What is an SSL certificate?

01.10.21 | Tagged as: Layman's Terms

SSL stands for ‘Secure Sockets Layer’.

It is a means of encrypting the connection between a visitors device and your website.

If you’ve ever seen a padlock in the browser address bar of a website you’re visiting, then the owner of that website has gone to the trouble of having an SSL certificate installed.

The below are some screenshots of our website showing that our SSL certificate is installed.

It’s worth noting that the padlock will look different depending upon the browser you are using. These screenshots are from Google Chrome.

Do you need to have one?

Here at WeCreate, we always emphasise the importance of websites building trust.

If someone doesn’t trust your business, then they’re unlikely to become a loyal paying customer.

Adding an SSL certificate is an essential part of building that trust.

People browse websites all day long and have certain expectations about what they like to see.

A padlock in the address bar of a website is one of these.

How much does an SSL certificate cost?

Costs for SSL certificates differ depending on where your website is hosted.

They could be ‘free’, which means they are wrapped up in the cost of your hosting.

Or they could have a fixed cost which is approximately £30-£60.

That’s a typical price for a standard SSL certificate for one site, however if you need to cover multiple sites or have additional security needs then this price will change.

Please be aware that SSL certificates are renewed on an annual basis, so the above prices are per annum.

What happens if you don’t have one?

Your website will still work, but in the browser address bar, you’ll see something like this.

Obviously this is not ideal, and could potentially lead to visitors leaving your website immediately.

Our advice is always to have one. It looks professional and builds trust with your audience.

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