Are free SSL Certificates also help your SEO?
On the 6th of August 6 of in 2014 Google released an announcement many felt was long overdue. To improve the security of data on all that is available on the Internet, assist fight phishing and fraudulent websites and push users to improve their understanding about security Google made it clear that they would consider using SSL as a ranking element. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
This was only two months after Google’s speech at Google I/O at which they argued for the future HTTPS Everywhere model for the internet. It’s taken a while the making. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
A lot of webmasters are now aware the importance of using SSL on their websites will improve their Google rankings, but there’s many nuances to this issue that people aren’t able to comprehend. Let’s dig in. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
How HTTPS Functions
HTTPS is the normal common HTTP protocol used by the internet everywhere, and it comes with an added security layer SSL encryption. In essence, there is an initial handshake before any exchange, during which the browser and web server validate their security. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
This occurs in three stages. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
- Hello It’s the initial phase, in which the client, which is your browser on the web – sends an “Hello” message to the server. It includes all the data needed to establish connection, such as what kinds of SSL your browser supports , as well as the cipher suites that it can utilize. The server will then reply with a similar greeting and determines what degree of SSL the client and server are able to use. In essence, your browser tells the server “hey I’d like to establish connections, I have security protocols A B, C, and A,” and the server responds by saying “hey let’s establish a connection using protocols A and B because B is more secure and more secure, let’s go with B as the strongest protocol.” – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
- Certificate: This is the second step. At this moment, the client is still a bit suspicious. There is no evidence to confirm that the server is the person they claim to be. The client asks the server to verify its authenticity. It’s like border security asking you to show your passport. The client demands the SSL certificate and the server will provide it , if they’ve got it. It is bundle of information, which includes details such as that of domain, the owner of the domain as well as the public key and a digital signature to prove that the certificate was issued with confidence. The client will then conduct an audit against known certificate authorities, and then confirms it is trustworthy.It’s important to note that the authority is required to be a trustworthy organization by its own. This will be crucial when we discuss the subject later. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
- Key exchange This is the third phase when the server and client are now in a position of trusting each other and have confirmed that they each have the correct encryption keys to decrypt every message that is that is sent. The two parties have decided on a key that they’ll use, which means that messages are encrypted before being sent and then decrypted after they reach. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
The whole process takes the shortest amount of time If nothing is wrong. The result is that the data exchanged between your computer and server is confirmed to be encrypted. Anybody in the middle – for instance, one server that transmit information along the way for instance is unable to access the information. This is like if the mailman opened mail between work and your home. You and your colleagues choose a cipher-key and then encode the data in a way that the mailman, even if you open it, will not be able to access the information inside. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
The most important thing to remember about this is that certificate of security is issued by a reputable authority who checks the authenticity of information on an entity prior to issue the certification. In the absence of this, anyone can make up a fake certificate they give to themselves, and then claim to be a authentic. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
There are several types in an SSL certificate that range from a free, minimal-validation SSL certificate to high-assurance SSL. Low-validation SSL certificates are available via email verification which is not more secure than the verification process on an account on a forum that is new. Anyone who has access to your inbox could be able to obtain this kind of SSL. In contrast, higher security levels for SSL could require certain documents to be verified or other contact points. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
Every browser is preloaded with the list of certificates issued by certificate authorities who can authentically signify a certificate. Certificates that have been authenticated by one of the authorities on that listing of authority authorities can be valid, whereas certificates issued by different entities could be valid. Most often, a browser will display a warning when you attempt to access an unvalid certificate. It is possible to learn more about this in greater in depth here. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
It’s also important to note that an SSL certificate that’s self-signed or issued in a fraudulent manner will usually be added to a worldwide list of revoked and compromised SSL certificates. This was the case with the certificate issued by Lavabit the email provider Edward Snowden used. Browsers typically refresh their list of cancelled certificates frequently but there’s an interval between the revocation and updating of the list. This means that there’s a tiny gap in trust in areas where trust isn’t needed. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
The reason Google is pushing SSL
SSL is a sign of trust and security that will help anyone who is looking to conduct commerce on the internet. It is used to verify the identity of a website. SSL certificates are only granted to websites when those sites can demonstrate that they are reliable, and only if the website is confirmed to not be malicious. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
In the example above for instance, if I created websites that contain malware that downloads on an indefinite delay following the time the user is able to access the site on the site, I wouldn’t be able to obtain an SSL certificate as they do not provide protection to the malware. If I attempted to register bankfoamerica.com (or another spelling) to copy the BoA site in order to take user data however, I wouldn’t be able to obtain an SSL certificate since I wouldn’t be able prove that I’m really Bank of America. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
Therefore, SSL allows Google to aid in the prevention of online fraud and ensure that users are safe as browsing the internet. It builds trust and helps to prevent any future problems with surveillance of data. Also, it’s a subdued and subtle rebuke to global governments who want to access Google’s data. If Google doesn’t have the information in an encrypted form and cannot give that information. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
Problems with SSL
The switch the site to SSL on your website generally helps your SEO, but in some cases, it could actually cause harm. It’s a very small ranking factor, just something Google has made to promote the use of SSL, but not something that changed the entire face of search for ever. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
In addition, changing to the HTTP to an HTTP URL to the HTTPS URL constitutes a modification of URL. And because Google search results depend on the URL to be the unique identifier for the page, you could be penalized in the event that you do not properly redirect the older URLs. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
Read our article on the pros and cons about switching over to SSL here..
