More than 50% of Australians shop online, with the average person spending $285 per week.

Online shopping is a billion-dollar business and it’s also become a place for fraudsters and scammers to swindle money from consumers.

Thankfully technology advancements are never too far behind, and having a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate will not only ensure your customers’ safety, but will improve your position on Google and generate more sales.

What is an SSL Certificate?

SSL certificates are small data files that encrypt data packets as they are sent through the Internet. SSL is often used to transfer data logins and credit card information online.

An SSL certificate combines with:

• a domain name with a server name or hostname; and
• a business identity and location.

A website that has an SSL certificate ensures all website traffic between your web server and user’s browser is secure and cannot be read. When your website has an active SSL certificate the application protocol changes from HTTP to HTTPS.

To see if your website has an SSL certificate, simply view your website’s URL to see whether it contains HTTP or HTTPS.

You Rank Better in Google

As of August 2014, Google went on record to state that websites that have an SSL certificate and use the HTTPS protocol are given a better ranking in search.

Businesses that have an SSL certificate are considered of higher quality because they are going the extra mile to protect their customers.

You Can Generate More Sales

Having your own SSL certificate can do the following things:

Increase trust – Consumers are more likely to spend money with a business that uses some sort of encryption. Monetizepros showed that having a security badge on your website is something consumers look for.

Sales – If a consumer is on an unsecured website (HTTP), most modern web browsers let the user know.