The Internet is a great and effective tool that allows us to develop a significant number of tasks from the comfort of our homes, offices, etc.
From buying online to paying bills and even performing procedures that once took long hours, today we can perform them instantly and with a full warranty that our privacy will remain safe.
When surfing on the web, you might have noticed that most addresses begin with a specific combination of letters (HTTP and HTTPS).
That’s because, without them, various of the actions we usually perform online would not be achievable at all.
This article will show you more about HTTPS, its meaning, history, how it can benefit your business, and why it is essential inside the internet world.
The starting point: HTTP
HTTP ( Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is a communication protocol that allows information transfer between the server and the user inside the web.
In other words, it is the key that makes User information get inside the server so it can be processed and saved for different transactions to happen.
Whether you are subscribing to your favorite blog or making any online payment, the HTTP protocol is the power source for all the magic to occur.
Finalized by 1999, the World Wide Web Consortium and the Internet Engineering Task Force generated this protocol to standardize the information transmission process inside the whole web.
After two decades of getting better, faster, and stronger, and responding to the century’s internet environment needs, it evolved into HTTPS.”
The Mighty Power of an “S”
HTTPS refers to Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. Just as its predecessor, it’s a communication protocol that manages the User – Server Data transfer, but as an added value, it takes security as a fundamental part of the mix.
Also known as (HTTP+SSL/TLS), HTTPS will guarantee your data’s protection by encrypting it so that no one can access it, making your online experience more secure.
You can verify if a website is secure by looking into the address bar and finding the HTTPS acronym next to a lock icon.
At Steams Online, we have has made it possible for visitors to navigate our website and conduct important transactions securely and with peace of mind.
Why should a website be secured?
Besides the massive perk of providing security to your website’s visitors, some other useful benefits which come from using HTTPS:
● SEO: A good positioning of your site can bring you recognition and leads. Google supports HTTPS, favoring all those pages that implement it by giving them the first positions within the search engines.
● You will have a safer website: Not only for your customers but for yourself. When people enter your site, there will be no danger alerts that can scare your visitors away and generate a bad image for your business.
● Always updated: With the constant evolution of plugins, having HTTPS will give you the certainty that your website will be working on point as everything is up to date.
How to get HTTPS?
Do not worry; it’s simple. You only need to get an SSL certificate! Prices usually range from $50 to $200 per year, but some providers offer additional services that could escalate their cost to another level.
Companies like Domain.com offer suitable certifications that would contribute to improving your customer’s user experience through security.
However, if you are a startup business that doesn’t want to invest in this, “Let’s Encrypt” is a google supported organization that seeks to provide free certificates to small websites; take your shot!
If this still doesn’t sound like it and you have not created a website, you can get a certificate when you purchase a hosting plan with incorporated SSL. and have a secure site from the very beginning.
Conclusion
HTTPS is a primary resource for safe internet surfing and a central key for your data and your customer’s protection.
By having a secure site, you won’t only get your customer’s trust but also acquire a good reputation and the certainty that your company is growing with the best tools.
It’s just a matter of you taking the first step remembering that Steams Online will undoubtedly be supporting you every step of the way.
However, it’s important for you to even further in this aspect and find diverse mechanisms to strengthen your website’s security.
Feel free to check our 5 Strategies for Keeping Your Business Safe Online article, which will let you know some tips about web security that we actually apply, but that can be useful for your own business.
