With new-age tools like an AI website maker, creating a website has never been easier in the digital age. These smart tools can put capable websites in the hands of even the most novice and non-technical users, all typically in a matter of minutes. Building a site is only a small part of the process, however. If you want your website to rank in searches, charge quickly, and be a secure place for your users to enjoy, security becomes an important factor, especially SSL certificates and HTTPS, along with web hosting. Search engines promote websites that are secure because they recognize the importance of website security. Your ranking is directly impacted by whether or not your site can meet basic security features.
When considering where to host your site, many people want to keep costs low and choose inexpensive hosting. This can be a smart decision, especially for small businesses or personal blogs, but only if the hosting company provides basic security features as well. This would include SSL certificates, firewall protection, automatic backups, and HTTPS support. These are usually available plans that you can easily add to your low price hosting.
What Are SSL and HTTPS?
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is the standard technology used to keep an internet connection secure. It secures all sensitive data transferred between a user’s browser and your website, which can include passwords, credit card numbers, and personal information. A website using SSL will change the identifiable part of the URL from HTTP to HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure).
Why is this important? Because HTTPS encrypts the data flow between the user and the website, hackers cannot intercept or misuse the information. Beyond just having users trust you, SSL is also a ranking factor in Google’s algorithm. Google has promoted and pushed SSL for website adoption since 2014, and any site without SSL will have “Not Secure” flagged in Chrome. This is one of the biggest turnoffs for users.
The SEO-Security Link: Signal for Trust and Rankings
If your site is not secure, Google has no incentive to rank your link above a more trustworthy website. This is why HTTPS is a ranking signal for Google. Having an SSL certificate and a secure connection not only distinguishes your site as credible but also generates higher click-through rates.
Users are significantly more likely to click on and continue searching on websites that show the secure padlock symbol in their browser bar. Conversely, unsecured websites tend to have higher bounce rates, lower rankings, and lower conversion rates.
Link Between Web Hosting and Site Security
Your web host plays a significant role in determining your website’s performance and security. Although cheap hosting options may be difficult to resist, particularly when you are starting out, you should still assess the website host for basic security features.
What to look for (when choosing a cheap host):
- Free SSL certificates (such as Let’s Encrypt)
- Automatic updates and backups
- Firewall and malware protection
- Technical support (24/7)
- Server response times and uptime
If a cheap host does not have these features, it may cost you more with lost visitors, hacked sites, or penalties from Google (in the long run).
Why SSL Alone Isn’t Enough?
SSL is an important part of the security puzzle, but it’s just the starting point. To genuinely secure your website and make the most of it, you should also consider:
- Regular software updates (especially supplementing WordPress or any CMS you happen to be using)
- Strong password policies
- Anti-spam tools
- Incorporate two-factor authentication
- Secure administrative access (to use HTTPS even when logging into the backend)
Most AI website builders already offer some level of integration for all of these features, but it ultimately falls to you to ensure they are turned on and properly configured.
Must-Haves for Mobile-First SEO
Currently, Google employs mobile-first indexing, which means it uses the mobile version of your site to rank and index your site. If your mobile version is insecure, slow, or poorly hosted, it will hurt your overall site ranking. This is why it’s essential to select a hosting provider that will generally help to support mobile speed optimization, SSL, and fast load times, even if you’re on a budget.
A number of low-price hosting companies now offer reasonable performance plans to support mobile in order to help your site compete even with hyper-competitive search results.
Establishing Credibility among Visitors
User trust is one of the most disregarded aspects of SEO. You can send traffic of visitors from a plethora of sources to your site, but if they don’t feel safe, it doesn’t matter. Seeing that secure padlock in the browser bar and the secure URL (https://) might add instant credibility for visitors to your site. They are much more likely to fill out forms and share their information when they trust the site. This is something Google is also aware of, so all of these touchpoints relate to traffic, performance, and user trust on your site.
Concluding Insights
Whether you’re using an AI website builder for a fast, professional online presence or trying to economize with low-priced hosting, you shouldn’t ignore security. SSL certificates, HTTPS encryption, and a reliable host aren’t just technical details; they influence your search engine performance, user experience, and brand reputation. To think of it differently, a secure site informs both the users and search engines that you take quality seriously. And in a crowded online space, that can be the difference between page 1 and page 10.
Digital Web Services (DWS) is a leading IT company specializing in Software Development, Web Application Development, Website Designing, and Digital Marketing. Here are providing all kinds of services and solutions for the digital transformation of any business and website.
