Can you help me get an SSL certificate?

Yes, we can help you get an SSL certificate, but actually knowing what it is and why you need it is even more valuable. 

What is SSL?

SSL (Server Sockets Layer)  is a protocol for establishing authenticated and encrypted links between networked computers. In short, it allows each website’s data to become readable to a user.

What an SSL certificate does: 

Is a digital certificate that authenticates the identity of a website and encrypts information sent to the server using SSL technology. Encryption is the process of scrambling data into an undecipherable format that can only be returned to a readable format with the proper decryption key (Go Daddy). 

With an SSL certificate, your website will turn from an HTTP to an HTTPS. In addition,  if you look up at your browser now, you will see a closed lock next to our URL. This is because of an SSL certificate. Having the right certificate makes your site secure to crawlers, and visitors. Now, oftentimes if a website does not have a certificate, it will warn a user before entering your page with a message like “are you sure you want to continue on this site?” Even if you're a completely legitimate organization, the internet may deem you as not without an SSL certificate.

Determining which certificate you need is dependent on the number of websites you have.

The 3 main types of SSL Certificates: 

1. Single Domain 
2. Multi-Domain 
3. Wildcard

Your choice of SSL certificate is based on your needs. If you require protection for just one site, we recommend Single Domain. If you are a bigger organization and plan on using names such as “give.yoursite.com”, then we recommend Wild Card or Multi Domain. Again, it's all about your need, which our experts are happy to go over with you.

In addition to SSL certificates, there are also validation levels. You cannot take out a mortgage without getting a credit check, which is exactly what the validation level does for you. It makes sure you are legit.

Different types of validation levels:

• Domain Validation (prove that you control the domain)

• Organization Validation (manually give CA SSL certificate)

• Extended Validation (full background check of your organization)

SSL certificates usually expire every 1-2 years, so it’s important that you set a reminder to update your certificate. If you are on our Maintenance Plan and hosted with us, this is covered. If you presently have a Maintenance Plan but are not hosted with us, you will then need to purchase Support Hours to get this help from us.