Question:
Would you leave sensitive documents with tons of your personal information out on a table when you have guests over to your house?
If so, kudos to you for having a trusting, carefree spirit—you probably won't care about this topic if you don't mind posting pictures of your new credit card on Facebook.
If you have more sense than that, keep reading. The internet is a scary place with a lot of shady characters itching to get their hands on your data.
HTTP VS. HTTPS
HTTP is an acronym for hypertext transfer protocol. It’s the protocol that handles communication between systems. This is what transfers data from servers to your browser to view web pages.
Most people don't think about it, but this is what happens behind the scenes whenever you visit a web page.
HTTP is not encrypted so it can be intercepted by anyone looking to gather data being transferred between systems.
The 'S' in HTTPS stands for 'secure' and can be obtained by using an SSL certificate. 'SSL certificate' stands for secure sockets layer certificate which authenticates the identity of a website and creates a secure, encrypted connection between the server and your browser.
Without HTTPS, any data that is transferred between servers is insecure. Until recently, the majority of SSL certificate users have been e-commerce sites and any website where there may be a transfer of sensitive information like credit card or financial information.
As internet security becomes a growing concern the need for HTTPS is steadily increasing, and the uptake of SSL certificates has begun to rise, but the level of awareness about this technology is still vanishingly small.
Why HTTPS & SSL is Crucial
The short answer: you're making your website more secure and improving user trust.
The number of people who care about a secure connection will vary based on your target clientele, but you may be surprised at the number of people who notice and look for a secure connection, especially now that Google's chrome browser prominently displays whether or not a website is secure.
According to internet security authority GlobalSign, nearly 50% of online shoppers worry about their credit card information being stolen and 84% would abandon a purchase if data was not sent over secure connection.
At Google I/O in 2014, Google talked about their vision for “HTTPS everywhere” and suggested that HTTPS would be used as a ranking signal, which means that websites using a secure connection could see a boost in their SEO ranking.
If Google is talking about it, I think it's safe to say that you might want to pay attention. The importance of HTTPS, similar to the importance of mobile friendly websites is guaranteed to climb.
How To Get Secure
Website CMS platforms like Squarespace, Wix, and Pagecloud have adopted security practices and are making it super, ridiculously easy to turn on SSL certificates.
Some make it easier than others...
For instance, this feature is already on by default in Squarespace, plus there's an additional option to force browses to view the secure version of your site that you can turn on with one click (sorry, I had to plug Squarespace somewhere—this is a blog about Squarespace stuff after all).
With Wix, you'll need to turn SSL on manually, but still an easy process.
Pagecloud asks you to follow a 12 step process to activate an SSL certificate via Cloudflare, still easy-ish if you're a little more tech savvy.
Finally, there may be plugins and a little bit more advanced knowledge of certificate types, coding, etc. required to install an SSL certificate on a Wordpress website, not to mention the updating of all internal website links, which has the potential to be a massive task, depending on the size of your website.
The point of all this is that there are varying levels of difficulty involved in making your website secure.
It is my opinion that regardless of steps you need to take, it's important and will become increasingly important to add this basic level of security to your website. This is yet another reason I build all my client websites with Squarespace. It has been my experience that they are ahead of the curve with respect to core back-end and SEO related features.
Final Thoughts
At the very least, security should be a concern for you regardless of the nature of your business if only to mitigate the risk of experiencing a breach, a hack, or personal information theft. However, it's important to realize that HTTPS will soon become the norm rather than the exception.
There's no time like the present, as they say. It's always better to be ahead of the curve rather than waiting until the last minute when you don't have a choice.
Google's ranking algorithm and SEO best practices are always a key driver for the decisions I make for my website, but this one is a no-brainer.
Be prudent. Be Responsible. Be Secure.
Related Articles:
Learn how to turn the inset border on a Squarespace section into a blurred image frame using just 6 lines of custom CSS. Step-by-step tutorial with a code generator.
Create a vertical scrolling testimonial carousel to any Squarespace site. Includes a live code generator where you can type in your own reviews, customize colors, speed, and card styles, and copy the finished code in one click.
Uploaded a video to Squarespace but can't find a way to download it back? Here's a quick workaround to retrieve your hosted video files when the download button is missing.
Learn how to add quizes, polls, and surveys to your Squarespace website without code using Opinion Stage. A free tool to turn quizes and polls into lead generators.
Create anchor links in Squarespace 7.1 without coding! Learn to make smooth scrolling internal links for same-page navigation, links to other pages, and SEO-friendly anchor links. Get solutions for unsupported sections too.
A complete guide to the 2026 Squarespace Circle program changes, including how to qualify for Gold and Platinum status, earn points, and unlock exclusive discounts.
Create a typewriter effect header with a blinking cursor on your Squarespace site using one simple code block.
