MARKETING MATTERS | AGONY AUNT Q & A WITH ANGIE PETKOVIC
Marketing Matters
Every month ANGIE PETKOVIC picks one of your questions to answer in her regular column . To have your Marketing Matter considered , email one of the team or send to Angie directly
Q : I read an article about the need to upgrade my website with an SSL certificate , particularly as Google is now paying attention . My web developer has offered to do this , but there is a hefty annual bill and I ’ m wondering how necessary it actually is ?
A : Starting with the basics , an SSL certificate is a small data file which is added to your web server to enable your customers to make a secure connection to your website . Each certificate has a ‘ cryptographic key ’ specific to your organisation , and it is responsible for the little padlock symbol that appears in the bar alongside your URL , and also changes your website from a http :// to a https :// protocol .
At the beginning of your web address , you will find ‘ http ’ which stands for a ‘ Hyper Text Transfer Protocol ’. Put simply , this is the foundation of the World Wide Web and is a natural function of all websites . Unfortunately , while useful and accessible , standard http is open to manipulation , meaning that someone from outside your business can technically amend , change or manipulate your website without your knowledge , or hide viruses within your website content . Not a huge risk for most small businesses , but still a plausible one . Obviously this is a skilled technique , but there are plenty of people with the programming know-how .
The ‘ s ’ in https simply refers to ‘ secure ’ and appears once you have an SSL certificate registered to your business . It has historically appeared most commonly on sites which required you to impart secure
records , such as credit card information , passwords or personal data .
Since 2014 , Google has been actively encouraging all businesses to purchase and install an SSL licence , converting sites from the http to https protocol in a bid to reduce cybercrime and improve online security . The additional security means the website is encrypted and is less vulnerable to external influences and hacking . These https sites have typically been performing slightly better in terms of search engine rankings since the update in 2014 , however the effects have to date been marginal . Now however , in a bid to become more transparent , and improve consumer awareness of the security of sites , Google is in the process of rolling out an update to the Chrome browser , which will see uncertificated sites gain a red padlock with the words ‘ not secure ’ at the front . This is already in place in grey for sites which request credit card information or a password , but Google has plans to roll the feature out for all sites in the near future and make the wording much more obvious .
The case for converting to https is a simple one , if you disregard the potential annual cost . The pros of adding an SSL certificate and transferring the site include : n A small uplift in Google rankings ; while this might not be a big uplift , every little helps in the race to outperform your competition . Google has also hinted along the way that they may upgrade SSL from a ‘ weak ranking signal ’ i . e . limited impact on rankings to the strong one in the near future , n It ’ s safer for your customers . It protects their data and also reassures your users that the site is authentic and trustworthy . Each SSL certificate is attached to your company details , so it is much harder to fake . n Red is an aggressive colour . At the moment , Google indicates a site is not secure with the words written in grey . The message is unobtrusive and discreet , but the roll-out of these words in red is sure to grab attention . It may imply to your visitors that the site has been hacked , or is a fake , just because you haven ’ t upgraded .
It is difficult to accurately predict exactly what monetary value this change will have for your business , and whether being ‘ not secure ’ will have a noticeable impact on your direct bookings , but it isn ’ t a risk I ’ d advise taking . In your question , you mention cost being a prohibitive factor , however I encourage you to go to market for a more competitive price . For example , many DIY hosting services now include an SSL licence as part of their monthly hosting fee , while others offer annual protection for as little as £ 50 .
Ultimately , the decision rests with you whether you want to implement an SSL , and you can just wait and see if there is a negative impact , but these internetwide changes are coming , and a lack of knowledge is not an excuse .
Angie Petkovic is managing director of APT Marketing & PR . If you have a marketing matter you ’ d like Angie to answer , email angie @ aptmarketing . co . uk
50 www . hotelowner . co . uk September 2017