want to know what there is to learn.
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What Is a Secure Server?
Unless you know a lot about technology or you work in the field, you might not know much about SSL or certificates. A secure server certainly sounds impressive, and that’s because it is. It’s a server that keeps your website safe. It’s a way to guarantee any transactions you have online are secure, or safe, from those who shouldn’t have access to personal information such as the following:
- Social security numbers
- Email addresses
- Names
- Addresses
- Credit card numbers
- Contact information
- Other personal information
Here’s a great way to understand what a secure server really is. It’s a system that makes it impossible for anyone to gain access to your credit card number or other personal information when you provide it to a site. For example, if you decide you want to order a new dress from a department store, you might log in to their website, provide your name, address, and your card number so they can charge you and ship to you. If you suspected that site was not secure, would you give out all that personal information? No, and neither will your clients or customers.
Your secure server uses a complex combination of encryptions and decryptions and secure socket layers to ensure you are protected from criminals if the system is breached. If you don’t think this is an important item to have on your website, you’re mistaken. Your clients or customers might go elsewhere if they suspect your site is not as secure as they’d like to keep their personal information. The difference between an HTTP website and an HTTPS website is the S, but that’s where you find your security.
Benefits of a Secure Server
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Now that you know you need that S at the end of your website, you might want to know what the benefits of that secure connection are. The benefits are quite simple, and they’re outlined here for you to better understand.
Improved Security
With a secure server to back your site, your site is more secure. When your site is secure, your customers and their personal information are protected from cyber attacks. Your security is better, which also means that most people cannot get in and attack what is happening on your site. This keeps you safer. It keeps your business safer. It keeps your clients safer.
Better Google Ratings
Google algorithms are a pain for many website owners. Your site will not rank as high if it’s not secure. Google wants to show off and promote the best sites, which means you need to have the safest site possible. Google’s first page ranked sites are always secure sites, and they will always be. Google has made it public knowledge that they do prefer to have secure sites on their first page. A first-page ranking is huge because it’s what gets you the most exposure online.
Better Customer Confidence
It doesn’t matter if you are selling things or not, you want a secure site for your customers. Your customers need to know that they are secure. Recent data suggests that approximately 85 percent of people would forgo making a purchase on a website that doesn’t have a secure server. The same goes for websites that ask for sensitive personal information without a secure server. If your customers are not confident their personal and private information is safe on your site, they will not utilize what you have to offer.
More Conversions
If you have a site that asks for personal information, even if it’s just an email address or a phone number, you will have a higher conversion rate with a secure server. It’s like providing personal information to a site without any security and hoping someone who has ill intentions doesn’t gain access to that information. You’re more likely to have people enter their names and phone numbers and less sensitive information for a higher conversion rate if you have an HTTPS site rather than an HTTP site.
Proper URL Labeling
It was mentioned earlier in the article, but Google is cracking down on web owners who don’t have a secure server. They are updating their URL labels, and you want one of the new ones. The new URLs label sites as secure or not secure. The last thing you want people to see when they come to your site for information is that you are not secure.
It comes down to them feeling confident, but also the feeling that you are a reliable source of information. Even if you are not selling anything, your site automatically comes across as more reputable when it’s secure. An unsecured site seems more dangerous and upsetting to customers, and you don’t want that to be the reputation your site develops.
5 Reasons to Have a Secure Server
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If you’re still not sure why you need a secure server of your own, consider these five important reasons to get with the program.
1. Protect Yourself
The last thing you want as a business owner is someone getting the information that your customers or clients input on your site. Furthermore, it’s not just the information they input. If someone hacks your system, they have access to browsing patterns and many other personal things you don’t want them to know. This kind of data breach has the potential to cause irreparable harm to your business if your customer’s patterns are intercepted.
2. Protect Your Customers
Your customers are providing you with sensitive information such as their social security number and their location. That kind of information is not good when it’s in the wrong hands, and it can disrupt their lives financially and personally. You will lose credibility as a website owner, but you will also put your customers at risk.
3. Protect Web Traffic
The simple truth is that not securing your server can cost you web traffic. No one wants to work with a site that doesn’t come across as secure. If you cannot promise your customers that they are the most important part of your business by offering them the protection they need, you will lose many of them.
4. Increase Rankings
If you offer a specific service to your customers and so does someone else, you have competition. If your site has a secure server and theirs does not have one, you are automatically more trustworthy than your competition. Not only that, but you can increase your Google rankings with this type of security. It’s not going to give you a major boost, but it’s part of their ranking system. It also puts you above the competition if they don’t have one, and it makes you fall on a more level playing field if they do.
5. It’s Responsible
There is no reason not to have a secure server if you have a site in which people enter their personal information. If for no other reason than the fact that you want to show your customers that they are important to you and that you value their privacy, you must have a secure site. It’s not too expensive, it’s not too much work, but the results are always worth it if you want to be taken seriously. Those who visit your site will consider you more responsible if you show them you care about their protection.
Conclusion
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If you’re considering upgrading your site to a secure server, there is no valid reason not to. The internet is changing, the threats are real, and offering that extra bit of protection is the least you can do. You wouldn’t open a brick and mortar store without protecting the personal information your customers offer, so why not offer the same protection online? Once you get to know more about SSL and other protection options, you’ll see that it’s the best choice for you and your website.
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