What is an SSL Certificate and Do I Need One?

What is an SSL Certificate and Do I Need One?

At Buer Interactive, we work with a multitude of clients from Houston lawyers to online businesses and all of our clients want their potential customers to feel that their information is secure when transmitting it through their websites. Your customer relationships are based on reputation and trust, and having an SSL certificate is one of the best ways to showcase that your company is secure. Our Houston web developers get a lot of questions about SSL certificates and why they are needed. We’ve decided to share that information with you below. If you have any questions on SSL certificates or web safety, please don’t hesitate to contact one of our Houston web development professionals today. Our contact information is at the bottom of this page.

If you transmit any kind of personal or identifying information through your website, chances are you need an SSL certificate for your website to protect the privacy of your website’s users. But, what IS an SSL Certificate and how does it work?

The Basics:

SSL certificates use what’s called public key cryptography. This cryptography uses two keys which are long strands of numbers that are randomly generated. One is public and one is private. The public key is made available to the public domain and your server and is used to encrypt a message. For example, information can be transmitted with a public key but then needs a private key to decrypt the information. If a hacker gets to the information before it gets to where it is meant to go, the hacker will get a code that can’t be broken, because they do not have the key to unlock the message.  It’s similar to a mailbox. Someone can deliver a message into a mail slot at the post office, but that mail cannot be retrieved without someone from the post office obtaining it with a special key to unlock the mailbox.

Why Do I Need an SSL Certificate? If your company does any business online, your SSL certificate ensures that customer information is kept secure. Online consumers know the dangers of unprotected websites and more often than not will opt to seek a product or service somewhere else if they feel their information is in jeopardy.

An SSL Certificate:

• Keeps passwords and usernames secure
• Improves Google Rankings
• Builds customer trust
• Overall increases sales, as customers are more likely to make a purchase if they feel safe in doing so.

WordPress offers a variety of plugins for WordPress sites with SSL certficiates. Our Houston WordPress web development team recommends the following:

• CM HTTPS PRO: This plugin redirects http website to https showing that the website is secure, and has a feature which searches and fixes unsecured content. This means that once your site is secure, your entire website can switch to https, or only specific secure pages. This plugin comes with URL mapping, a user-friendly dashboard and testing tools.
• Easy HTTPS Your Houston web design company can implement this plugin so that the HTTP pages of your website will recirect to HTTPS. This plugin allows for all pages in your website to redirect or only a few chosen pages. This plugin also has the ability to load static images and files using HTTPS.
• WP Force SSL A very basic plugin without a lot of advances options, this plugin redirects all WordPress site pages from HTTP to HTTPs. The plugin is simple to use if you do not require a lot of extra features. This plugin however, does not scan for unsecure pages. If you want to use a plugin of this simplicity, consult with your Houston web development professional to make sure you are doing things correctly.

An SSL certificate increases the trust that customers have in your brand and ultimately increases the conversions of your web traffic. Having an SSL certificate is a must for anyone transmitting information via their website. For assistance with your SSL certificate or with any aspect of web development, contact one of the members of our Houston WordPress web design team today to discuss your business goals.

Buer Interactive – Houston Website Design, Web Development, and Search Engine Optimization

5850 San Felipe Street

Suite 500

Houston, TX 77057

(832) 699-3631

https://buerinteractive.com/