Imagine for a moment that you are walking into a bustling marketplace. In front of each stall is some assortment of goods, but only a few have reliable, sturdy gates guarding their valuables from thieves. Which stall would you go to? The ones whose flimsy, exposed setups or those fortified with well-secured gates?
Welcome to the cyber world, where your website is one of those stalls. You interact with users day in and day out, exchanging data, services, and building mutual trust. The digital equivalent of marketplace gatekeepers or shields protecting that data from anything as simple as an e-mail address to sensitive credit card information is called an SSL certificate.
Now, with data breaches and cyberattacks at an all-time high, can you really afford to leave your digital doors wide open? Let’s dive in and find out why securing your website with an SSL is no longer optional but a must-have.
Why Implement SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) on Your Website?
1. Data Encryption
SSL ensures that sensitive information transmitted between a user’s browser and your website’s server is encrypted. This encryption prevents unauthorized access or eavesdropping, safeguarding confidential data such as login credentials, payment details, and personal information.
2. Authentication
SSL certificates authenticate the identity of your site, reassuring visitors that they are interacting with a legitimate and trustworthy site. This helps in preventing users from falling victim to phishing or interacting with fraudulent websites posing as yours.
3. SEO Boost
Search engines prioritize SSL-enabled websites in their rankings. Implementing SSL can positively impact your website’s visibility and SEO performance, potentially leading to higher search result rankings and increased organic traffic.
4. Trustworthiness
Displaying SSL symbols, such as the padlock icon or “https” in the URL, signals to users that your website is secure. This builds trust and confidence among visitors, encouraging them to engage more freely with your site.
5. Data Integrity
SSL ensures that the data transmitted remains intact and unaltered during its journey between the user’s browser and your server. This prevents any unauthorized tampering or modification of the information.
6. Regulatory Compliance
SSL implementation aligns your website with industry standards and regional data protection regulations. Compliance with such standards is increasingly crucial in maintaining trust and respecting user privacy.
7. Protection Against Cyber Threats
SSL serves as an additional layer of defense against cyber threats and potential attacks. It helps in mitigating risks such as data breaches, man-in-the-middle attacks, and unauthorized data interception.
8. Accessible and Affordable Implementation
Initiatives like Let’s Encrypt offer free SSL certificates, making SSL implementation accessible and cost-effective. Additionally, various WordPress SSL plugins simplify the process, making it user-friendly for website owners and administrators.
Types of SSL Certificates
Not all SSL certificates are created equal. Depending on your websites, you can choose from among the following:
Single Domain SSL: This protects one domain.
Wildcard SSL: This covers a domain and its sub-domains.
Multi-Domain SSL: This secures several domains with a single certificate.
Extended Validation SSL (EV SSL): This offers an extreme level of trust with tight vetting, often displaying the company name in the address bar.
The appropriate level of trust you wish to establish and the structure of your website will bear much on the choice of the right SSL certificate.
7 Best SSL Solutions For Your Website
1. Really Simple SSL
Company Profile: Developed by Really Simple Plugins
Active Installations: 4+ million
Description: Really Simple SSL is an exceptional choice for website owners seeking an effortless SSL setup.
Developed by Really Simple Plugins, this widely-used plugin ensures a smooth transition to HTTPS, securing websites efficiently. Its seamless HTTP to HTTPS redirection, automatic SSL detection, and capability to fix mixed content issues have made it a go-to choice for over 5 million users globally.
The lightweight and user-friendly nature of Really Simple SSL makes it an ideal solution for those looking for a straightforward yet effective approach to SSL implementation.
Pricing: Free version available; Premium version starts at $29/year.
2. WP LetsEncrypt
Company Profile: Developed by WP Encryption SSL HTTPS
Active Installations: 60,000+
Description: WP LetsEncrypt, crafted by WP Encryption SSL HTTPS, is a user-friendly SSL solution for WordPress websites.
This plugin streamlines SSL/TLS certificate implementation from Let’s Encrypt, simplifying the setup process and automating certificate renewal.
With a focus on ease of use and automation, WP LetsEncrypt caters to over 60,000 users seeking a hassle-free and secure way to protect their website’s data transmissions.
Pricing: Free version available; Pro version with advanced features starts at $49/year.
3. WP Force SSL
Company Profile: Developed by WebFactory Ltd
Active Installations: 100,000+
Description: WP Force SSL, created by WebFactory Ltd, is a robust security-focused plugin designed to fortify websites against online threats.
