As a business owner, you should be aware that web security is a huge concern. Your site is the place where people come to do business with you. In fact, even if you also own a physical location, the majority of your business is probably still conducted through your website. Today you can choose a cloud web security package for further protection of web securities.
This means that you need to be sure that all of your security elements, such as SSL certificates and other features, are in place. You don’t want to lose money for several days running as a result of a major phishing or hacking attack.
This is one area where you need to stay on your guard.
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What Is An SSL Certificate Used For?
HTTP protocol is used to request and receive the data and HTTPS in which the ‘s’ is nothing but secure SSL. This is what makes the HTTP protocol request. It then receives activity encrypted so no middleman attacker can obtain the data easily.
Just remember the S means secure. You can purchase this SSL certificate from a web hosting company. See the example below of how it appears in a browser.
Why Is Web Security Important?
The security of your website should be your number one focus. In the long run, having a fully secured site is the one thing that keeps you in the black. If visitors to your site don’t find the “https” prefix or the padlock logo in your address bar, you will lose credibility instantly.
This is because if these symbols of security are not viewable, the public won’t be able to identify your site as one that is safe. They want to be assured any site is safe for them to do business with.
This loss of trust will lead immediately to a major loss of profits. You must make the right move to correct it and get back on track.
A Lack of Website Security Is A Serious Issue for Your Business
If you do not have the proper security for your website, this will be a serious turnoff for potential customers. Beyond this loss of credibility is the fact that you are basically paying to host a site on the web that no one will want to do business with.
There is also the fact that an unsecured site is an open invitation for cyber-criminals. They can your site take over and use it for their own purposes. Once you lose control of your site, you could find it being used for all kinds of heinous criminal actions.
When the legal authorities discover this, you could be on the hook for their crimes.
Where To Get the Proper Security for Your Business Website?
There are a number of venues that you can go to in order to get the proper level of security that you will need for your business website. The important thing to keep in mind is that your site needs to protect private info. This info is from your customers who will enter into it.
The domain hosting services provider that you sign with will need to consider this as their main priority if they want to keep your loyalty as a client. Inspire to Thrive uses Siteground for hosting with an SSL certificate.
You can read more to compare other companies to choose from for your hosting at Web Hosting Secret Revealed. There is a wealth of information as well provided on their website in regards to web hosting. Do check it out.
Make Sure Web Security Part of Your Package
Before you sign a deal with a hosting provider, you need to be sure that a full guarantee of web security. You will also want maintenance included in writing within the contract.
If this detail is not included, there is no telling how your provider will react when you inform them that your site is under attack.
It’s up to you to monitor all activity on your site. You must make sure that it stays fully safe and secure from criminal activity. It will not only benefit you but your clients as well.
Also, be sure your staff is aware of what they need to do to keep your brand and website safe from hackers as well.
Cloud Web Security Platforms
Cloud web security refers to the protection measures implemented on websites that are hosted on cloud platforms. It involves safeguarding the website and its data from various online threats, such as malware infections, hacking attempts, and unauthorized access.
Cloud web security utilizes a range of security protocols, such as firewalls, encryption, and monitoring tools, to ensure the website’s integrity and protect sensitive information.
By leveraging the cloud infrastructure, website owners can benefit from scalable and efficient security solutions that continuously analyze and mitigate potential risks, providing a robust defense against cyberattacks.
How To Check If Your Website Is Secure?
To check if your website is secure, there are a few important steps to take. First, ensure that your website has a valid SSL certificate. This can be verified by checking if the URL starts with “https” instead of “http as discussed above.”
Secondly, regularly update your website’s software and plugins to fix any potential vulnerabilities. Additionally, implement strong and unique passwords for all user accounts and enable two-factor authentication whenever possible.
Regularly scan your website for malware or suspicious activity using reliable security software. Lastly, keep backups of your website’s data in case of any security breaches. Some web hosting companies do automate backups as part of their packages.
By following these steps, you can ensure the security of your website and protect your online presence.
Does HTTPS Provide Any SEO Benefit?
According to Search Engine Journal from last week, it sure does. However, it may not be as important as it once was.
“Google recently updated its documentation about ranking factors, removing page experience from the “ranking systems” documentation. It doesn’t mention HHTPS directly in its current documentation about page experience, but does mention security.
