Well, you may say that you run a simple WordPress website which is purely content-based without any financial transactions that pose a risk to the financial details of your users hence you do not need an SSL certificate. Up to there, you are partially right.
So, if that is your position, you don’t need an SSL certificate, not so?
Find out the answers to these critical questions in the remaining sections of this post.
What Is An SSL Certificate?
But before we look at why you need an SSL cert on your WP website, let’s first define an SSL certificate.
“A Secure Sockets Layer or SSL is an online protocol that is used to protect and encode communication between servers and browsers. This protocol ensures that all the details exchanged between the server and browser remains secure and secret to avoid hacker and other bad boys getting their dirty hands on it.”
When you fit your website with this level of safety, your visitors will see a https displayed in the navigation bar of your website instead of the usual HTTP, which vulnerable to all types of online attacks.
The additional “s” at the end of the HTTP stands for “secure”.
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Why Are SSL Certificate Important?
So, why is it important to install an SSL certificate on your blog or WP-based website in the first place?
Here are some of the reasons why you need SSL certificate on your WP website.
1. Increased Traffic
All your transactions on the Net cannot take place without this important factor—traffic.
When you install an SSL certificate on your site, you boost the general outlook of your visitors towards your website since you show them that you are a caring website owner. Even if you do not receive payments on your website, you have to show your users that all the details they exchange on your website are secure.
The reason is that you may have subscriptions on your WP site that require some non-financial but equally sensitive information. Therefore, you ought to keep is safe so that hackers do not hijack their emails and sell them or use them for spamming purposes.
2. Secure Transactions
Have you ever visited a WP blog and got such awesome information that you felt like getting into your pocket and blessing the contributor or site owner?
Have you ever visited a charitable website that requires you to donate towards their noble causes?
If you have ever seen this, you need to turn the situation the other way round and see why you need to secure your WP website too. The reason is that the threats involved in making that donation or giving out that tips are the same with those encountered when paying for goods.
With this fact in mind, it is still prudent and beneficial to fit your WordPress website with EV SSL certificate or any other type of SSL cert that meets your current needs.
3. Higher Chances For Conversion
What do you want your users to do on your WP site? Do you want them to tip you or donate something Are you interested in them subscribing to your programs/courses etc.?
Whatever you want your web visitors to do, it will needful to make it secure so that they can do it without fear.
By installing an SSL certificate, you will receive high conversion rate for all your desired user actions.
4. Enhanced SEO
Until January 2017, installing an SSL certificate was optional for many websites. Even if you say that you never require your visitors to share any personal or financial transaction information with you, then this latest development by Google is now making it compulsory to install an SSL.
First, Google is now incorporating SSL into its Search Engine Optimization (SEO) criteria. This requirement means that no matter how well you pursue all the other components of SEO, your website will remain lame in this area.
What is the penalty for this? You will suffer poor visibility and ranking in the eyes of your visitors.
Second, Google has imposed this requirement to secure your users. Since the requirement came into force, all websites without the https tag will be flagged as “insecure.”
What does it mean? The answer is clear. Google will be telling your users to beware of a site owner who does not want to secure their private information and online transactions.
5. Improved Reputation
Lastly, when all the above benefits have come into play, they will combine to give your website one of the most important benefits—a good reputation.
As an online visitor, would you like to deal with a website with a bad online reputation?
Even without giving me an answer, it is obvious that you would not like to take such a risk. Likewise, your visitors will not take the same risk to trust your website if it is ill-reputed.
If you mind the significant role a good reputation plays in building trust, then you have to Install an SSL certificate.
Important Facts To Remember During Your Migration To HTTPS
Since you are now up to date with why you need SSL certificate on your website, let us look at some of the critical factors you ought to consider as you switch your WP site from HTTP to a https platform.
These tips will help you to conduct the transfer process safely and successfully.
1. Configure Your Server
First, it is necessary to configure your server to redirect all your requests over from the HTTP to the new https platform. Here, you will need to use your WP Engine to do the configuration.
2. Update Your Images
As you migrate, it is necessary to understand that many browsers do not allow images, CSS, and JavaScript files to be channeled via HTTP on pages that use https.
Therefore, it is needful to update all the images in your previous posts so that they can use your new https address.
Parting Shot
Installing an SSL certificate in mandatory for all websites, including those hosted on WordPress.
If you are running a WP site, you need this certificate to enjoy benefits such as enhanced website reputation, improved SEO rankings, secure user interactions, and higher conversion rates.
If you had not seen the need for making the migration, we believe it is now clear that you have to make this shift the soonest.
Liked this article? Then, please share it with other WP website owners and let them know the importance of SSL certificate. If you have any questions, suggestions, please leave a comment below.
