So, you’re a financial adviser. Do you need an SSL certificate? And will having one influence your search rankings?

As an adviser, you’ll already be aware of the stringent regulations around data protection. And the chances are, you’ll already be aware of SSL certificates.

SSL certificates give digital authentication of website identities; and secure data by encryption before sending it across the internet, where it is then made readable at the other end.

Having an SSL means that if a client is sending you sensitive information, through your website, their browser will access the server’s certificate and a secure connection will be established.

Our experience tells us that many people tend to think they will only need an SSL if they take payments through their website. This is not the case.

Here at WEBPRO Adviser, we believe every financial adviser should have one. There are a number of reasons for this. These include:

• They build the trust of clients and potential clients
• SSLs spell peace of mind and reassurance for you and your clients at a time when data hacks are so frequently reported
• To enhance professionalism and show that you care about client confidentiality
• They offer outstanding value for money. You can’t put a price on the trust of your clients; and SSLs are very reasonable

Still not convinced?

From October 2018, browsers such as Google Chrome and Firefox began indicating clearly whether a site owned an SSL certificate or not.

If a website has an SSL, a small locked padlock to the left of the address bar is displayed. And you will see the letters ‘https’ instead of ‘http’ on some website browsers. The additional ‘s’ represents ‘secure’.

If a website doesn’t have an SSL, a red line is shown through the padlock and the message “Connection is not secure” is shown when this is hovered over.

Naturally, this can be very off-putting for those wishing to share their personal financial information or other sensitive data and could potentially lead to you losing business.

Now for the big question: ‘Do SSL certificates boost your ranking on Google?’

The short answer to that is: “Yes.”

For SEO purposes alone, we firmly believe every website owner should purchase an SSL certificate, regardless of how new or old their website is. Although it is unclear to what extent, we do know that Google shows preference for websites which have an SSL certificate installed over those that do not, automatically giving them an advantage, however small.

Since not all companies are on board with this yet, we feel it is a great opportunity for our clients.

WEBPRO Adviser believes it’s right that you are fully informed, so that you can be among those who are leading the way. Purchasing an SSL certificate may seem insignificant, however it could help you to be found and it will clearly show your current clients and others that you have a forward-thinking approach. And that you care.

For all of these reasons, we believe having an SSL certificate installed on your website is best practice and we would firmly recommend all financial advisers have one.

SSL certificates don’t just make sense – they make perfect business sense.