Back to BlogsWhy You Need a SSL Certificate on Your Hotel Website
For hoteliers, the guest’s experience is the number one priority, and making them feel comfortable is something that must start right at the first point of contact with your hotel. This is where SSL certificates come in.
What exactly does an SSL certificate do? Well, the letter that starts the URL to any website is “http”, which stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol and is primarily used on the World Wide Web. Without an SSL certificate, the connection that is initiated between a client and server is not secure and prone to being exploited. With an SSL certificate, the protocol is modified and prefixed with an “s” to the end of it, making it “https” and enhancing the security of the connection to your website. So, how does that impact your guest’s experience? Because any information that they enter into your website will be communicated over an encrypted connection. Here are three reasons why you should add an SSL certificate to your hotel website:
It Keeps Private Information Safe
With an SSL certificate, any data that is entered is sent over a secured encrypted connection. In other words, SSL certificates ensure that the sensitive information of your guests is protected and won’t be privy to third parties or hackers. This is crucially important if guests are booking their hotel reservations online and submitting extremely private information, like credit card numbers, through your website.
Preferred by Search Engines
Most browsers now indicate if a website isn’t secure. Plus, Google gives ranking priority to secure sites. If you have an SSL certificate, your Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS) will benefit from a gain in ranking but will not always outrank an unsecured competitor if your on and off-page optimizations are lacking. Check out our other tips on how to optimize your hotel’s website for search engines.
It Increases Your Guest's Trust
It’s simple: if your website isn’t secure, a guest will hesitate to book with you. If they’re not sure if they can feel safe giving you their personal information, they won’t — and nor should they. SSL certificates show that you care about your clients’ privacy and are handling the sensitive information they’re giving you with care. That, in turn, builds trust and starts your relationship on the right foot.
For further support on how to create a digital marketing plan for your hotel that hits all the right notes, get in touch with us! At Digital Hospitality, we’re committed to growing direct bookings and making people happy through travel experiences.
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