It seems no time ago that we were informing all of our clients about GDPR. Remember that panic? Previous to that, it was that all websites must be mobile friendly, or the sky would fall in. Previous to that, something or other that was probably vitally important but was superceded by everything else that was vitally important to stop your website from dissolving into a cloud of dust. Get the picture? Yes, developments are crucially important – you don’t want to be left behind website-wise, and you definitely don’t want to be penalised for something that can quite easily be effected. But there’s always something… So, what’s the next thing that we need to to know about?
That’s right – it’s that little padlock which appears to the left of some website URLs. So, what’s it all about? Known as SSL, (Secure Sockets Layer) this is the standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and browsers remain private and integral.
In short, and simply, the SSL Certificate is effectively a digital public document, which verifies that the appropriate, legitimate company ie you, owns the website which is being accessed, by visitors, by proving relevant ownership. If you are an e-commerce business these certificates are especially important, as they help prevent attackers from impersonating your company and your website. For customers and visitors to your website, an SSL Certificate establishes a secure connection between their web browser and your site server. This protects important information like passwords and credit card details by adding a layer of encryption when the data is sent.
However, it’s not just e-commerce websites that will benefit from having the visible padlock icon, meaning that you have a certificate and that your website has been configured. If you have an online presence, and you are relying on visitors to your website to connect with you, you need to do everything you can to demonstrate that your website is secure and trustworthy. In the words of our go-to SEO guy…
…SSL certification is now a major ranking factor and word on the street, from places I trust, is that Google will soon be putting an “unsecure” warning in search results for all none https websites in a bid to force all sites to go to https. This will reduce clicks on websites, as the public will think something is wrong and that lower click rate (the most powerful seo metric) will kill rankings. Just a heads up of what’s likely to be coming soon…
We are always wary of publishing blogs like this as we are aware that it could come across as us scare-mongering and/or touting for work. Believe us, this is NOT the case. We have more than enough work to be doing at the moment, and we definitely do not need additional work like this, on top of the lovely design projects we’re developing. But, we would be failing our clients if we did not keep them informed and give them the information to make decisions.
Some of our clients have acted swiftly and have asked us to ensure that they are all SSLd up. Some haven’t. However, we’ve notified all about this situation. And that’s how we try to do things. Keep in touch with clients, provide what is needed for them to make informed decisions, and then act if they require it. We don’t hassle. We don’t keep sending emails about the same thing. What we hope, is that as well as providing the best design service we possibly can, we also communicate with our clients and grow those relationships. Because as far as we’re concerned, our design is not just about designing. It’s about being nice people, who try to add value.
If you think we might sound like your kind of designers, and would like to get to know us a little bit better and maybe take forward your design, why not drop us a line, via our design enquiry form? If you’ve got this far, we think we’d like to hear from you…