Why Is Google Forcing SSL Certificates
That's right but before you get worried, the penalising doesn't involve someone from Google coming round to your house and issuing you with a bottom spanking with a Google-branded ruler, they will only be punishing your website in their search engine and browser.
Is this serious?
Oh yes, when they launch Chrome 62 (which is the most current release today) you will start seeing a warning message that looks like this in your browser:
Do I need one on my website?
It is highly likely you will require an SSL certificate if you have any kind of input field (contact form), search box then we strongly advise you get an SSL certificate in place.
I don't sell online, do I still need one?
Yes, we recommend you do, as per the item above. If you are collecting information you should have an SSL certificate installed
How do I get an SSL Certificate?
You can go ahead and shop around for an SSL certificate the same as you can when you search for a domain name. However, you are going to need some technical knowledge to install it correctly on your server. The main reason why you should contact Pebble to do this for you.
How long does it take to install?
Installing SSL certificates are pretty quick and can take a few hours. We need to go through a process of verification (to make sure you actually own the website you want the SSL installed on)
What does it look like when I have an SSL certificate?
Users can clearly see that you have a valid SSL installed. It will look like this below:
Summarising
We appreciate that SSL certificates cost money but they do more than just keep you on the right side of Google, they will also encrypt information that is sent to and from your website visitors and if you can keep your visitors safe then this is a great thing.
If we had our way (at Pebble), then the whole internet would be secure!
If you have any questions about an SSL on your website please contact Pebble on 01733 902070 or get in touch with us on our contact page.