Are you looking for a way to make your website stand out from the competition?
Your online tax business can benefit from having a website security certificate.
In today’s digital age, website security matters now more than ever before. Especially if you are collecting a visitor’s personal information.
According to a study by Javelin, $16 billion was stolen from 15.4 million U.S. consumers in 2016. This is up from $15.1 billion and 13.1 million people from the year before.
But that doesn’t mean your customers will become part of that statistic by using your website.
Read on to learn 7 advantages of having a website security certificate.
1. Encrypt a User’s Personal Information
The online environment can pose serious threats to the safety of a user’s sensitive information.
That’s because approximately 86 percent of websites contain at least one serious security vulnerability. It’s a staggering statistic that illustrates the risks that some consumers associate with shopping on the internet.
A secure sockets layer (SSL) website security certificate allows you to encrypt a user’s personal information. This way when they input information into your website, it’s scrambled before it’s transmitted to other places online. This means that if it got into the hands of an unintended recipient, it would be unreadable.
By protecting someone’s name, address, credit card number and other sensitive information, you send a strong message that your business cares about security.
This can go a long way in the eyes of a consumer who has a lot of options.
2. Receive Authentication
Your website will also benefit from the server certificate that is issued with each SSL certificate. These server certificates are a benefit for both you and your customers.
That’s because a server certificate helps you authenticate information you receive online. But users can also look over these certificates to be sure your website is authentic and updated. This helps give them peace of mind that the website they are on is actually yours. Not an imitation page that is set up to look identical to your website.
Giving a consumer confidence in your online company can help you earn their business.
3. Build Your Brand
Your website security certificate can help you build a stronger brand online.
That’s because your business aligns with one of your customers’ interests — keeping their personal information secure.
When you earn a security certificate, you are often able to add security seals to your website. This way anyone that visits your website can see that you are making your website’s security a priority.
A more secure website helps you appear more favorably to potential clients. This can help them identify your brand as one that focuses more on clients than other online tax businesses out there.
4. Earn a Customer’s Trust
Taking added security measures on your website helps you earn a potential customer’s trust.
But how much does website security matter to potential customers?
According to GMO Global Sign, 85 percent of consumers will not buy from a website where they were not certain that their data was being transmitted securely. This helps to show the sort of emphasis you should place on earning your customer’s trust online.
Otherwise, your quality tax services may be picked over by a company where a client feels safer online.
5. Improve Website SEO
A website security certificate can also help you improve search engine optimization (SEO).
SEO is a type of digital marketing focused on helping improve a website’s ranking in search engine results. A whopping 93 percent of internet users begin their sessions by using a search engine!
Needless to say, where you rank in search engines matters. After all, you can have the best online income tax business. But what good does it do if no one can find it when they are looking for it?
It’s also important to a search engine like Google — a search engine that has over 3.5 billion searches worldwide each day.
For example, compare two identical websites. If one has a security certificate and the other one doesn’t, Google ranks the first one higher in results.
The sheer popularity of Google makes it a website that has preferences you cannot afford to ignore.
6. Improve Website Conversions
When someone trusts you, they feel better about doing business with you.
This can help you improve your website’s conversion rate. This is a measurement of how often a visitor is taking a desired action. For example, paying you to complete their online tax return after browsing your website.
OrientalFurniture.com improved their conversions by almost 8 percent with a security seal. They have made security an important aspect of their e-commerce business.
“There are so many companies competing online today that consumers have the luxury of choosing among many merchants, which makes differentiating ourselves via our commitment to our customer extremely important,” said Peter Givertzman, the President of OrientalFurniture.com, according to Digital Commerce 360.
7. Avoid Unwanted Litigation
Having a website that protects customer information can help you avoid legal battles after a security breach. It’s becoming an increasingly more important issue for businesses who have operations on the internet.
For example, the Equifax data breach in 2017 has caused legal issues for the credit agency. They are now on the receiving end of a 50-state class action lawsuit.
Litigation (or the threat of a lawsuit) can cost you thousands of dollars to defend. But it can also take you away from keeping a focus on your business and serving the needs of your clients.
Wrapping Up: Benefits of a Website Security Certificate
A website security certificate is one great way for you to have a stronger online presence.
But a certificate doesn’t only create a safer environment for your business online. It gives a client another reason to choose your business over the competition.
Are you looking for more ways to improve your website and help it run smoother?
At SiteUpTime, we offer website and server monitoring services for individuals and businesses. Our system checks your website every two minutes from eight different locations across five continents.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your company’s web presence!
