How to Make Your Website More Secure (So Google Doesn’t Punish You)
Even with all the concern over data theft and hacking, many businesses don’t prioritize their website security. Fortunately, Google has recently updated their Chrome browser, so it warns users when a website they visit isn’t secure. The latest Google update is great for users who are concerned about web security, but it could become an issue for you if your site isn’t secure enough. San Diego web design professionals share a few website security tips to avoid punishment from Google.
Chrome now flags websites that don’t have Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), which ensures all personal data stays private. Google Chrome has almost half the market share, and in one survey over 80 percent of respondents said they would leave an insecure site. Furthermore, SSL is now a factor in the Google search engine algorithm.
If your website doesn’t yet have SSL, it’s essential that you obtain the SSL certificate as soon as possible. If you’re not sure whether it does, you can check by visiting your site on Chrome. Insecure sites will have a red “Not Secure” warning right next to the URL. If you don’t have Chrome, check your site’s URL in another browser. URLs that contain “https://” have SSL, and sites that say “http://” without the “s” do not.
There are different SSL certificates for different types of sites, and you may need multiple certificates. The first thing you should do is figure out which type of certificates you need. Some certificates are free, and some cost a few hundred dollars per month. Most people spend about $50 per month on one domain.
Even if you already have SSL, you can further secure your site with additional measures. Update any plugins, extensions, and apps on your site to prevent hackers from finding security flaws in the old versions. Use a content delivery network to handle sudden traffic increases and prevent hackers from flooding your server with traffic until it becomes unresponsive. Also, try using a password manager to prevent hacking or cyber attacks.
Website security is of utmost importance, especially if you want to boost your online ranking. To create a responsive, secure, and high-quality website for your business, trust the experts Saba SEO. As a leading San Diego SEO internet marketing agency with over ten years of experience, we have helped businesses all over the world create unique websites with the fastest loading times and the most secure domain names. In addition, our SEO experts help organizations increase their search rankings, acquire more leads, and expand their customer base. To speak to one of our website developers, contact us at 858-951-1717 today.