Tech Jargon Explained: SEO and SSL

You probably have seen a "green padlock" when you visit a website either on your phone or computer. Sometimes the padlock icon is simply gray in color. You probably have also been able to get the right results from Google just by typing in a few keywords.

When you Google something say "A23Labs" you see relevant results regarding what A23Labs does and any other information regarding the above mentioned subject. You have in essence experienced SSL and SEO respectively.

TL:DR (Too Long: Didn't Read): SEO is a method which optimises search engines like Google towards displaying relevant information about something for all related search queries. SSL is basically a way of encrypting communication between the sender and receiver. This is to prevent any intruders who want to tap into what's being communicated.

What is SSL?

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a way of encrypting communication between the sender and receiver by creating a special authenticated links between the two communicating entities. Its represented by a padlock when you visit a given website. That padlock means your communication with the server that holds the website is encrypted. This is essentially great in this privacy-focused world we live in at the time of this writing.

Ever watched The Matrix? Well you do remember the green screens with random figures and letters in many of the scenes. Alright, are you able to read the messages on those screens🤔? Thought so too. Its an obvious NO. The same happens to your messages when they are moving from your device to a server with SSL, encrypted!

So the next time you are shopping online, please look out for the 'green padlock' so that you are sure your credit card details are not being stolen or copied over to some other random database which you might not have an idea about.

According to Wikipedia,

SSL is a cryptographic protocol designed to provide communications security over a computer network.

However, SSL is old technology, yap, you read that right. It's now deprecated in favour of something called TLS (Transport Layer Security). So kudos to you now that you have learnt two new terms at once. SSL is the old man while TLS is the youth who has come of age.

What is SEO?

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is basically a way of improving the quality and quantity of website traffic to a given website. This is basically telling every search engine in the world out there that there is this awesome website that provides great content and you gotta check it out!

Here is a great video by Lyn Tukei, an awesome human regarding SEO, enjoy 😎

Well the video sums it up.