One of the most pressing issues for smaller blogs and sites However, one of the biggest concerns for smaller blogs is the expense for SSL. SSL certificates aren’t necessarily expensive, but they can be priced up to $1,500 annually. It’s all about the security level you’re looking for and what issuer has given certificates, and whether you require a multi-domain or wildcard certificate, in the case of the blog or online store, and the degree of security you’d like. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
A blog with a modest size you could be paying hundreds of dollars each year for something that’s not significantly improving your search rankings and isn’t offering any beneficial security – as the blog itself doesn’t require an account for members and comments generally have their own secure logins is unsettling. This is why many people opt for cheap SSL certificates. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
The Problems with Free SSL
There are three main problems when using free SSL certificates.
- They may not be issued by an internationally trusted certificate authority.
- They might not be secure.
- They could be more likely to have certificates being cancelled.
Let’s tackle each each one by one.
The first is that the authority that grants an unrestricted SSL certificate may not be the time reliable. If you’re getting an SSL certificate from a company like GoDaddy, VeriSign, Thawte or GeoTrust and GeoTrust, you can be sure that the certifier will be displayed in almost every browser. These are companies that have been around for a while, that have a lot of influence and protections that are in place to ensure they don’t give SSL to sites that aren’t trustworthy and also a very good likelihood that the SSL certificate will not be cancelled. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
However when you obtain the certificaiton through Bob’s Security Shack (in Partnership with Bob’s SEO Shack), what is the likelihood that every browser will show them as a safe and reliable certificate authority? Certain browsers may not include them in any way or change their lists often. It is possible to receive SSL however it will not be trusted, and it will be able to throw up errors for anyone trying to access the site using secure and encrypted browsing. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
even Google has a range of trust for various SSL certificate. Depending on the certificate’s issuer and the degree of encryption, Google might or might not be able to consider the certificate to be trustworthy at all. The addition of the SSL certification to your website can have no effect on improve your SEO, but it could harm your website in the event that errors begin appearing. – Free Ssl Benefit Seo
The third issue that could arise is the technical aspect. SSL is available in a variety of styles and strengths. Secure encryption is typically more affordable and also more efficient and less resource-intensive for servers and clients, however it’s more difficult to break. Highly powerful supercomputers can crack weak encryption quite quickly. Individual hackers will not be able to access that level of power, but government actors, the government and large hacking groups that have botnets might be in a position to do it.
You can be sure the chances that any SSL certificate will be among the weakest security that you can obtain but it’s not worse than having any security in any way. In reality it is true that SSL certificates that are free SSL was typically only intended for the minimum security such as logins to forums logins for blog comments simple membership portals and similar. Any site that requires a lot of sensitive data, such as debit or credit card information, requires greater security.
The third aspect concerns the safety of security. The free SSL certificates aren’t issued to a single agency, but they’re typically shared across multiple websites and servers. There are many possible points of failure which means that the certificate that is free SSL could be affected by an attack from another website. This is similar to hackers taking the master key of the entire building of your apartment and you kept the doors locked, but it wouldn’t matter if the landlord doesn’t.
Do You Need to Consider Free SSL?
In truth, no. I would generally not recommend a no-cost SSL certificate to any company who wants to be sure to take SSL seriously.
A free SSL could, in the event of a need be sufficient for basic security. If you’ve got a member portal on your website that allows you to publish additional blog posts, then you’ll need an SSL at least one type. You must have an upgraded SSL certificate for payment processing, however your login page doesn’t require more than the essentials.
There are too many risks with used SSL certificate that I do not trust you to choose one. Instead, you should opt for one of the more affordable alternatives. Comodo’s basic SSL package costs less than $30 per year. Moreover, other SSL certificate providers offer similar inexpensive products that are ideal for those looking to enhance security for their websites. It’s not necessary to purchase one of the $1500 certificates.
In reality, the cost of the cost of such a certificate is a waste of money for even the most sensitive websites. These are government websites that handle personal information such as SSNs as well as tax records. I’m referring to banking websites. These kinds of sites require the most expensive, top-of-the-line SSL. For those of us using e-commerce platforms with basic functionality or blogs that have minimal membership websites, less expensive versions of SSL can be used. You can find decent security at a reasonable cost, so there’s really no reason not to take advantage of it. Be sure to set up your SSL in a way that is secure, and avoid the usual SEO pitfalls.
