What is an SSL certificate?

At first glance, if your blog doesn’t collect personal user data such as names, addresses, phone numbers, or credit card information, it might seem like an SSL certificate is not necessary. However, this is not entirely true. Even if you don’t collect personal data, an SSL certificate can still bring significant benefits to your blog and increase the trust of your readers.

Here are some reasons why an SSL certificate is still important for a blog that doesn’t collect personal data:

• Data security: Although you may not collect personal data, your readers still interact with your blog. They can leave comments, share your posts on social media, and subscribe to your newsletter. An SSL certificate encrypts all the information that is transmitted between the user’s browser and your server, protecting it from being intercepted by intruders. Even if this is not critical data, protection from potential attacks is still important for the security of your blog.
•  Trust and reputation: The green padlock in the browser address bar that appears when you use SSL is a signal to users that your blog is secure. Even if you don’t collect personal data, having an SSL certificate shows that you care about the safety of your readers and value their privacy. This increases the credibility of your blog and creates a positive image.
• Improve SEO: Search engines like Google favour sites with an SSL certificate in their search results. Google has officially stated that the presence of an SSL certificate is one of the ranking factors. Therefore, installing an SSL certificate can improve your blog’s position in search results, increase its visibility, and attract more readers.
• Phishing protection: Phishing attacks are a serious threat on the Internet. Attackers create fake websites that mimic the design and URL of popular resources to lure users out of their data. An SSL certificate helps prevent phishing attacks because it contains information about the website owner that is verified by an independent certification centre. Users can be sure that they are on a genuine website, not a fake one.
• Free SSL certificates: Today, it is possible to get a free SSL certificate from organisations like Let’s Encrypt. This means that you can provide a basic level of security for your blog without any financial outlay.

Considering all these factors, installing an SSL certificate for your blog, even if it does not collect personal data, is a smart and justified decision. It will increase the security, trust, and reputation of your blog and improve its position in search engines.

In the world of online commerce, trust is a key success factor. Customers need to be confident that their data is safe when they shop online. Ignoring an SSL certificate for your online store carries significant risks that can negatively affect your business. Let’s take a closer look at what dangers lie behind the lack of SSL:

• Confidential data theft: Online stores handle a large amount of sensitive information, including names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and most importantly, credit card information. Without an SSL certificate, this data is transmitted unencrypted, making it vulnerable to interception by intruders. Hackers can easily access this information and use it to steal money, commit identity fraud, and other criminal activities.
• Reduced trust and reputation: The absence of an SSL certificate, visually represented by a green padlock in the browser address bar, is a signal to customers that your site is not secure. Shoppers are increasingly looking for SSL before entering their data on a website. The absence of SSL can cause them to have doubts and distrust, causing them to abandon their purchase and choose competitors that provide a secure environment. This can result in losing customers, decreasing sales, and damaging your brand’s reputation.
• Deterioration of SEO: Search engines like Google give preference to sites with an SSL certificate. Google has officially included SSL in its ranking factors, meaning that sites with SSL have higher positions in search results. The lack of SSL can lead to a drop in your online store’s position in search results, making it less visible to potential customers and resulting in less traffic.
• Browser warnings: Modern browsers such as Chrome and Firefox warn users about the lack of SSL on sites that collect personal data. They may display a warning that the site is “unsafe” or “untrustworthy”, which puts users off and forces them to leave the site.
• Financial losses: In addition to losing customers and reducing sales, not having SSL can lead to serious financial losses due to data theft. If attackers gain access to your customers’ credit card information, you could face lawsuits, fines, and compensation.
• Violation of laws: In some countries, there are laws that require online stores to use SSL certificates to protect customers’ personal data. Failure to comply with these requirements can lead to legal problems and fines.

Given all these risks, installing an SSL certificate for your online store is absolutely essential. It will protect your customers, increase trust in your brand, improve SEO, and prevent serious financial and legal issues.

Ignoring an SSL certificate is playing with fire and could cost you your business.

In today’s digital world, where competition for users’ attention is extremely high, search engine optimisation (SEO) has become a key success factor. Website owners are constantly looking for ways to improve their positions in search results and drive more traffic. And while Google’s algorithms are complex and take into account hundreds of ranking factors, one of the most important elements of SEO is having an SSL certificate.

How does SSL affect SEO?

