Research has shown that one in four people don’t trust online retailers enough to make purchases or provide sensitive information. That’s 25% of your potential market slipping away because your site might not appear secure enough.
One simple way to remedy this perceived security shortfall is by switching to using an https prefix from the traditional http protocol. This allows secure sessions for users of your site, encrypting data so that it can’t be stolen or used without their permission.
This encryption method is called SSL, which stands for secure sockets protocol. It’s proving to be a very effective way for businesses to make consumers feel more comfortable, driving sales and boosting profits.
If all that wasn’t enough, last year, Google announced that they would be giving priority to SSL sites, meaning that it could also be a significant boost to your SEO efficacy.
In the blog, Google said: ‘We’d like to encourage all website owners to switch from http to https to keep everyone safe on the net’.
That’s another great reason to make the switch.
What makes an SSL Certificate so appealing?
As we mentioned above, it’s all about the psychology of trust. Most people are probably not too clued up about the exact meaning or function of SSL but they do understand the visual implications. They know what the padlock and prefix mean and can determine whether or not your company has gone to the trouble to protect them. If they perceive you have, it could be great for business.
Just think about how it is in the real world. If you ran a shop that had no locks on the door, no till, and offered no receipts, you would hardly blame customers for not making a purchase. So why make the same mistakes online?
Other ways of improving the visibility of trust on your website include:
- Listing awards
- Highlighting press coverage
- Consistent colour schemes
Every little thing you can do to improve trust in your site will help to boost sales and productivity. It’s always worth the effort.
Give yourself the edge
In the SME world, small details can make a big difference. When competition is fierce, you need to use every weapon at your disposal to give yourself the edge. Over the last couple of years, online security has become an important new tool in this fight, so maybe it’s time to make things a little more secure.
How to Migrate to SSL
It might seem complicated but the reality of switching is very simple. All you need to do is to contact a trusted provider (this is an important point given the nature of what we’re discussing) and request an SSL certificate for your site.
Pete Campbell is the managing director of Kaizen.
See also: Can your website keep up with your business growth?
