What Is SSL It and Why do you need it?
SSL is an encrypted line of communication between your device and the server that you are connected to. For example, when you buy a web design package from EntangleMedia.com and fill out the contact form, your data has to travel either though wires or wireless transmission. It is quite easy for outside parties to intercept and view that data. A good analogy for transmitting data via email or an internet browser is like sending postcards. Everyone along the way to the server and back to you can be seen by others. SSL encrypts your data with a key. So when you write “Entangle Media created a great website for us, how do we add hosting?“ in the comment section, it will appear as “uCNvj_~8|g_g’}E]pmGP2PWf{*XTqi+.7cCV]+UtRR@hX;R5\7u:hu)vL[fb?Ba…” in the postcard, but our server will know the key to the code and we will be able to send you an encrypted response back to you with a link to our hosting page.
What is an SSL certificate?
Entangle Media servers use SSL to encrypt transmissions to and from our server. We have purchased a certificate from a third-party that validates that we have access to the domain and server, and we can use this certificate to communicate between other computers in our company. Any website that contains the certificate will be trusted for data transmission. When you come to our site, how do we know who you are and how do you know us? In the real world, our clients already know our quality work, and they already know that we are who we say we are. They can come to our office and take us out to lunch (feel free to take us out to lunch). The fact that we actually put images of ourselves and contact numbers separates us from the majority of internet companies that wish to be faceless for fear of reprisal from their unscrupulous business practices. But that might not be enough.
Let’s say we go to the conference and claim to be Entangle Media. Security, assuming they have been living off the grid, may not recognize us and will want some sort of ID or verification. If we produce a badge from the conference sponsors, it is a certificate or badge from a trusted third party that the security gives them confidence to let us in.
When you purchase an SSL certificate, you are really buying an independent validation that you are who you say you are. So when you buy your Brand Management package from EntangleMedia.com, you know it is the group in Tampa, FL and not someone that is cloaking their domain to look like ours.
If you want your costumers to trust doing business with you on the internet or spending time on your site, then it is a good idea to buy the certificate.
You might think that your clients will use your site no matter what because you have a local company and all of your users already know your business. The devices your clients use may not trust your site and warnings will appear on their browsers or email stating that they are connecting to an untrusted website. We have all seen those pop-ups. When you purchase an SSL certificate, an independent company that is trusted by the major operation systems and companies, sign your certificate with their encryption key. The result is that any phone, tablet, computer that trusts the company assigning the SSL Certificate will trust your site.
If your clients and their devices will have more trust in using your site, then the search engines will also have more trust. Google says that their search algorithms give more weight in sites with SSL certificates than other sites in their search results.
That is a lot of trust for not a lot of money. Don’t take our word for it, trust the SSL.