With over 100,000 active installations, this plugin enforces SSL across the entire website, redirecting non-SSL traffic to HTTPS seamlessly.
Its comprehensive features, including SSL detection, exclusions, and permanent/temporary redirects, ensure an enhanced level of security for users concerned about intruders, viruses, and unauthorized data access.
Pricing: Free
4. SSL Zen
Company Profile: Developed by SSL Zen
Active Installations: 20,000+
Description: SSL Zen, developed by SSL Zen, focuses on simplifying SSL certificate management for WordPress websites.
With features like automated renewal, domain ownership verification, and centralized certificate tracking, this plugin caters to over 20,000 users, aiming for a hassle-free SSL setup.
Its user-centric design ensures a straightforward process for generating SSL certificates and ensuring a secure connection through HTTPS.
Pricing: Free version available; Premium version with advanced features starts at $39/year.
5. Easy HTTPS Redirection (SSL)
Company Profile: Developed by Tips and Tricks HQ
Active Installations: 100,000+
Description: Easy HTTPS Redirection SSL, crafted by Tips and Tricks HQ, specializes in automatically redirecting websites to the secure HTTPS version.
With over 100,000 installations, this plugin significantly improves SEO ranking by enforcing HTTPS URLs and enhances overall website security.
Its ease of use and SEO-friendly redirection make it an essential tool for website owners prioritizing user security and site performance.
Pricing: Free
6. Auto-Install Free SSL
Company Profile: Developed by Free SSL Dot Tech
Active Installations: 10,000+
Description: Auto-Install Free SSL by Free SSL Dot Tech offers WordPress website owners an effortless method to install and renew SSL certificates.
With a user base of over 10,000, this plugin automates the SSL installation process, ensuring secure data transmission and enabling HTTPS web traffic without the need for intricate technical configurations.
This seamless and free solution prioritizes user convenience and website security.
Pricing: Free
7. WC SSL Seal
Company Profile: Developed by WP Fix It
Active Installations: 500+
Pricing: Free
Description: WC SSL Seal, developed by WP Fix It, caters specifically to WooCommerce websites.
With 600+ active installations, this plugin focuses on enhancing customer trust during checkout by embedding a Secure Seal SSL Provider.
This user-friendly feature ensures secure transactions and boosts customer confidence while completing purchases on WooCommerce-based online stores.
Avoid making common SSL mistakes.
Expired SSL Certificates: Users are scared off with a security warning if it has failed because the SSL certificate is not being renewed.
Mixed Content: Even with SSL in place, parts of your site may be loaded over HTTP. Mixed content can cause security warnings: ensure that all your content, whether images or scripts, is served over HTTPS.
Overlooked Redirects: Don’t forget to set up 301 redirects to send traffic from HTTP to HTTPS. If you forget to do so, it may ensure that the effects of penalties will be on your SEO and user experience.
Summarizing SSL: Why Every Website Should Have It
SSL is not an option but a must-have. Be it securing your user’s data, boosting your SEO rankings, or building credibility, SSL certificates should be the digital guardrails every website has.
If there is an installed SSL certificate within your WordPress website, its data travels through the internet with 2048-bit or more encryption. No computer or hacker in between can read the encrypted data of your users.
Only the recipient can actually decrypt and read the encrypted data, which is the users’ browser or your server. Data may be credit card-like necessary payment details, user input with a contact form, or just a simple login form.
So, secure your website with SSL right now and do not leave your virtual doors guarded for unwanted guests, and make sure visitors and businesses are protected.
Suggested read: The Best Website Security Software for WordPress Sites
Common FAQs on SSL
What is the difference between SSL and HTTPS?
SSL is a protocol that encrypts the mutual connection between a web server and a browser. HTTPS, which stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, is what happens when someone applies SSL to HTTP. To simplify, SSL allows the “S” in HTTPS.
Is a free SSL certificate equally as good or as good as a paid one?
Yes, free SSL certificates, like Let’s Encrypt, have the same level of encryption as paid SSL certificates. However, most paid options offer additional features, such as higher levels of validation, more impressive warranties, and customer services or support.
Does SSL improve performance on my website?
Though the main idea of using SSL is for security purposes, indirectly it can enhance the performance of the website. The latest SSL protocols feature reduced latency, which one can observe in loading times of websites, for example, HTTP/2.
