What is An SSL Certificate? How A Blog Gets Benefit from it?

Want to know What is an SSL certificate? This tutorial will give you a complete idea about What is SSL certificate, What are the types of SSL, what is the use of using SSL and how to install it on your website. Earlier SSL was mandatory for e-commerce sites. But not Google considering it as a ranking factor. So every website must have an SSL certificate.

What is an SSL certificate?

SSL is the short form of Secure Sockets Layer. It is just a technology which encrypts data between browser and server. When an SSL certificate installed on your server, the protocol HTTP will be changed to HTTPs where ‘s’ stands for Secure.

When you browse secure website your browser will show a Secure word or any other symbol in a green color. Different browsers may show different symbols.

How SSL works?

It works based on Cryptography technology. Cryptography is a science which uses mathematics to encrypt and decrypt user data. It uses a Public key and private key to encrypt and decrypt the data.

When you install SSL certificate on your server. Serve will have randomly generated Public key and private key. Every user or browser know your servers/websites public key. When any user access your website from their browser, your website encrypt their information with the public key. And sends to your server. The server decrypts the data using private key.

No one knows the private key. Decrypting data without private key is impossible. Everyone knows the public key which is helpful only to encrypt the data. So if the hacker tries to hack the data between user browser and your server, he will see only encrypted data. He cannot decrypt the data without the private key which is known to your server only.

Uses of SSL certificate

Google made it must for websites which make sales and which accepts visitor information like credit card details and passwords. If you accept your visitor credit card details without implementing SSL, Google will show a red symbol mentioning that your web page is not secure. Even if you don’t make sales through your website, you need to consider it because of below reasons.

• Encryption of data from the browser to server and server to the browser.
• Encryption of data from the server to server.
• Hacking is impossible.
• Your visitor data is always secure.
• It will improve your website authority.
• Google is considering SSL is one of the search engine ranking factors.
• It will improve your conversion rate if you were making sales.

Free Vs Premium SSL certificate

If you have a blog and not making any sales, you can use the free SSL from Let’s Encrypt. You will get a shared SSL in free SSL. It will always have security concerns.

If your website is an e-Commerce website, I advise not to use free SSL. You must buy a premium SSL from reputed companies like Symantec or Comodo or GeoTrust which provide dedicated SSL.

What are the types of SSL certificates?

There are three types of SSL certificates based on validation levels.

1.Domain Validated: It is very easy to get. If you could validate the ownership of your domain, you could get it. It is the cheapest or even free SSL certificate. It has high risk. You must not use it for e-Commerce websites. You can use it for blogs.

2.Organization Validated: You must have a registered company to get this certificate. The certificate authority will verify your organization details before giving the certificate. It is the minimum recommended certificate for e-Commerce websites.

3.Extended Validation: It is the best ever certificate. If you have this certificate, the browser will display your organization name before URL. You can check below image for how it appears. It gives more security. And it will improve your organization trust and conversions.

After selecting any one certificate from above three, you need to select the certificate based on the number of domains and subdomains. They are also different types.

1.Single Name SSL: It will secure only one domain either main domain(www.blogvwant.com) or subdomain (blog.www.blogvwant.com) but not for both.

2.Wildcard SSL: It will secure an unlimited number of sub domains under a single domain.

3.Multi-domain SSL: It will support the unlimited number of main domains andsub-domainss. You can use it if you have many domains.

How to implement SSL on my website?

Almost every big web hosting providers like Bluehost (60% Discounted link) or Siteground (60% Discounted link) is giving free SSL certificate.

• Related: How to Install Free Bluehost SSL on a New Blog
• 4 Simple Steps to install SSL certificate on Siteground server

If your WebHost does not support free SSL certificate, you can use website Security services like CloudFlare and Sucuri. They are providing an option to use free SSL certificate. Both of them are providing step by step tutorials to setup SSL.

If you want to use free CDN, you can use CloudFlare and use their SSL.

If you need premium security and CDN, you must use Sucuri and it is very easy to setup SSL with Sucuri. I am using it, it has improved my website site and speed as well.

Conclusion:

Today it is must use SSL certificate. You have a simple blog and not making any sales, you can use free SSL. If your blog makes sales or if you have an e-Commerce website, you need to use any one of the Premium SSL certificates from Symantec. If you have company and want to make a strong brand impression, you need to use Extended Validation certificate from Symantec.

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