So what is the benefit?
The most immediate benefit any client will see to having an SSL is that they gain trust with their viewers. A lot of internet users are weary of data theft and are aware of the https:// or secure protocol and expect to see this on genuine websites.
Therefore a user or potential lead is more likely to trust that the client is genuine and a real business is they see evidence of an SSL certificate.
On top of this Google is now giving priority to SSL certified websites, boosting the website’s performance is organic rankings. This also refers to ecommerce sites that have an SSL on the entire website and not just certain pages. While this boost isn’t drastic, it adds to the effect users have when seeing the insecure icon.
Expanding on this Google plans to punish websites without SSL certifications further. Eventually, all HTTP pages will be labeled non-secure, and the HTTP security indicator shown above will change to the red triangle/exclamation mark that Google uses for broken HTTPS. This will drastically affect the trust any user puts into a website.
Other than Google, many popular anti virus companies such as Norton / Symantec are now actively discouraging users from visiting websites that are not secured using SSL.
With SSL becoming more common and users becoming used to HTTPS as opposed to HTTP the number of instances where individuals manually type HTTPS before a URL is increasing, giving a rise in occurrence of the above error.
Beyond all this there is plenty of additional information that can be found on Google pretty easily. Especially by those who are somewhat security conscious with their website. For example an article on the LinkedIn website goes into detail about additional benefits provided to websites with SSL certifications that I have not mentioned in this document. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/importance-advantages-ssl-certificates-jay-jones
SSL Shopper discusses further the idea of trust that comes with being a secure or SSL certified website in their article here: https://www.sslshopper.com/why-ssl-the-purpose-of-using-ssl-certificates.html
On top of this the domain name giant Go Daddy explains the 5 key selling points of having an SSL certificate which Zeald would be able to incorporate into the general sales conversation. Stating that our websites come with an SSL certificate and studies have shown it leads to:
- Looking more professional
- Increase in visitors
- An increase in visitor loyalty
- More sales
- Protect information
https://www.godaddy.com/garage/smallbusiness/secure/5-benefits-ssls-small-businesses/
Why should you, as a developer, implement SSLs on all sites?
From the emotional point of view: if you see yourself or your company is seen as a leader in the industry by a lot of people it would be somewhat expected that you are able to tackle a change in industry standards. If you make SSL certifications a part of every website sold it not only gives your clients confidence in their choice of provider but can be used as a sales tool. It adds credibility in the market place, showing that you are able to adapt and are in front of any changes Google may impose.
The downside of not implementing a SSL strategy but continuing to leverage the fact you a Google Premier Partner or Google Partner is that when the change comes into play and all HTTP sites are punished, clients both existing and prospective are going to ask why didn’t you make some sort of change, especially considering you’re supposed to be the experts.
Coming purely from a numbers point of view: the basic SSL certificate is currently sold by Go Daddy costs $74.99 per annum which equates to less than 21c per day or $6.25 per month. This cost could easily be offset by the additional revenue gained by creating the market perception of being a proactive leader in the industry and consequently closing more sales due to this.
Conclusion
Ultimately it is my opinion that including SSL certifications for all websites is a future proofing exercise and honestly there is no excuse for not including a free SSL with every website you build and host.
Providing a client an SSL certificate at the sales stage as part of all website packages builds trust between the developer and the client as well as giving them additional value alongside the website build, potentially even giving us a competitive advantage over other web developers. Including an SSL in all builds can reduce the pain points for a client, even if they are paying extra for this.
After the sales process and once a build is completed the SSL certificate then provides the client a strong platform for building trust with their customers/clients and future proofs them against the upcoming changes that will be made by Google around this particular security measure. Not only would we be providing the client a high level of security but the benefits Google provides will help them achieve more sales and more revenue.