1. A direct ranking factor: Back in 2014, Google officially announced that having an SSL certificate was one of the ranking factors. Although this factor is not the most important, it still matters to Google’s algorithms. Sites with an SSL certificate receive a small ranking bonus, which can improve their position in search results.
2. Security and trust: An SSL certificate encrypts the connection between a website and a user’s browser, protecting data from interception. Google is committed to ensuring the security and privacy of its users, so websites with an SSL certificate are seen as more secure and trustworthy. This helps to improve the reputation of the site in the eyes of Google and increases the likelihood of its display in search results.
3. HTTPS as a signal: When using an SSL certificate, the website switches to the HTTPS protocol, which is visually represented by a green lock in the address bar of the browser. HTTPS is a signal to Google that the site meets modern security standards and protects the data of its users. Sites with HTTPS are considered by Google to be more reliable and deserve higher positions in search results.
4. Improving behavioural factors: Having an SSL certificate can have a positive impact on behavioural factors, which are also taken into account by Google when ranking. Users feel safer on websites with an SSL certificate, which can lead to an increase in time spent on the site, the number of pages viewed, and a decrease in bounce rate. These factors indicate that the site is valuable and useful to users, which, in turn, improves its position in search results.
5. Influence on other SEO factors: An SSL certificate can indirectly affect other SEO factors, such as website loading speed. Modern browsers prefer HTTPS connections, which can lead to faster website loading. Loading speed is an important Google ranking factor, so an SSL certificate can have a positive impact on this aspect.

Installing an SSL certificate is not a magic solution that will instantly bring your website to the first page of Google. However, it is an important step in optimising your website and improving its position in search results. An SSL certificate is a signal to Google that your website is safe, reliable, and complies with modern standards. This increases trust in your site, improves behavioural factors, and helps you achieve better SEO results.

Installing an SSL certificate is an important step to improve the security and SEO of your website. However, many website owners are faced with the question: is it possible to install an SSL certificate on their own, or is it better to contact specialists?

The answer depends on your technical skills, the time you are willing to spend, and the level of risk you are willing to accept.

Self-installation of an SSL certificate:

Pros:

• Cost savings: You do not pay for the services of specialists.
• Control: You are in full control of the installation and configuration process.
• Training: You gain new knowledge and experience.

Cons:

• Technical complexity: The process of installing an SSL certificate can be quite complicated, especially for beginners. It involves generating a CSR (Certificate Signing Request), setting up DNS records, installing the certificate on the server, and configuring the website to work over HTTPS.
• Time: Self-installation can be time-consuming, especially if you encounter problems or errors.
• Risk of errors: Incorrect installation of an SSL certificate can lead to security issues, website inaccessibility, and other negative consequences.

Consultation with specialists:

Pros:

• Professionalism: Our specialists have the experience and knowledge to install an SSL certificate quickly and correctly.
• Time savings: You can focus on other aspects of your business while the experts take care of SSL.
• Warranty: Many SSL installation companies offer a guarantee for their work.

Cons:

• Costs: Specialist services cost money.
• Less control: You do not have direct control over the installation process.

So, who to choose?

If you have enough technical knowledge, time, and desire to understand the SSL installation process, you can try to install it yourself. However, if you are not confident in your abilities or do not want to risk the security of your website, it is better to contact a specialist.

A few tips:

• If you decide to install an SSL certificate yourself, carefully read the instructions from your hosting provider and certificate authority.
• Pay attention to free SSL certificates from Let’s Encrypt. They are a good option for websites that do not process critical data.
• Do not hesitate to contact your hosting provider’s support team or certificate authority if you have any problems.
• Remember that an SSL certificate is an investment in the security and reputation of your website. A properly installed SSL certificate will protect your data and your users’ data, improve SEO, and increase your brand’s credibility.

An SSL certificate has become an integral part of the modern Internet, guaranteeing the security and reliability of data transmission. But website owners face a choice: should they install a paid or free SSL certificate? Understanding the differences between these options will help you make the best decision for your website.

Free SSL certificates:

The most popular provider of free SSL certificates is Let’s Encrypt.

