SSL Certificates means Secure Sockets Layer Certificate and are the means by which your websites are encrypted. This form of encryption that provides high levels of security to website users for making online payments or filling out important membership forms.
Encryption reassures users that personal information they are required to share online is protected. Plus, if your website is not encrypted, cyber criminals or anyone with the ability to, can gain access to your sensitive data and use it in any way they want.
In recent years SSL certificates gained increasing popularity for the significant role it plays with making the internet more secure.
What exactly is an SSL Certificate?
“SSL Certificates authenticate your website and encode all the sensitive information sent across the internet.”
These certificates help protect clients’ sensitive information such as, medical records, legal documents, login, and copyrighted information, credit card transactions or bank account credentials. In addition, it conceals information that reveals identity such as name, telephone number, and date of birth.
They guarantee that information sent is only received by the sender intended person or persons and they do this by activating the https protocol and padlock on your browser.
In a nutshell, SSL Certificates aid in creating trust with between you and your users. It does so by validating that websites are secure. This is particularly important for sites that are used to track finances and make online purchases.
Are SSL Certificates really important for WordPress sites?
SSL certificates play an important role for all types of Websites. FLATsite encourages its Static WordPress users to apply SSLs according to their needs. Here’s a closer look at why SSL certs are important:
1. SSL Certificates are Mandatory
Securing your website or any other site is now legally regulated. The rules, however, differ depending on the industry that you operate in. For example, Healthcare providers and educational institutions have one set of rules, while the finance industry operates under another set. The bottom-line, is that SSL Certificates are present.
Two years ago, Google established its own set of rules in the form of a Chrome browser feature which brands websites without an SSL certificate as “not secure.”
2. Good For Google Ranking
Google factors in a website’s credibility in its ranking process. Using an SSL Certificate is a key to establishing your site’s credibility.
Google’s HTTPS everywhere initiative rewards websites with encrypted connections with an automatic status/ranking boost. This puts you ahead of your competitors who don’t have certificates.
3. Protection against cybercriminals
SSL Certificates provides your site with HTTPS which encrypts sensitive data on pages. This ensures protection for your organization’s and users’ security and privacy.
And while having an SSL certificate doesn’t make your site immune to hackers, it guarantees you a high level of fighting power, which blocks attempts to attack your site.
4. Speed Up Your Site & Enabling Advanced Browser Features
HTTP has a faster, more powerful version called HTTP/2 which speeds up the loading time for your webpages. However, to run HTTP/2, you must have an SSL certificate. SSL certificates also allow your website to use advanced browser features.
5. Build Reputation & Improving Conversion
Cybercrimes in all forms are prevalent. This means cybersecurity must be paramount now, more than ever.
Installing SSL certificates on your website is one way of building and maintaining your reputation by ensuring information shared on your platform is safe.
Users will see this and trust to do business with you resulting in improved conversion rate and sales.
6. Providing safety for all subdomains
6. Providing safety for all subdomains
Some businesses have a main website and several subdomains. If such a business owner is looking to secure all the subdomains, it can be done with an SSL Certificate.
To do this, there are two options.
1.Use a standard SSL and install individual certificates for each subdomain.
2.Use a Wildcard SSL that secures everything.
Types of SSL Certificates
There are three types of SSL Certificates. To decide which is best for your site, you’ll first need to determine its purpose.
1. Extended Validation (EV SSL) Certificate
a. It’s the easiest to recognize
b. It provides the highest level of security
Best for: Financial institutions, corporations, or any other business that collects users’ sensitive data.
2. Domain Validated (DV SSL) Certificates.
a. It is less expensive
b. The application process is fairly simple.
Best for: Everyone including small to medium-sized businesses that don’t handle sensitive information, but still want to secure their sites.
3. Organized Validation (OV SSL)
a. Requires less verification than the EV SSL
b. Offers more trust than the DV SSL
Best for: Governments, companies, and any other business looking to amp up security on their websites.
Ready to get your own SSL? If you’re a current FLATsite customer you can benefit from a Free SSL Certificate by signing up for hosting partners like Luxhosting of Letzebuerg.net.
Summary
Creating and maintaining an online presence isn’t easy. However, without the proper protection such as an SSL Certificate, the process can be made much more difficult.
By not installing SSL Certificates on your WordPress site, you are putting visitors at risk of being scammed. They could even have identities and other sensitive information stolen. However, there’s still time to install one if you haven’t yet. After all, it’s better to be late than never.
