Coming soon you can expect to hear more and more that Google is going to prefer your website in ranking when you have an SSL. Because having an SSL is so important to Google, WeConnectWebsites.com produced this video on How To Install SSL Get Google Ranking.
What Does An SSL Do?
Having an SSL on your website will not protect the site from hackers. What an SSL does is encrypt the information that is passed between the user and your server. This encryption can also extend to email running off of your server in the case of encrypting contact forms and newsletter signup fields in your website. So, what does this mean? It means that when a user types their name and email in your website and clicks Submit the information is changed into a secret code while it is being sent to your newsletter database or email inbox.
Why Does Google Prefer Websites With SSL’s?
I have not done any solid research on this but from a common sense point of view Google is going to prefer websites with SSL’s installed because the users information will be protected while they connect them to your website. Additionally, should the user attempt to contact you via a contact form or newsletter submission the user, your future customers, information will be secured by SSL encryption.
Doesn’t Google Care About Hackers?
No one cares more about hackers more than Google does. When a person uses a search engine to find a business website listing, search engines want the person searching to visit a site with the best, most secure content. This is why you may have seen an alert in search engine listings that says “This Site May Be Infected” or “This Site Contains Malware”. Seeing these errors in a search means that Google, Yahoo!, Bing etc, have performed their own scan of the site in the listing and have found the listed site to be hacked. The new requirement to have an SSL is just the next step for search engines to ensure their users security; thus the requirement for ssl. So while Google can’t keep up with all of the infected websites on the internet, and there are a lot, they are moving in the right direction by pushing small business and non e-commerce website ssl’s.
So How Do I Get An SSL?
The easiest way to get an SSL is to call you hosting provider and request one from them. Getting an SSL from your hosting provider can make it easier for you to get the SSL installed on your server or hosting account. SSL’s require a verification process which is much faster than it used to be. Most SSL providers can issued an SSL in less than 24 hours. After you hosting provider issues the SSL you can set up your WordPress with an http to https plugin. For other types of websites you can use a Force SSL code in the .htaccess file.
What If I Have To Install My SSL Myself?
Lucky for you I have a video on that … and here it is!
The video covers installing a GoDaddy SSL on a GoDaddy cPanel manually. The technique I show will enable you to install an SSL on addon domains too. Dual purpose video; you will also learn how to apply SSL to WordPress Website like a professional.
Remember that .htaccess code I mentioned?
Here is the .htaccess code to force a website to use SSL *adapted from: GoDaddy
FILE NAME – .htaccess
CODE-
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]
max_execution_time = 300
And there you have it. You know know the importance of having an SSL on you website. It doesn’t matter if you have a shopping cart in your website or not. You now need an SSL to be competitive in your market. Now, Install SSL Get Google Ranking!