Add a 'View Project' button overlay to your Squarespace portfolio thumbnails. This code snippet is an easy plug-and-play solution to enhance your Squarespace website design.
Learn how to write original content as a Squarespace designer without relying on AI-generated templates. This guide covers a five-step process for creating blog posts that keep your unique voice while using AI as a helpful tool.
Add a collapsible floating side navigation menu to your Squarespace site with this code snippet. Keep links accessible without clutter, customize icons and colors, while being fully responsive. Follow the step-by-step guide to integrate it seamlessly.
Learn how to customize the default 'Sign up for News and Updates' text in Squarespace forms with a simple JavaScript snippet. This quick guide will help you align your forms with your brand’s tone and messaging, boosting engagement and maintaining consistency.
Discover Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and learn how to rank in AI-generated search results from tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Build a strong SEO foundation, optimize for informational queries, and adapt to AI-driven search behavior for future-proof visibility.
Learn how to reposition your Squarespace header to the bottom of the page using a simple CSS code snippet.
In this tutorial I will teach you how to add a polaroid photo effect to the Squarespace Instagram block.
![How to Change Images on Hover in Squarespace [Simple Guide]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671a6d15050267628d1bfe3a/1729955141069-JY8TZ37717WLM0T405BZ/Minimist+Web+Design+-+Squarespace+Designer+and+Developer+-+Change+Fluid+Engine+Images+on+Hover.png)
In this tutorial I will teach you how to change images on hover in Squarespace Fluid Engine and 7.1 using a very simple CSS code.
In this article I will guide you through the process of implementing the Ken Burns effect on your Squarespace images, galleries, and section banners using CSS.
When a member logs into their Member Area account, the page simply refreshes and the user panel opens. This can be confusing and not the best user experience. In today's article, I'll show you how to solve this problem by sharing a simple code snippet that you can add to your website
In today's digital landscape, websites must be designed with responsiveness in mind. As a Squarespace designer, one of the most important steps in my web design process is ensuring my websites are responsive and look amazing on all displays, be it mobile, tablet, or desktop.
If you’re a business owner or a freelancer, you know that it can be stressful enough having an unstable and variable income. The last thing you want to worry about is clients that ghost you after your work is done. Your livelihood depends entirely on invoices paid on time by your clients. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. Since starting my web design business, I have not encountered this problem once. Here are some tips to prevent late and non-payments
If you're a fan of Squarespace like I am, you'll know that 2022 was a banner year for the platform. They completely revamped their website builder with the "Fluid Engine" layout editor and let me tell you - it was a game changer. Building websites on Squarespace just got a whole lot easier and more stylish. But that's not all - they also rolled out a ton of new features that made it possible to create professional-grade websites without any coding skills. These updates were a total dream for anyone who loves to tinker with their website and try out the latest design trends. In this article, I'll be sharing all the details about these new features and giving you my honest thoughts on them.
Adding floating social icons that are always visible to your website is an easy way to encourage visitors to follow you on your chosen platforms and stay up to date with your content. Not only do these icons provide an easy way for visitors to connect with you, but they also contribute to the professional and cohesive look of your site. The new Fluid Engine update to Squarespace means the codes we used on 7.1 to achieve this are no longer viable and they need some tweaking.
In the web design business, like any tech-related business, technologies and trends move & change at an impossibly rapid rate. You’ve probably noticed many of these trends emerging already. If not, you’re going to notice them after reading this article.
Squarespace has just released a new feature that I've been wanting for a while: Saved Sections. In this post, I'll give you an overview of what Saved Sections are, how to use them, and how they can improve your Squarespace workflow.
In this article, I’ll show you how to create an anchor link sidebar navigation in Squarespace 7.1 and Fluid Engine.
In this article, I’ll show you how you can force the mobile navigation to show all the time, even when viewing on desktop browsers in Squarespace 7.1.
Like many, I left high-school with the task (read: burden) of deciding, that very minute, what it was that I was going to do for the rest of my life to make some semblance of a living in this tremendously costly city I call home. What do I want to be when I grow up? In western society, what that really means is: Which profession will define me a person, and how many expensive and unnecessary things do I want to buy to impress people I don’t like?
The Brine family of templates in Squarespace 7.0 offered a lovely, optional parallax feature that could be applied to banner images. 7.1 does not currently offer this option. However, with a little bit of code, we can add a (more flexible) version of the parallax effect to banner images in this updated design system.
Logos are essential for the branding of your company, and can also have an effect on the overall design of your site. This can certainly be an intimidating process if you have never designed a logo before, but it doesn’t have to be.
A complete guide to Squarespace’s 2025 pricing—Basic, Core, Plus, and Advanced. Use our free plan selector to quickly find the perfect tier for your site.