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secure holiday cottage website

Securing your holiday cottage website with SSL

secure holiday cottage websiteThe security of the internet and the information we share on it is becoming a concern for all of us. Whilst the ransomware attack on the NHS back in May 2018 was an extreme example, any business or holiday cottage website can fall victim to hacking. There were no fewer than 5.6 million fraud and computer misuse crimes committed in the UK during 2016 alone.

Having a securer internet is a cause that Google have been championing for a number of years; in 2014 they announced they were beginning to take whether or not a site was secure into their ranking algorithm. Google have continued in that vein with a view to contribute toward creating a safer internet for all users.

As this is a technical area, let’s talk through it in plain English…

How do you know if your own holiday cottage website is secure?

Look at the url bar of your web browser, you’ll see that your website starts with either:

  • http://
  • https://  

If it is https:// you will often also see a small padlock which indicates that your website is secure. (Although this may depend on your browser).

Secure in this context means that the information you are viewing and data you enter into the site is encrypted. (An example of this is where you fill out a contact or booking form).

So the next question is if it is not already, how does the information become encrypted and the site therefore become secure?

What is an SSL Certificate and why should your holiday cottage website have one? 

Short for ‘Secure Socket Layer’, an SSL Certificate is something that you as a website owner buy (usually from your website hosting provider) and then install on your site.

Its purpose is to encrypt the information passed between you and your visitor, and visa versa, therefore making this information secure and unable to be hacked or intercepted.

The cost of an SSL Certificate can vary from £20 a year up to £150, depending on the needs of your site and your website developer should be able to point you toward the most effective and appropriate for your needs.

What are the benefits?

As we’ve already mentioned, Google first began taking security into consideration within its algorithm back in 2014, and this is only going to continue to grow as a ranking signal.

Whilst it’s an over simplification to say that having an SSL certificate on your site and operating over https:// will increase your rankings on its own, it will certainly help.

With the new GDPR legislation dictating how we all handle data also coming into place in May this year, this is a good time to be diligent in how you handle data in all areas of your holiday cottage business, including your website.

Need more information on installing an SSL Certificate to make your holiday cottage website more secure?

Please talk with your hosting company and website developer who will be able to asist you.

Boshers offer specialist holiday home insurance to owners across the UK. For information on how specialist insurance can help protect your holiday home, call us on 01237 429444.

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GDPR

GDPR – What you need to know as a holiday homeowner

GDPRMany of you will have by now heard of GDPR (the General Data Protection Regulation). However there still remains a degree of confusion around what holiday homeowners need to do in order to comply. The new legislation on how we all handle data comes into force on 25th May 2018.

So what is changing and why does it affect you as a holiday homeowner?

The new regulations are designed to supersede the Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998.

Why the need for change? Simply because the old Act no longer represents the internet today; if you think of the changes in technology over the past twenty years it’s completely understandable that the old legislation has become outdated.

The new legislation builds upon the DPA (which we should all be adhering to already); it makes some slight alternations in order to fit with modern methods of marketing and the way data is often used in today’s world.

Its aim is to attempt to stop poor use and the abuse of data; not to catch small businesses or holiday homeowners out and issue fines. Therefore if you’re a holiday homeowner that only uses data in a responsible way then the changes should be embraced.

What does it mean for your email lists?

Most holiday homeowners will use email to communicate with, and market to potential guests. The new GDPR legislation won’t stop you from doing this, but there are a few things that you need to be aware of:

  1. If you’ve bought an email list then you’ll no longer be able to use them after 25th May 2018; unless you’re able to get them to opt-in to receiving emails from you before that date.
  2. The same logic applies to any competitions you’ve run. It’s not uncommon for holiday homeowners to run initiatives that offer an incentive or prize in exchange for their email address.  If you’ve run this type of competition, then it is again imperative that you’ve gained an opt-in from entrants to receive emails from you. If in doubt, then it would be recommended that you no longer contact them unless you can gain their permission.
  3. The new regulations make reference to ‘current customers’, which could potentially be something of a grey area; afterall what constitutes ‘current’? Generally, if you’ve been sending emails on a regular basis to someone that has previously stayed with you, and they’ve not opened any in the past year then it would be sensible to remove them.  Aside from regulations, it’s best practise to cleanse your data like this on a regular basis to ensure you’re only sending to those interested in your content.

The common theme throughout the GDPR is that you need to have up to date data. Also those on your lists need to have signed up to receive your emails and be engaged with them.  Now is the time to get your data in order, conduct an audit and establish where it came from. Doing this will allow you to stay the right side of the well intentioned law!

Guide to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

The best resource to help businesses including holiday homeowners prepare for the General Data Protection Regulation is available by clicking the link below:

Further guidance is also available in the VisitBritain Pink Book Online:

If you require precise or detailed information on the legislation mentioned in this article, or on the legal implications for you in particular, you should consult a professional legal adviser.

Boshers offer specialist holiday home insurance to owners across the UK. For information on how specialist insurance can help protect your holiday home business, call us on 01237 429444

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