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Product Info: Securing Microsites, Image Links, and Application Links
Overview
Creating trust between a business and their customers is one of the most important parts of any company. Recently, browsers have started implementing new standards related to HTTPS. When visitors open a website and see sites that are not secure (HTTP) that trust begins to erode. Google explains, “You should always protect all of your websites with HTTPS, even if [you] don’t handle sensitive communications.” Visitors are more likely to give their information if they can see that a website connection is encrypted, and their web browser is labeling it as secure. As an Eloqua customer, you have the tools available to secure your sites.
What is the difference between http and https?
A secure website certificate helps browsers determine whether the site you are visiting is actually the site that it claims to be.
A microsite is a miniature website, often dedicated to a specific campaign, product, or keyword. The purpose is to give a visitor (whether channeled through your website, social media assets, emails, SMS, or other channels) precise information that they can use to better understand your products and services or to make a buying decision.
A secure microsite is similar to a basic microsite, but it uses SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to encrypt the data that is passed between a visitor's browser and the web server. Normally, data sent between the browser and the webserver is transmitted in plain text. SSL encrypts the data so it cannot be intercepted by a third party, making it ideal for microsites that will involve the exchange of sensitive information, like passwords.
Any https:// domain is using SSL to encrypt the connection. Most modern web browsers include a visual indicator showing that the connection is secure. For example, Eloqua's login page uses SSL, as indicated by the green lock symbol, and Oracle Corporation (US) information in the left side of the URL bar.
Examples of Not Secure browser treatments:
Examples of Secure browser treatments:
Any microsite with mixed secure (https) and non-secure (http) content will also display a warning to the visitor. For example, the warning below higlights that image domain links are not secure.
Benefits of Having an SSL Secure Website:
- HTTPS protects the integrity of your website
- HTTPS helps prevent intruders from tampering with the communications between your websites and your users’ browsers.
- HTTPS protects the privacy and security of your users
- HTTPS prevents intruders from being able to passively listen to communications between your websites and your users.
- HTTPS provides trust
- The visual cues in the web browsers such as a lock or green icon makes sure visitors know when their connection is secured. This means that you will more easily gain the trust of those visitors coming to your website.
- HTTPS is the future of the web
- SSL is required for compliance
- Many industries and legislations require secure microsites. For example, one requirement of PCI compliance is properly using SSL certificates.
- Google rankings will improve with SSL secure website
- Google confirmed they favor HTTPS sites. If your site isn’t secured and you want it ranked by Google, it could be outranked by sites that are secure.
Eloqua Recommends Securing Microsites, Image Domains, and Application Domains
These updates for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and other browsers showcase the need for marketers to secure their Eloqua microsites and hyperlinks including branded image and branded application domains. The goal of the internet community is to establish encryption as the norm and to phase out all unencrypted connections and Oracle Eloqua is committed to helping our customers have completely secure sites.
Note: Customers who have not implemented branding have secure image and application domains by default.
Secure Microsites in Eloqua: While generally used by organizations that handle extra sensitive information during form data collection, the use of Secure Microsites in Eloqua, can also stop visitors from seeing a “Non-Secure” warning in Google Chrome when they visit your landing pages. Google has indicated that in the future it will start giving HTTPS pages priority in search rankings, so there are potentially additional benefits that can come from this approach.
All customers can secure one SSL certificate for their microsites. We recommend purchasing a wildcard or SAN certificate to secure multiple domains.
Secure Image and Application (System and Redirect) links in Eloqua: All non-branded image and application links are secured by default. For those customers wanting to secure their branded image and application domain, call support and they can guide you through the process.