• Advantages:
  • Free: The obvious advantage is that there are no costs for obtaining and using the certificate.
  • Ease of obtaining: The process of obtaining a Let’s Encrypt certificate is usually automated and does not require complex verification procedures.
  • Basic security level: Free certificates provide a basic level of encryption and authentication that is sufficient for many sites.
• Disadvantages:
  • Limited functionality: Free certificates usually provide only a basic Domain Validation (DV), which confirms domain ownership but does not contain information about the organisation.
  • Short Validity Period: Let’s Encrypt certificates have a validity period of 90 days, which requires regular renewal.
  • Lack of warranty and support: Free certificates usually do not provide a financial guarantee or personalised technical support.

Paid SSL certificates:

Paid SSL certificates are issued by various Certificate Authorities (CAs).

• Advantages:
  • Extended functionality: Paid certificates offer different levels of validation, including Organisation Validation (OV) and Extended Validation (EV), which confirm the authenticity of an organisation and provide a higher level of trust.
  • Longer validity: Paid certificates can have a validity of 1 to 2 years, which reduces the frequency of updates.
  • Financial Guarantee: Paid certificates often provide a financial guarantee that covers losses caused by problems with the certificate.
  • Technical support: Certification authorities offer technical support to resolve issues with certificate installation and configuration.
• Disadvantages:
  • Cost: The obvious disadvantage is the need to pay for the certificate. The price may vary depending on the type of certificate, validity period, and other factors.
  • Complicated procedure for obtaining: Obtaining paid certificates, especially OV and EV, may require more complex verification procedures, which takes longer.

Which option to choose?

The choice between a paid and a free SSL certificate depends on your website’s needs and budget:

• Free certificates – a good option for:
  • Blogs, business card sites and other sites that do not process sensitive data.
  • Websites with a limited budget.
  • Website owners who have the technical skills to install and update certificates.
• Paid certificates – the best option for:
  • Online stores, banking websites and other websites that process financial information and personal data of users.
  • Websites that require a high level of trust and security.
  • Website owners who want to receive a financial guarantee and technical support.

Conclusion:

Installing an SSL certificate, whether paid or free, is an important step to improve the security and SEO of your website. Evaluate your website’s needs, budget, and risk level to choose the best SSL certificate option.

Installing an SSL certificate is only the first step on the road to a secure website. Once installed, it’s important to make sure that the certificate is working correctly and that it protects your data. Fortunately, there are several ways to check the SSL certificate on your website.

Visual inspection:

•           Green padlock: The easiest way is to check for a green padlock in the address bar of your browser. If the padlock is green, it means that the site uses HTTPS and the SSL certificate is installed.
•           Https Protocol: Make sure your site URL starts with “https://” and not “http://”.
•           Certificate information: By clicking on the green lock, you can get detailed information about the SSL certificate, including its type, validity, certification authority and other data.

Online tools:

•           SSL Labs: SSL Labs is a popular online service for testing SSL certificates. It provides a detailed report on the SSL configuration, identifies potential security issues, and assesses the certificate’s reliability.
•           Why No Padlock?:Why No Padlock? is another useful tool that scans your site and detects issues with your SSL certificate. It provides recommendations on how to fix the issues and improve security.
•           Qualys SSL Server Test: Qualys SSL Server Test is another reputable tool for testing SSL certificates. It provides a detailed report on SSL configuration, evaluates certificate strength, and identifies potential issues.

Manual inspection:

•           Check DNS records: An SSL certificate is associated with certain DNS records that point to the server where the certificate is hosted. Make sure these records are configured correctly.
•           Check server configuration: Installing an SSL certificate requires a specific server configuration. Make sure that the server is correctly configured to work with HTTPS and SSL.
•           Mixed Content Check: Mixed content is a situation where an HTTPS page loads content from HTTP sources. This can lead to security issues and a lower SSL certificate rating. Make sure that all content on your site is loaded over HTTPS.

Additional tips:

•           Check your SSL certificate regularly: SSL certificates have a limited lifespan. Check the validity of your certificate regularly and renew it if necessary.
•           Pay attention to browser warnings: If your browser displays warnings about problems with your SSL certificate, do not ignore them. Fix the problem as soon as possible to ensure the security of your site.
•           Contact the experts: If you are not sure if your SSL certificate is installed correctly or you have problems verifying it, contact a web security specialist.

Remember that a properly installed SSL certificate is the key to your website’s security and your users’ trust. Check your certificate regularly to ensure that it is reliable and effective.