We implemented an important change to ALL our hosted websites a good few months ago. That being, adding a FREE SSL to all of our hosting packages.
You’ve probably seen the acronym SSL or HTTPS flown around the internet the past few weeks and there’s a good reason for that.
In this post, we’ll reveal what an SSL is, why you need one and how to get one.
Firstly, what is an SSL?
In short, SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer and is a level of encryption designed to help protect your website and your visitors from harmful attackers and malicious software.
It ensures that communications between the server (your web hosting) and the client (your visitors’ web browsers) are encrypted and cannot be tampered with or exposed.
If you have an SSL, you can then [re]direct visitors to HTTPS://yourdomain.co.uk, oppose to just HTTP://yourdomain.co.uk.
Why do I need one?
The most important reason is security.
For example, an SSL is paramount if you process sensitive data on your site such as financial information (i.e. taking a card payment on an online store). You’ll want to ensure that data is encrypted and can’t be accessed by unscrupulous third-parties.
This ultimately leads to peace of mind for your visitors.
On top of that, from July 2018, Google will actively de-promote sites without an SSL in their search rankings. As well, Google Chrome and other web browsers will actively display websites without an SSL as “insecure” or “Not Secure”.
How do I get one?
Your first port of call will be to contact your web hosting company. They should be able to arrange an SSL and, most likely it will be free of charge.
The whole process should only take a matter of minutes, however in some cases an SSL can take up to 24 hours to be implemented.
Most of the time, an SSL won’t affect the running of your website – but it’s best practice to take a backup first.
Get your hands on a free SSL
If your hosting company can’t provide one or is going to charge a lot of money, the lovely people at CloudFlare offer a free SSL with their free DNS hosting plan.
If you have any questions about your current hosting situation or if you are unsure whether you have an SSL or not, please feel free to talk to us.
