What is an SSL Certificate: A Breakdown of This Important Tool for Growing Small Businesses

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Have you ever noticed a small padlock icon next to a website’s URL while browsing the web? This symbol indicates the presence of an SSL certificate. Let’s take a deeper look at this important tool and why it’s a key player in establishing trust in the eyes of your prospects.

What is an SSL Certificate

An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is a digital certificate that does two things; verifies the identity of a website and enables secure communication.

It verifies the identity of the website by reviewing essential information.

It enables secure communication by establishing an encrypted connection between a user’s web browser and the website’s server.

These certificates are issued by trusted third-party certificate authorities (CAs).

How Do I Know If My Website Is Secure?

Websites secured with an SSL certificate display a padlock icon in the browser’s address bar and have URLs that start with “https” instead of “http.”

Why You Need an SSL Certificate

It Establishes User Trust

Many browsers and cybersecurity software prevent or warn users from visiting an unsecured site with language indicating that the website is unsafe. Considering that most website users for a B2B site are prospects looking to verify a company, an unsecured site would impact their ability to see the company as trustworthy and professional. Whereas when a prospect visits a secured site, the site builds trust and confidence in the company.

It Protects Your Brand

In addition to securing communications, SSL certificates also validate ownership. This means that the certificate authority (CA) that issued the certificate verified that the website owner owns the site in question. This helps protect users from visiting fake websites designed to look like the real thing. Which, in turn, protects your company from lost traffic and reputation to bad actors.

It Boosts Your Search Rankings

Search engines, including Google, consider SSL certificates as one of the ranking factors in their algorithms. One of the reasons they do so is that search engines want to provide their users with a safe and secure experience. (If they didn’t, people would stop using their product.) As a result, secured websites are more likely to rank higher in search results than websites that are not, increasing organic brand awareness.

Choosing an SSL Certificate

All SSL certificates are not created equal. An SSL certificate should be selected based on your business’s unique goals and security needs. Here is a breakdown of the five most common types of SSL certificates.

Domain Validated Certificates (DV SSL):

This is the most straightforward and affordable type of SSL certificate. It only validates that the applicant owns the domain name.

Best for: Websites that do not collect any personal or financial information from users.

Organization Validated Certificates (OV SSL):

Obtaining an OV SSL certificate requires a comprehensive verification process. An OV SSL certificate validates that not only do you own the domain but that you are the organization that you say you are.

Best for: Websites that collect personal or financial information from users.

Extended Validation Certificates (EV SSL):

This is the most secure and expensive type of SSL certificate. It is also the most difficult to obtain. Like EV certificates, they are looking to verify not only ownership of the website but ownership of the company that the website represents.

Best for: High-profile websites like official government websites and large business enterprises.

Wildcard SSL certificates:

Wildcard SSL certificates offer a convenient way to secure a single domain or Top-Level Domain (TLD) and all its subdomains (i.e., greatwebsite.com vs. meet.greatwebsite.com) using just one certificate.

Best for: Businesses with multiple websites under a single domain.

Multi-Domain SSL certificates (MDC):

These certificates are also known as Subject Alternative Name (SAN) certificates. They provide security for multiple domains and sub-domains, even across different Top-Level Domains (TLDs).

Best for: Businesses that manage multiple brands and their corresponding websites.

Obtaining Your SSL Certificate

With the importance of online security and user trust growing, SSL certificates are behinds scenes player that plays a vital role in establishing trust in your prospect’s eyes.

Have questions about your business’s website security? We’re here to help. Contact us.