Why Your Business Needs HTTPS (SSL) and How to Get It

What Is SSL and Why Should You Care

SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. It is a technology that encrypts the connection between your website and your visitors' browsers. When your site has SSL, the URL starts with "https" instead of "http," and browsers display a padlock icon next to your address.

Without SSL, the data your visitors enter - contact form submissions, phone numbers, email addresses - travels across the internet unencrypted. This means it could theoretically be intercepted by anyone monitoring the network.

More importantly for your business, browsers now actively warn visitors when a site does not have SSL. Google Chrome displays "Not Secure" right next to your URL. This warning appears before visitors even see your content, and it kills trust instantly.

The Browser Warning Problem

Every major browser - Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge - now displays security warnings for sites without HTTPS. These warnings range from subtle "Not Secure" labels to full-page warnings that require visitors to click through to access your site.

For a local service business, this is devastating. Imagine a potential customer searches for "plumber near me," clicks on your website, and the first thing they see is a browser warning saying your site is not secure. They immediately hit the back button and call your competitor instead.

This is not a hypothetical scenario. It happens thousands of times every day to small businesses running websites without SSL certificates. The customer never sees your services, your reviews, or your pricing - they see a security warning and leave.

How SSL Affects Your Google Rankings

Google has used HTTPS as a ranking signal since 2014. While it is considered a lightweight signal compared to content quality and backlinks, it still provides a ranking advantage.

In competitive local markets where multiple businesses offer similar services, every ranking advantage matters. If two plumbing companies have equivalent websites but one has HTTPS and the other does not, the secured site gets a slight edge.

Combined with Core Web Vitals and other technical SEO factors, SSL is part of the foundation that helps your site rank well. It is not optional - it is expected.

Types of SSL Certificates

There are three main types of SSL certificates:

Domain Validated (DV) - The most basic and most common. It verifies that you own the domain name. This is what most small business websites need. Cost: Free to $50/year.

Organization Validated (OV) - Verifies your organization's identity in addition to domain ownership. Provides slightly more trust but is not necessary for most local businesses. Cost: $50 to $200/year.

Extended Validation (EV) - The highest level of validation. Previously displayed a green bar with your company name in the browser, though most browsers have removed this visual distinction. Cost: $100 to $500/year.

For most local service businesses, a standard Domain Validated certificate is sufficient. It provides the HTTPS encryption, removes browser warnings, and satisfies Google's requirements.

How to Get SSL for Your Website

Getting SSL is straightforward, and in many cases, it is free:

If you are on modern hosting (Vercel, Netlify, Cloudflare Pages): SSL is included automatically. Every site deployed to these platforms gets HTTPS with no configuration needed. This is one of many advantages of using modern platforms.

If you are on traditional hosting: Most hosting providers now offer free SSL through Let's Encrypt. Look for "SSL" or "Security" in your hosting control panel. Enable it and follow the prompts. It typically takes 5 to 15 minutes.

If your host does not offer free SSL: You can purchase a certificate from providers like DigiCert, Comodo, or GoDaddy, or use Cloudflare's free tier to add SSL in front of your existing hosting.

After installing SSL, you need to ensure all your pages redirect from HTTP to HTTPS. This prevents visitors from accidentally accessing the unsecured version of your site.

What Happens After You Enable SSL

Once SSL is active on your site, several things change:

• Your URL changes from http:// to https://
• Browsers display a padlock icon instead of a "Not Secure" warning
• Form data is encrypted during transmission
• Google may give you a slight ranking boost
• Visitors feel more confident sharing their information

You should also update any hardcoded links within your site to use HTTPS, update your Google Business Profile URL, and submit the HTTPS version of your sitemap to Google Search Console.

SSL and Lead Generation

For local service businesses that rely on contact forms and lead capture, SSL is especially important. When a potential customer fills out your contact form, they are sharing their name, phone number, and email. If your site is not secured, they may hesitate to submit sensitive information - or their browser may warn them not to.

A secured site with the padlock icon reassures visitors that their information is protected. This builds the trust needed for form submissions, which directly impacts your lead volume.

The websites webIQ builds include SSL by default because we deploy on modern platforms that provide it automatically. Your site is secure from day one.

Common SSL Mistakes

Even with SSL installed, some common mistakes can undermine your security:

Mixed content warnings - If your HTTPS page loads images, scripts, or resources over HTTP, browsers may display warnings. All resources on your pages must use HTTPS.

Expired certificates - SSL certificates expire, typically after one year. If yours expires and is not renewed, the browser warnings return. Free certificates from Let's Encrypt auto-renew, which is why they are popular.

Not redirecting HTTP to HTTPS - Both versions of your site (http and https) exist simultaneously. Without a redirect, visitors might access the unsecured version. You need to set up a permanent redirect (301) from HTTP to HTTPS.

Forgetting to update internal links - After enabling SSL, update all internal links, canonical URLs, and sitemap URLs to use HTTPS.

The Bottom Line

SSL is no longer optional for any business website. It prevents browser warnings that scare away visitors, provides a Google ranking advantage, protects your visitors' data, and builds the trust needed for lead generation.

If your website still runs on HTTP, fixing this should be your first priority. If you are building a new website, choose a platform and hosting provider that includes SSL automatically - like the Next.js sites webIQ builds on Vercel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is SSL really free?

Yes. Let's Encrypt provides free SSL certificates, and most modern hosting providers include SSL at no additional cost. Platforms like Vercel, Netlify, and Cloudflare Pages include automatic SSL for every site.

Will adding SSL slow down my website?

No. Modern SSL implementations have negligible performance impact. In fact, HTTPS is required for HTTP/2, which actually makes your website faster through multiplexing and server push features.

What happens if my SSL certificate expires?

If your certificate expires, browsers will display full-page security warnings that prevent visitors from accessing your site. Most hosting providers auto-renew certificates, but it is important to verify that auto-renewal is enabled.

Do I need SSL if I do not have any forms on my website?

Yes. Even without forms, browsers display "Not Secure" warnings for HTTP sites, which damages trust and can reduce traffic. SSL is also a Google ranking factor regardless of whether you collect user data.