Websites use SSL certificates to encrypt data sent on your website, including credit card details, website login credentials and even details sent in a contact form.

Previously, they were only considered required for ecommerce websites to protect credit card information. However, as of July 2018, the major web browsers will be enforcing encryption on all websites. Google and major browsers (such as Firefox and Edge) now warn visitors that your website is not safe if it does not use an SSL certificate (ie, shows a https:// address and a padlock to show the site is encrypted). Google also announced that it intended to deprioritise websites that are not secured in its search engine rankings from October 2018.

We have been reminding our clients for over a year now that SSL certificates for all web sites are essentially mandatory. If you still do not have one in use on your site, please contact us and we will help you arrange one.