Security is something that can really make or break any web venture. If people don't think they can interact with your site securely, whether it is subscribing to your newsletter or buying products, they won't be happy to engage, and that means your business is losing out.
Information Assurance
There is a whole discipline in information technology known as information assurance. This is all about managing how data is saved, accessed and used, and making sure that the wrong people don't get their hands on the information your users have given you, or which your system holds for other reasons (such as in the case of medical or government records). If you own a site with any kind of information retention, for instance customer records, or even a subscriber list, then this affects you, however it is even more important when that data includes sensitive information like addresses, dates of birth and full names, as these can be used in identity fraud.
How Can You Learn The Skills To Convince your Users You Have A Responsible Approach to Data Security?
As a website owner, data security may well be something you can trust third party software for, however it is also a fast moving part of the industry and one that is very important to your users. You should therefore learn about it, and where possible, demonstrate that you know what you are doing on your site. A qualification like an online information security degree can be a good way to do this, and is also a degree path well suited to people who want IT to be their professional field longer term.
The availability of a strong online information assurance program means that you can study for this degree at your own pace and in your own time, so you can continue working in your current role of developing your website while you learn new IT security skills you can apply as you work.
Appeal To More Visitors
Once you have your degree in information assurance and can show your knowledge in this hugely important field of IT, you can show this on your 'About Me' page and also add it to your online resumes anybody interested in working with you will see. Your visitors will know they are in safe hands, and your new skills may also open up some new work opportunities for you.
On the modern internet, very few things are as important as data security, so if you want to give your visitors more reasons to trust you and boost your own professional skill set, this is a great thing to study.