For some time now, Google has been giving websites with SSL certificates a slight edge in search results rankings.

An SSL certificate gives owners and users more security using encryption.

Luckily, it’s inexpensive to implement.

• Sites that don’t have an SSL certificate have web addresses beginning with http://
• Sites that do have an SSL certificate have web addresses beginning with https://

It had been reported that this past July, the popular Chrome browser would start marking a site as “not secure” when people try to navigate to http:// websites.

I have not seen that happening yet. But I wouldn’t count on that lasting.

Other browsers are likely to do the same.

If you don’t have an SSL certificate, your prospects could be scared away.

Easy Web Tip #263: Your business can no longer afford to go without an SSL certificate.