Steps to a more Secure Site with HTTPS, SSL and Updated Signatures
Steps to a more Secure Site with HTTPS, SSL and Updated Signatures

If you’ve ever visited a website and had the “Your connection is not private” notification pop-up, you know first-hand the impact it can have. It creates fear with the site visitor and in turn hurts the business’s brand. Secure sites, on the other hand, make a site visitor feel like the business takes protecting customer data seriously.

How do you know if the site you’re visiting is secure?

Secure sites are identified by HTTPS in the URL structure and the secure icon that can be found at the beginning of the browser bar.

If you haven’t moved your business’s website to HTTPS, that’s priority one. If you have updated, that doesn’t mean your work has ended. Read on to learn more about how to use HTTPS to ensure an optimal user experience for all your visitors.

Steps to a more Secure Site with HTTPS, SSL and Updated Signatures

Step 1: Move to HTTPS

HTTP and HTTPS are systems used to transmit and receive information via the internet. The S in HTTPS stands for Secure, and it uses SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to help prevent unauthorized access and keep data private. The benefits of migrating to HTTPS are powerful:

  • Improved Security: Having a secure website is just good for business. It demonstrates to site visitors that you care about their experience on your website and that protecting their private information is important.

  • Improved Rankings: Google and other search engines use security as a ranking factor, showing preference to sites using HTTPS.

  • Improved Analytics: HTTPS sites provide more information when it comes to using tools such as Google Analytics, so you can learn more about your visitors and referral sources.  

By now, most small businesses have made the switch to HTTPS. If you haven’t, contact us to help. Keep in mind though, the work doesn’t end with the switch.

Step 2: Update Your URL Everywhere

If you’re working with a trusted web partner, they’ve most likely done a lot of legwork for you by setting up redirects of your old URL and pointing it at the new, secure version. But if they haven’t, there’s a lot of places people find your old URL and may still end up getting warnings that your site isn’t safe — even when it is.

Your sales or leads have flatlined.

That’s why it’s important to update your URL everywhere with the new version. Since your site’s URL is in a lot of places, this can be a bit daunting. Here is a list of common places businesses may forget to update to help get you started. 

  • Email signature (the #1 place that gets overlooked!) 
  • Social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.)
  • Online directories (Yelp, Google My Business, Bing Places, etc.) 
  • Business cards and other print materials such as newsletters or postcards 
  • Receipts or invoices

Two Small Steps That Make a Big Impact

Ensuring your site visitors feel secure using your site is a must today. Especially if you want them to enter personal information or make a purchase online. If you need help updating your SSL certificate and making the switch to HTTPS, or if you’ve made the switch but need assistance creating redirects, contact the experts at inConcert Web Solutions.

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