Effective July 2018, Google’s Chrome browser will mark non-HTTPS sites as ‘not secure’

By the end of July 2018, Google's Chrome browser is going to mark all non-HTTPS sites as 'NOT SECURE'

For several years now, Google has been forcing websites to implement SSL certificates. It all started with their 2014 HTTPS Everywhere campaign, in which the goal was to raise awareness of the value of SSL certificates. SSL later became a Google ranking signal to further encourage website owners to implement these certificates.

Many of you are probably wondering, what exactly is a SSL certificate? Well, in simple terms a SSL certificate is a text file with encrypted data that you install onto your server which allows you to secure and encrypt sensitive information and communications between your website and your website viewers.

SSL stands for ‘Secure Sockets Layer,’ and when a website owner has one, all the data that is passed between web browsers and servers remains private and encrypted.

If you do not have an SSL certificate installed on your website, Google Chrome will mark your website as a 'NON SECURE SITE' which could in turn drive your visitors away from your site. But how are you able to tell if the website is secure or not? This is actually very simple to determine. If you go onto a website and the site is secure, there will be a little green closed lock next to the HTTPS in the URL. See below for example.

Now if the website does not have an SSL certificate installed, you will not see that little green lock next to the HTTPS, instead it will be flagged with a warning in the URL bar of the browser. See below for example.

Now think of this scenario as if you were a consumer...

Imagine yourself as customer shopping online and Google shows you a 'NOT SECURE' warning when you land on a website.... would you click through to the website or just leave? Most people will leave the site and not return again as they may feel like it is a scam.

Depending on your websites size and software, it could be an expensive and lengthy undertaking to get your site up to code with Google Chrome's new code requirements.

Luckily our NEKO|360 website software includes the SSL Certificate with every website build, no matter how big or small the site may be!

If you are worried that your website does not have an SSL certificate installed, contact us today and see how we can help to prevent your website from being penalized due to these policy changes.