Let’s not get too technical. We won’t bog your mind with tech jargon…

What you need to know is what an SSL certificate does for your website and why you need it. An SSL-secured site has that famous padlock icon before the website link name. You want your website to be fully secured to ensure no leakages or breaches of confidential client data to unscrupulous parties. An SSL Certificate ensures your data is encrypted during transmission to and from the server and to client devices reducing the risk of falling victim to cyber-attacks like hacking.

Search engines like Google will flag websites that are not using SSL or HTTPS connections to secure their information. This may affect how well you rank and appear in search results and turn away potential customers;

Red means Stop, and Green means Go – literally talking – the same affects web access.

Websites that handle sensitive user information or financial transactions require high levels of protection. Some of the client data that should be protected through encryption include:

• Credit card information
• User credentials (usernames and passwords)

The SSL Green padlock signifies your site runs on a secure HTTPS connection (hence the S at the end). Depending on the level of SSL license you take, your website link will display a green padlock meaning the site you are on is running an extended validation SSL certificate.