Does Google think your Website is Unsafe?

We have a guest blogger on Direct Talk today - Ronen Divon, co-owner of Progressive Element, a web development company that helps its clients generate revenue and cut expenses.

If your website has even a simple form, such as asking people to contact you or sign up for your newsletter, and no HTTPS/SSL certificate, Google will tell potential customers that your site is UNSAFE.

Next week, Google will visibly mark websites without SSL (Secure Sockets Layer certificate, which is being now being referred to as Transport Layer Security - TLS) as unsafe.

Unlike before, where the warning was subdued, and most site visitors didn’t even notice it, it will now be quite visible. It is likely to cause people to skip websites with such a warning, which is exactly what Google is trying to achieve. Please note that many website owners are not aware of this issue nor of the deadline. Webmasters and hosts of site are either unaware, or do not bother to warn their clients. It can cause businesses a significant loss in business if not addressed promptly.

The warning will only show on Chrome browsers v62 and later releases. That being said, Chrome is the most popular browser out there (44.5% percent of the market, according to the federal government's Digital Analytics Program – DAP) with Safari and Internet Explorer trailing far behind (25.4% and 15.5% respectively), thus, this will have a strong effect. You can read more about it here .

A business entrepreneur and internet innovator, Ronen has been building businesses since 1995. His company, Progressive Element provides Online Business and Web Development, as well as a host of online services. Ronen is also a Yoga and Tai Chi instructor with a passion for health and wellness. He is a published writer (fiction, non-fiction, poetry and blogging,) and a father of four. Ronen is active in the business community as well as socially through local organizations including but not limited to BNI, Heart of Cary, Down Under Divers Club, DAN, and Yoga Alliance.