What that padlock next to a URL means and why you NEED one…
SSL certificates fulfill a few purposes.

1. To secure and encrypt the connection between your web browser and the website that you are accessing.	2. To authenticate the website you’re accessing, so you can be confident that you’re connected to the correct website.

Without an SSL Certificate being in place, the connection is left both unguarded and unauthenticated - meaning any and all information that you send to or receive from a website can be intercepted without much effort by hackers.

Why Do I Need an SSL Certificate?
If you are a website admin/owner, leaving your website unsecured can be incredibly damaging for your users, business, and overall brand reputation. According to the latest Google Transparency Report, 93% of web traffic in the U.S. is encrypted. This means that users are accustomed to seeing that padlock icon next to an URL. You don’t want to be the website losing out on business because your website is displaying something else…

Avoid Browser Warnings for Non-HTTPS Websites

Many website owners choose to adopt SSL/TLS for one very simple reason – to avoid warnings on their website that could scare users away. Your website will receive a gray or red “Not Secure” indicator if you do not have an SSL certificate..

Maintain Compliance with Applicable Regulations Nearly every country and industry has at least one law/regulation that requires businesses to encrypt sensitive customer data. Businesses who fail to use SSL/TLS (and other mechanisms) to encrypt customer data can face substantial fines. For example: PCI-DSS requires all ecommerce websites (worldwide) to use SSL/TLS (fines can be $50,000+/month) GDPR requires all businesses with European customers to encrypt customer data (fines can be up to 20 million euros)

These are very important laws/regulations that need to be taken seriously. If you fall into one of these categories, it is imperative you get the appropriate SSL certificate.

Enable Additional Browser Features When running a business, the last thing you want your users to run into are errors or a lack of functionality on your website – nothing can be more frustrating. Well, without HTTPS, your users could find themselves running into quite a few. Here are a few features that only work on HTTPS websites: Browser notifications (which can be an excellent marketing channel) Geo-location (a key feature for any local business website, to give directions and locate nearby stores) Webcam/microphone access (important for many websites in our communicate-from-anywhere world!))

In the ever-evolving technological world, you don’t want to be left behind because you don’t have something as simple as an SSL certificate.

Speed Up Your Website with HTTP/2 HTTP/2 is the latest version of HTTP. Enabling HTTP/2 can reduce your website’s page load time by over 13%. We all know how important page load times are for converting web traffic. Most major browsers fully support HTTP/2, but they will only support it over an encrypted connection. This means you need an SSL certificate to ensure you and your users enjoy the benefits of HTTP/2.

	Get SEO Benefits with SSL/TLS Google has made it clear that security is a top priority for not only them, but should be for all webmasters. As part of their call for “HTTPS Everywhere”, Google further expanded the call to reward those webmasters who secure their websites with SSL/TLS encryption. The reward? Google rewarded those with SSL/TLS encryption with a boost in SEO rankings.
	What are the Different Tiers of SSL Certificates? There are three different types of authentication levels. Domain Validation, Organization Validation, and Extended Validation. Each of these provide encryption, but they carry different levels of verification, visual indicators, and added benefits to secure your website.

Basic Domain Validation (DV) A Basic Domain Validated (DV) SSL Certificate is the first tier of SSL/TLS Certificates. Often known for their no-frills encryption and quick issuance, Domain Validated SSL Certificates are quick to get up and running but only prove ownership of the domain being secured.	Business Organization Validation (OV) A Business Organization Validated (OV) SSL Certificate is the middle tier of SSL/TLS Certificates. Known for their Organization Verification and Dynamic Site Seals, they’re a great starting point for those looking to showcase their organization.

What are the Different Types of Certificates?
Now that you’re aware of the different validation types of SSL Certificates, let’s introduce you to the different types of SSL Certificates. There’s Single Domain SSL Certificates, Multi-Domain (SAN) Certificates, and Wildcard SSL Certificates. All serve the same purpose of encrypting personal information being sent from the client and the webserver, but all provide different capabilities and flexibility for the web master.

Single Name Certificates By far the simplest type of SSL certificate, Single Name Certificates provide coverage for just a single domain. Thus, making it easier to control and manage for your team.	Multi-Domain Certificates As the name suggests, Multi-Domain Certificates provide coverage for multiple domains. This can be extremely helpful for webmasters that own and manage multiple sites.	Multi-Domain Certificates Wildcard SSL Certificates are extremely helpful for web masters that utilize a lot of sub-domains because of their capability to secure an unlimited number of subdomains.

Not looking for an SSL Certificate?
SSL Certificates are not the only security product that we offers. Our team is also pleased to supply both Code Signing Certificates and Email & Document Signing Certificates. With the increase in malware and adware being distributed from emails, documents, and application packages, there’s never been a better time to not only secure your applications, documents, and emails, but also to assure that they have not been altered in any way.

Code Signing Certificates Code Signing Certificates ensure that the software, application, or app has not been modified since being created by the developer. Often referred to as being the digital “shrink wrap” because it validates the code is in its original form.	Email & Document Signing Certificates Email & Document Signing Certificates have become a standard in the industry with regards to ensuring that communication that is sent is validated and that the contents have not been modified since being sent.

Where can I get an SSL Certificate?
No need to look any further! We has partnered with the industry leading Certificate Authorities; Sectigo and DigiCert, to not only offer SSL Certificates, but to offer them at some of the best prices on the market!