Google, Firefox, and other major players are pushing to force website owners to install SSL certificates on their sites. On February 8, 2018, Google announced that beginning in July 2018, Chrome would begin to flag any site that does not have an SSL certificate as "Not Secure" — prominently and visibly in the address bar.
What Is an SSL Certificate?
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is the standard technology for keeping an internet connection secure and safeguarding any sensitive data that is being sent between two systems. When a website has an SSL certificate installed, its address begins with https:// rather than http://, and a padlock icon appears in the browser bar.
Without SSL, any data transmitted between your visitor and your site — login credentials, contact form submissions, payment information — can potentially be intercepted by a third party.
Why This Matters for Your Business
The "Not Secure" label Chrome began displaying is essentially a public scarlet letter. Visitors who see that warning are far more likely to leave your site immediately. Beyond user trust, SSL has also been a confirmed Google Search ranking signal since 2014 — meaning sites without it may rank lower in search results.
If your site collects any information from visitors at all — even just a contact form — this is not optional. You need SSL.
What to Do
Contact your web host. Most reputable hosts now offer free SSL certificates through Let's Encrypt, and installation is often a single click. If your host doesn't offer it or charges an excessive fee for it, that's a signal to consider switching hosts. This is a baseline security feature in 2018 and beyond — it should not cost extra.
Once installed, make sure all pages on your site redirect from http:// to https:// so visitors always land on the secure version.
