Even when Google indicated that that the presence of HTTPS would impact search position on its results page/index, for some reason 'Net professionals still weren't exactly in a hurry to implement SSL certificates.
The reason? Implementing an SSL certificate, which Website Magazine has covered in some detail over the years in a variety of ways, can be both costly and complicated.
As security becomes increasingly top of mind however, brands need to start using SSL certificates as soon as possible or risk being demoted in the Google search results (not to mention risk providing a far less secure environment for their consumers which causes problems on its own in terms of the quality of experience) in the future.
If you want a solid introduction to what SSL is and some basic guidance how to get started, first read Website Magazine "Guide to Moving on Up with SSL," and then continue below for some additional valuable links to help with this important transition. This is, obviously, far from a comprehensive list but these are excellent resources that Website Magazine has collected this year that we're confident readers and Web professionals will derive value from:
+ How Do I Convert My Site to SSL and HTTPS (1and1)
+ Installing an SSL Certificate with cPanel
+ Beginners Guide to Website SSL Certs
+ Choosing an SSL-TLS Certificate (Digicert)
+ How Do I Activate an SSL Certificate (Namecheap)
+ Guide to Choosing an SSL Certificate (GlobalSign)
+ Configuring SSL of Your Websites (Rackspace)
+ Elasticsearch and SSL & Native Authentication (Elastic)
+ How Can I Get HTTP For My Site (WPEngine)