Website Guardian

What is SSL?

An SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encrypts the connection between your web server and your visitors' web browser. This allows private information to be transmitted securely. You can be sure that the information you enter (contact or credit card information), is secured and only be seen by you, the website owner.

Millions of online businesses use SSL certificates to secure their websites and allow their customers to place trust in them. Consumers will know you have an SSL certificate through various ways as mention:

• An SSL certificate seal is visible
• the URL bar will turn to the color blue
• the URL bar will turn to the color green, if an Extended Validation SSL is in place
• a small icon of a padlock appears in the web browser or at the bottom right-hand of the web page
• http:// becomes https:// ("s" meaning secure)

Why do I need an SSL?

You need to secure your website with an SSL encryption if you are transmitting sensitive information such as personal information or credit card numbers. Without an SSL certificate any data transferred is liable to be seen and taken by cyber attackers.

SSL certificates give online shoppers confidence to make and finish a transaction. About 70 percent of online shoppers have terminated an online order because they did not "trust" the transaction. In those cases, 53 percent indicated that the presence of a seal would have likely prevented the termination. With an SSL certificate, you are more likely to increase sales and decrease transaction abandonment because of a seal is visible.

How many domain names can I secure?

Most SSL server certificates will only secure a single domain name or sub-domain. For example, a certificate could secure www.yourdomain.com or mail.yourdomain.com but not both. Please check out the ssl certificates Website Guardian offers as a third party verifier.

As you can see SSL certificates are very important. Consumers may come to your site to buy a product, but if they do not see a seal, they may turn to a site that does have one. Building trust is key for ecommerce sites. Having an SSL certificate seal visible on your site will give your customers trust to complete the transaction.