What is an SSL Certificate and Why is it Important

web design SanteeWeb design Santee has several unavoidable costs. These include the cost of buying a domain name, hosting and at times the cost of using a content management system. SSL is an addition to these costs. Currently, your website does not necessary need to have SSL. However, in the next year or so, SSL will be made a requirement. Google is stressing on the use of SSL. But what exactly is SSL?

What is SSL?
The SSL is short for Secure Sockets Layer. This is a certificate that you purchase and is indicated by https://. Websites that don’t have the SSL certificate have the http://. Almost every web designer Santee that you contact today will recommend that you buy SSL certificate. The SSL certificate is what protects your company and your website visitors by encrypting data that you exchange with them. It is simply an added layer of protection which safeguards the transfer of sensitive data. The SSL certificate will display in the URL just like the domain name and will be visible to your users.

Why does the SSL matter?
An SSL certificate matters a lot more so when you consider the sensitivity of the information people share online. The sensitive information ranges from the credit card information when making a purchase to providing their email and name when signing up to a service. More and more people are learning of the importance of SSL. As a result, you will be surprised by the sheer number of people who will be reluctant to share any information with you if you don’t have the SSL certificate. Lacking the SSL certificate sends the message that your website is not secure hence not trustworthy.

With that being said, having the SSL certificate will actually increase your revenue, build a better email subscriber list and also improve lead generation. Internet browsers, with Chrome leading the way, are today alerting users when they visit a website that doesn’t have a valid SSL certificate. Having the SSL certificate helps you demonstrate how credible and safe your website is.

How much does the SSL certificate cost?
An SSL certificate costs between $0 and $1,500 per year. There are certain vendors that offer the SSL certificate for free. However, if you need optimal security, you have to invest in a paid SSL certificate. This is for the simple reason that paid SSL certificates come with additional protection such as advanced encryption and higher warranty. Some of the leading SSL certificates vendors are GoDaddy and Norton.

As aforementioned, an SSL certificate is not yet a requirement. However, to be ready for the future, you need to get the certificate for your current website and when working on a new web design Santee.

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