An SSL certificate encrypts the connection between a visitor’s browser and a website’s server, protecting any data submitted (like a contact form) from being intercepted, a baseline requirement referenced throughout Google Search Central (opens in new tab)’s technical SEO documentation. Browsers display a padlock icon for sites using SSL, and mark sites without it as "Not Secure."
The Trust Cost of Skipping It
Beyond the technical encryption benefit, a "Not Secure" warning next to a website’s address in the browser bar is a visible red flag to any visitor who notices it, particularly before filling out a contact or booking form. Most managed hosting and website services include SSL by default now, which has made it far less common to see a legitimate business site without one.
Certificates typically need periodic renewal, though most managed hosting handles this automatically — a manually configured certificate that quietly expires is one of the more common, easily-avoidable website outages.
Checking that every page of a site, not just the homepage, loads correctly under HTTPS is worth doing after any migration, since a mixed setup can still trigger browser security warnings on individual pages.
People also ask
Does SSL affect SEO?
Yes — Google has confirmed HTTPS (enabled by SSL) as a ranking signal, and sites without it are flagged as insecure, which also damages visitor trust and increases bounce rate.
See also
How TAP-ONE helps
A fast, secure site that brings in leads while you focus on running the business.
Explore Get a WebsiteMore in Website & Technical
301 Redirect
A permanent redirect that sends visitors and search engines from an old URL to a new one, passing along ranking value.
404 Error
The "page not found" error shown when a requested URL doesn’t exist on a website.
Alt Text
A short written description of an image, used by screen readers and search engines when the image can’t be seen.
Backlink
A link from another website pointing to your website, treated as a vote of trust by search engines.