Having one installed is no longer optional; it is a requirement. It is a must if you have any website where a visitor enters personal information. Users are now less likely to trust a non-HTTPS site. Since 2014 Google has been marking websites and online stores that do not have a certificate as “not secure”.
We encourage our customers to implement and factor a secure cert into your budget; otherwise, it could harm your business and result in a loss of sales or enquires. That’s why if you are hosted with us, we offer them free for the 1st year.
It stands for secure sockets layer and is a digital certificate which authenticates a website’s identity and enables a secure encrypted connection. An SSL certificate ensures that criminals cannot read or modify information transferred between two systems.
A secure sockets layer (SSL) certificate encrypts all information that travels to and from the hosting server. So, it no longer sends the data in plain text (which can be intercepted).
Here is how the process works:
All of this is completed in seconds without you being aware.
There are three different types of SSL:
These certificates are renewed each year, so payment would be required annually.
They expire yearly and need to be renewed; otherwise, you will lose your green padlock on the address bar, your domain will not have https:// at the beginning, and your website will appear insecure.
When an SSL certificate is installed on a domain name, it secures all data transferred between a visitor and the site they are using; this means they are very safe at keeping data encrypted and the internet connection secure.
No, it should help improve your website’s loading speed; it is automated when a user visits your site and is known to slightly speed up most websites.
This is the same protocol the SSL certificate uses for sending encrypted data over the internet. The difference is that TLS (Transport Layer Security) uses advanced encryption and can work on different ports. We use TLS version 1.2.
This is needed to ensure any visitor data entered through the website is secure and helps prevent the creation of fake website versions.
If you want an SSL certificate added to your website, contact your hosting company or whoever manages your hosting and ask for an SSL certificate, and they will arrange for one to be installed. Alternatively, you can contact us, and we will happily supply and install it for you.
Here are five benefits of using an SSL certificate:
They are essential to online security and ensure customer information is kept safe. However, this does not mean it can prevent hacking and should never be used as a comprehensive security product.
When you have an SSL installed, it will automatically renew each year as long the renewal payment has been made, which saves you the worry of the certificate expiring and losing your encryption.
Installation of an SSL certificate is primarily completed by the hosting company that hosts your website. Occasionally, tweaks need to be made on the site to ensure the certificate is installed correctly. It is recommended that they install and configure this all for you.
Yes, any website can have an SSL certificate installed.
Each one is valid for one year, and then they expire. The SSL must be renewed to reflect the latest security standards and up-to-date information.
It is typically recommended that you have an Extended Validation (EV) certificate. This is because it provides the highest level of trust and is known as the industry standard for eCommerce websites.
Only one certificate is required per domain name.
It can be difficult for anyone who does not know anything about SSL certificates. However, installing and configuring an SSL certificate is straightforward for website hosting companies, web designers, and developers.
They are tied to domain names rather than servers. You cannot transfer SSLs registered to one domain to a different server for another domain name; the certificate will simply not work.
You are required to have one SSL certificate per domain name.
It is highly recommended that you purchase an SSL certificate for your website. It provides trust and ensures your customer’s data is safe. Google marks down websites that do not have an SSL certificate and is presenting them to new and existing visitors that the website is not secure. This, in turn, could potentially lose you visitors and business as your website may be considered corrupt or untrustworthy. For £75 per year, it is worth spending the money to show you are a reputable company and adhere to Google’s policies.
Yes, you can also purchase an SSL that protects public IP addresses, so a domain name is not necessarily required in this instance.
The reasons they only have a lifespan of a year are below:
No, a dedicated IP address is not a requirement to be able to install an SSL certificate.
An SSL is renewed yearly, which we will update and install again for you. So, you will always have the latest TLS versions and ciphers each year.
No, a standard SSL certificate is only valid for use on one domain name. However, if you have subdomains, you can purchase a wildcard SSL certificate or a multiple SSL certificate.
SSL certificates are installed once a domain name has been added to a hosting account.
Some companies like ours offer free hosting and SSL for 1 year when you choose any of our web design packages.
It is a common myth that having an SSL certificate installed on a website makes a site completely secure. Unfortunately, simply having one does not entirely cover website security because it does not offer protection from hackers or viruses. An SSL encrypts data as it moves between a user and a web server.
The URL of the website should start with HTTPS:// (the S on the end confirms it is secure).
Next to the address bar, a green padlock icon should appear. Click on this to see details for the SSL and confirm it is secure and valid.
Once issued, the maximum life of an SSL certificate is 397 days (13 months). This was announced by Google and Apple back in 2020; however, most SSLs only last for 12 months.
Yes, a virtual private network (VPN) will still require an SSL to be installed to encrypt sensitive information. This is because a VPN only creates an encrypted tunnel between your endpoint on the internet and the endpoint of a VPN server of that organisation. This means a VPN hides the user’s browsing activity, identity and location, allowing for increased privacy and autonomy, which offers a safer and more secure online experience; however, an SSL is still required.
They are different; however, they work together to create a secure connection. HTTPS combines HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol) and SSL or TLS. Together, they offer encrypted communications and a secure ID of a web server.
Depending on the type of certificate you choose and the validation you require, plus configuration time. It can take from one hour to 5 working days to complete; however, the installation process is usually very short.
This can vary from company to company; however, our SSL certificates cost £75 per year. If you have a new website built by us, our packages include an SSL certificate free for the first year, and then it’s £75 per year afterwards.
The best way to tell if a website has an SSL certificate installed is to look for the following:
If you need an SSL certificate for your website or have further questions about this service, please get in touch, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