Google clarifies that removing explicit mentions of HTTPS from its list of ranking signals doesn’t mean it should be ignored. They play a role in a less direct way than previously described.
Instead, Google wants businesses and SEO professionals to think about HTTPS differently. Rather than something that can make a difference on its own, think of HTTPS as an element contributing to a successful page experience, which Google rewards.”
It’s not surprising that web security would have an some effect on search engine optimization years later.
User Experience
Web security plays a crucial role in enhancing the user experience. By safeguarding websites against potential threats and vulnerabilities, it ensures a safe and secure environment for users to explore and interact with online content.
When users know that their personal information is protected, they feel more confident and at ease while browsing the web. This increased trust leads to a positive user experience, as users are more likely to engage with websites, make online transactions, and share sensitive information without fear of it being compromised.
Web security measures, such as encryption and authentication, also contribute to faster and seamless website loading times, which further enhances the overall user experience.
Ultimately, prioritizing web security not only protects users but also improves their satisfaction and trust in the online ecosystem.
Your Turn: Website Security
Have you ensured that your blog or website is secure today? Has it impacted your SEO efforts too? I’d love to know more in the comments below.
Web Security: How To Protect Your Website And Improve UX Share on X
She has 30+ years of experience in marketing/advertising with 12 years of experience in content marketing, social media, blogging, and SEO.
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Hi Lisa, I see the WordPress login page as your site’s first line of defense (/wp-login).
A few simple steps I took were:
1. Having a completely unique username & password
2. Setting up two-factor authentication (2FA)
3. Displaying a different ‘public’ name from my username
I have done quite a bit more than that (regular updates, minimizing plugins, security plugin, etc.), but I think those are the easiest steps that anyone can implement.
Cheers!
Hi Patrick, those are great tips Patrick to keep your website safe for sure. Thanks for coming by on this one.
I have a question. Some websites are offering free https. Are they any good or real businesses should stick to paid https certificates. Any idea?
Hi Jarwal, Welcome to Inspire to Thrive. I would stick to paid SSL certificates – the thing to look for is to see if you have access to the keys for the SSL certificate. That is what is important in choosing them. I did a podcast on Anchor radio yesterday on this topic Jarwal. https://twitter.com/Lisapatb/status/966655626037354497 Thanks for coming by and have a great day.
I’m not sure if there is a difference, Lisa. My new host, GreenGeeks offers SSL but you have to pay. SiteGround gave it for free. So when I read Ravi’s post about using Cloudflare for it for free, I was all over it. Might be something to look into.
Are you able to manage your own keys to your SSL certificate? This is something I read on it “If you are letting someone else manage your private keys, you are as good as hacked. It’s better to not have SSL at all rather than having someone access to your keys.”
Great article, Lisa. One thing I’ve found is not all web hosts offer SSL certificates for free. But not to worry. Ravi pointed out a while back in a post that you can obtain your SSL through Cloudflare for free! Imagine that!
Nowadays it’s imperative we have our certificates or we could be deterring traffic and business from reaching us.
Thanks for sharing this. Very important!
B
Hi Bren, I did pay for mine, it was almost $100 I believe for a year or two. I wonder what the differences are. You got me thinking Bren. (maybe a future post) Thanks for the tidbit on that one and have a great day. Happy Wednesday!
Hi Lisa, Certainly security is one crucial aspect to look on for any website owner. And when it comes to a business website, it shouldn’t be avoided at all.
And if the website is on WordPress, then it becomes easy to get hacked and on the other hand it gets easier to protect it as well. Thanks to the free plugins out there..
But, at times installing a security plugin would never being enough at all. There are plenty of tweaks could be done in no time to harden the security of the website. As website hacks keeps happening, doesn’t matter the website is small or huge…
And as far as the SSL link juice is concerned, not really sure of that, but according to SEMrush Google Ranking Factors Case study it stood at number 10, just after backlinks. That itself shows the importance..
Thanks for spreading the awareness! Good one.
Hi Navin, welcome to Inspire to Thrive. Good to know about the SEMRush Google ranking factors case study. I hope this has inspired others to take action soon with their websites and blogs. Thanks for coming by Navin and have yourself a wonderful day.
