I have asked myself if I really do need SSL certificate for my blog, below are some answers from different people.There are a couple of reasons you might want to use SSL for your blog:
1.) Security
First and foremost is the security benefits you’ll get from installing an SSL. You may not think your blog needs it, but with the low cost of most SSLs today and the increasing number of cyber attacks, it may make sense for you. This is not only for your piece of mind, but for those visiting your site. More and more users are getting educated on the need to protect data, which will ultimately have an effect on which sites they trust.
2.) SEO rankings boost
With Google announcing that sites that install SSL are going to get a slight ranking boost in their search index, it can help your search rankings. While so far it’s only been a small boost, that may change in the future.
Here is what Google said:
“For these reasons, over the past few months we’ve been running tests taking into account whether sites use secure, encrypted connections as a signal in our search ranking algorithms. We’ve seen positive results, so we’re starting to use HTTPS as a ranking signal. For now it’s only a very lightweight signal—affecting fewer than 1% of global queries, and carrying less weight than other signals such as high-quality content—while we give webmasters time to switch to HTTPS. But over time, we may decide to strengthen it, because we’d like to encourage all website owners to switch from HTTP to HTTPS to keep everyone safe on the web.”
Ronnie Charrier
Yes, you should enable SSL security to your blog to encrypt information, authentication and gain customer trust. Content based website also requires having own brand reputation and customer trust on their website to get more reader base. So, it is as equally important for content-based blogging websites as commercial sites.
Attackers always search for plain HTTP site or loophole on site, by gaining access of your site they can interrupt with content and damage your brand reputation. However, SSL will provide strong protection as well authentication that users will trust on your site. The main benefit of having SSL on content-based website is that,
- It will encrypt the content of the website and help you to avoid eavesdropping, man-in-middle-attack, sniffing attacks and forging the contents of the communication.
- It will authenticate your website and/or business and prove your identity as a reliable.
- Besides, your website will have authenticity that notifies visitors about their information to be secured if they share with the website. They get assurance about website authenticity.
- Moreover, your website will be free from injection of malicious ads, exploits, unwanted widgets, software replacement, and harm to web pages once you have SSL on your website.
- SSL certificate offers static site seal that can be placed on any web page for assurance and customers can click on the seal to know the details of installed SSL certificate.
- Google has given HTTPS as a ranking signal demand of secured environment over the web.
Jason Parms
I hope the above answers have helped you to decide whether to have SSL on your blog but nevertheless your blog contents plays a major role on google ranking with or without SSL. Ciao!