SSL Certificates and HTTPS: Why Every Business Website Needs Them

Every website needs HTTPS. Not just e-commerce sites, not just sites with login forms -- every website. Browsers warn visitors about non-HTTPS sites, Google ranks HTTPS sites higher, and customers expect the padlock icon.

What SSL Does

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encrypts the connection between your website server and the visitor browser. This prevents:

• Interception of form submissions (contact forms, login credentials)
• Man-in-the-middle attacks on public WiFi
• Data tampering during transmission
• Session hijacking

Types of SSL Certificates

• Domain Validated (DV): Verifies you own the domain. Free or $10-$50/year. Sufficient for most business websites.
• Organization Validated (OV): Verifies your organization identity. $50-$200/year. Better for businesses handling sensitive data.
• Extended Validation (EV): Most thorough verification. $100-$300/year. Shows organization name in some browser interfaces.
• Wildcard: Covers your domain and all subdomains. $50-$200/year. Good for businesses with multiple subdomains.

Installation and Maintenance

Most hosting providers offer one-click SSL installation. Auto-renewal prevents expiration (an expired SSL shows security warnings). After installing, redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS and update internal links.

Need SSL installation help? Contact us -- we include SSL setup with all our web projects.