Hi Lisa,
A well timed article. A lot of people know vaguely about https and SSL but are postponing using it and there are others who have no idea about it. There is a lot that can go wrong if the site is not secure.
You have made a very important point by including the rankings in google being related to a site being secure or not. Now there is need to experiment or speculate as it has been declared officially. That is one more strong reason to have a secure site.
There is no room for postponement any more. Thanks for this helpful article which creates awareness at the right time. Have a great day!
-Naveen
Hi Naveen, thank you. Yes, not everyone is aware yet as you say. It can make a difference with SEO for many businesses websites. It is one of the 100’s of ranking factors by Google. You are welcome. Have a wonderful day ahead Naveen.
Hello Lisa,
This is yet another interesting piece. Web security is something every webpreneur must give priority to, else, they will lose out.
Last year, I had to move to https because I heard Google was planning to crank down on sites that don’t have it.
Thanks for sharing.
Emenike
Thank you Emenike. Yes, that is why I did as well. Plus if I ever wanted to sell directly from this site, I would be all set. Thanks for coming by and have a great day!
Oh yes, when it comes to security you need it for both sides. yes your HTTPS is very important if for any reason it puts your readers/customers at ease but you also need security for your different social media accounts. Hackers would love to get in front of your fans and customers
Hi Bryan, good to know on the social media accounts too. Hackers are everywhere today, aren’t they? Thanks for coming by on this Bryan and enjoy the rest of your day.
Hello Lisa,
Security is very important for us and also for our users. Having an SSL certificate on our blog or website has many benefits. Google also ranked sites that have SSL installed on their websites. However, these are one of Google’s hundred ranking algorithms. If you search something on Google, you will find that majority of sites that are ranking in top 5 pages are with HTTPS. So, I think everybody has to be secure their site and help to make the web safer. Thanks for sharing these great tips and insights here.
Have a Great Day,
Vishwajeet
Hi Vishwajeet, yes, you are right about those top 5 pages being with HTTPS. It’s of course so important if you do sell anything directly from your site that your customers information is SAFE and SECURE. Thanks for coming by and enjoy the rest of your day Vishwajeet.
Hi Lisa,
Web security is important, of course, but I think the perception of security is what’s really of concern.
That’s why the search engines are now essentially advertising that you are either secure or not secure by notifying people in the address bar whether or not your URL has added the SSL cert.
I don’t know, other than SEO, if that’s a really big deal for readers since most websites now are still “unsecure.”
But it’s certainly a big deal for a sales page or order page where people need to give their credit card info to buy something.
If you’re not operating with an SSL, then you should use a 3rd part secure site to do your sales pages and checkout pages.
But like you point out here, Hostgator and just about any major hosting company now makes it a pretty easy switch to go SSL.
Thanks for this great info… and to remind me of yet another “to do” for my own blog.
-Donna
Hi Donna, you are right on – it’s more the PERCEPTION of security to your visitors that matters too. I wanted to be in compliance with Google and know if I ever were to sell something directly from the site I would need the SSL for the HTTPS. I’m now ready. You are welcome Donna and I’m sure you’ll get it done soon. Thanks for coming by and have a great rest of the week there -it’s going to be a warm one!
Hey Lisa!
You are so right. Website security is super important.
You can easily get hacked and have your entire website get screwed with. This can only have a negative impact on your branding and audience.
Now with the Google Chrome Web Browers giving the user a warning from those sites that do not have a SSL Certificate installed, it’s even of a more reason to fully secure your website!
Thank you for sharing!
Best regards!
Hi Freddy, yes, thank you. Excellent point about the Chrome browser. It gives us yet another reason to get it done this year. The SEO value is what really sold me on this last year. Thanks Freddy for coming by and for your input. Have yourself a wonderful day!
Hi Lisa,
Yes, at this time security is the main thing for website owners. Because, a lot of bad people always trying to hack. Thank you for making concious about website security. I have also a blog. But still I didn’t purchase SSL certificate. I hope I will make this settings very soon.
Hi Sadhan, welcome to Inspire to Thrive. It sure is. So many try to hack today. I have a web tech person that does work for me and thank goodness. It can get a tad complicated. Good luck with getting yours, the web hosting company usually is helpful with this too. At least Hostgator is with me. Thanks for coming by and have a great day Sadhan.
You are most welcome.