Building trust online: the role of SSL certificates and security
What are SSL Certificates?
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates have been around for many years. They are essentially digital files that verify a website’s identity and establish encrypted connections between a user’s browser and the website’s server. SSL certificates display a padlock that proves the website is protected. Any card details are safeguarded as they are sent to the server processing the payment.
Anyone who owns or runs a website must prioritise security, and SSL certificates are key to this. They provide a professional, reputable appearance (plus peace of mind) to existing customers and those who are browsing and thinking of buying your product or service.
Previously, SSL certificates were predominantly used with websites where payment processing took place, such as eCommerce stores or where sensitive information was being shared. But they’ve become far more common across all types of websites in recent years. Indeed, where there is no SSL encryption, websites are shown as being ‘not secure’, for example by Google. So there’s now a red URL bar plus a warning page if someone tries to log on to an unsecured website, and Google makes it difficult for people to ignore this warning.
When do I need SSL certification?
In an ideal world, every website would have this certification, whether you gather sensitive information and payment details or not.
So, don’t let the major search engines stop web users from accessing your site. Additionally, the search giants rank SSL-encrypted sites slightly higher in the search engine results pages (SERPs), so there’s also a search engine optimisation (SEO) bonus to be gained.
I’m not sure whether I have SSL certification or not – what should I do?
There are a number of SSL checkers around which can help, and confirm whether you need an SSL for your domain, such as:
What kind of SSL certificate should we have?
There are varied kinds of SSL certificates around, some providing a higher degree of security than others, while some mean you can secure more than one domain or sub-domain at a time. Here are a few of them:
Domain-validated SSL
For most website owners, this will be the best and most cost-effective choice. It’s also the most frequently found type of SSL certificate, and it should provide all the security you need, whether you have a basic enquiry form or sell over the internet.
Single-domain SSL
Most SSL certificates only need to cover one domain, making them the most suitable choice for most website owners. The alternative is multi-domain SSL certificates under the same IP.
Wildcard SSL certificates
Use these if you want to secure sub-domains as well as your main website.
Extended Validation and organisation-validated SSL
These confirm extra details such as business address plus other corporate information. There are also checks to make certain that a registered company owns the website. However, the end user won’t notice any discernible difference from other types of SSL certification.
How SWSweb can help with SSL certificates
For over 12 years, SWSweb has been helping businesses of all shapes and sizes with their website support and management. Our diverse client base turns to us for all aspects of website hosting, security, and web design.
As part of our hosting service, all websites include an SSL certificate as standard.
If you have a WordPress website, our maintenance service includes hosting, advanced malware and security options, and an additional firewall to help keep the website even more secure.
Get in touch today about what you need – let’s have a chat about what your website needs and we’ll take it from there.