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Your website is an extension of your business, providing important services to the families you serve. From viewing an obituary to filling out a pre-planning form online, your website serves your community 24×7 and is always working for you. Given the importance of this resource, it’s very important that your website is secure and uses the latest technology.

Google has long advocated that all websites install an SSL certificate, making every interaction between a user and a website completely private. When a user opens a website in their web browser, a “conversation” takes place between the user’s device (a smart phone, tablet, or computer) and the web server that hosts the website. This conversation is either public (HTTP) or private (HTTPS).

One would assume that opening a website creates a direct communication between their device and the server, but this is typically not the case. This “conversation,” if using HTTP, is like having a private discussion in a public room. Anyone on the same network (e.g. in the same coffee shop or airport) can overhear this communication using their own device. This can be a problem if personal or sensitive information is passed over HTTP; hackers can easily steal it. In contrast, HTTPS-based communication is like speaking in a language that no-one else understands. Even though the conversation is still in public, no-one is able to eavesdrop on what is being said.

Take a look at the video below for a great explanation of the differences between HTTP and HTTPS:

We feel that HTTPS is essential for a modern funeral home and have been including the capability with our websites for a number of years now.  If a user attempts to connect via HTTP, CFS websites automatically move them to HTTPS.  We do this for several reasons:

1. Consumers often share personal data with funeral home websites.  This is especially true when completing pre-planning forms or perhaps sharing contact information with the funeral home.  For this reason alone, it is prudent to run the website using HTTPS.
   
   
2. Data breaches are all too common and well-publicized.  Given this, users feel more comfortable on secure/HTTPS websites.  A secure funeral home website looks more professional (and trustworthy) and puts it on par with major institutions such as banks and large retailers.
   
   
3. Google is heavily pushing for a secure Internet with their “HTTPS everywhere” initiative.  A website’s Google ranking is slightly ‘boosted’ if it supports HTTPS.  Google indicates that they may increase the HTTPS ‘boost’ over time to help encourage web providers to adopt it.
   
   
4. Google’s popular Chrome browser has started to warn users with an ‘Insecure site’ message when users are asked to complete forms on a HTTP-only website.  This warning currently occurs when users enter information at the website, including a guestbook post. However, the warning will extend to all website pages in July 2018.

Modern CFS websites automatically include SSL certificates (at no cost) and run exclusively over HTTPS. If you visit your website, you should find that it automatically displays https:// in the address bar. If your website does not, please give us a call and we’ll be happy to upgrade you to a custom-designed, modern, mobile-responsive CFS website. As always, our secure websites are provided at no cost to you.