Google and other Internet experts encourage websites to display all pages using https:// (secure). Google is even forcing this in the current versions of Chrome (which is used for more than 60% of web traffic) by flagging website pages that are displayed using http:// with a “NOT SECURE” warning and downgrading them in the Google search results.
They are taking this action to protect users who may not fully understand Internet security (almost everyone!) and especially what they are looking at as they jump from website to website. This change also helps to protect users from “man-in-the-middle” attacks: someone intercepting your web traffic and using it to learn your vulnerabilities.
You have two options for SSL certificates with ClubExpress:
- Use the ClubExpress.com SSL certificate. Your domain name will continue to point to your ClubExpress website. But when users arrive on the site, they will not see your domain in the address bar but instead, the URL will be in ShortName format (e.g. https://MyClub.ClubExpress.com.) There is also no charge for selecting this option.
- You can purchase an SSL certificate through ClubExpress and have it installed on our system. Your domain name will continue to point to your ClubExpress website. The public side of the website will now be displayed using this domain and https:// and will be flagged as secure. An additional benefit is that when members login, they will continue to see your domain; the ShortName.clubexpress.com URL will not appear in the address bar, even on the members’ side of your website. Also, this option should improve your position in search results.
Certificates must be purchased from ClubExpress; we cannot install certificates that you have obtained from other vendors.