Do you have an SSL Certificate on your website?

Now, if you do not know what an SSL certificate is, let’s look at that first.

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a standard security protocol for establishing encrypted links between a web server and a browser in an online communication.

Using SSL technology ensures that all data transmitted between the web server and browser remains encrypted.

It will add ‘https’ to website instead of the normal ‘http’. The https will add a ‘padlock sign’ to your website making it secured for your visitors.

ssl padlock

See the reasons why you need to.

There are three main benefits to using HTTPS instead of HTTP to access your blog or website:

It helps to check that your visitors open the correct website and aren’t being redirected to a malicious site.

It helps detect if an attacker tries to change any data sent from a website to the visitor.

It adds security measures that make it harder for other people to listen to your visitors’ conversations, track their activities, or steal their information.
It will ensure that Google will not flag your website and mark it insecure.

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How to Setup SSL on a WordPress

There are many ways to setup or install SSL certificate on your WordPress website. We will look at a few of them.

1. Purchase an SSL cerificate

You can purchase an SSL certificate from any hosting company and set it up from your cpanel. Some web hosting companies like Namecheap have an easy automated system to setup your SSL when you purchase it from them. You can also install it manually if your hosting company doesn’t have that feature.

2. Using Cloudflare

setup SSL with cloudlare

Cloudflare is a Content Delivery Network and Security company that will allow you setup an SSL certificate for free. All you need to do is to sign up for a free account on their website and then complete the setup by connecting their nameserver to your domain registrar and once the nameserver verification is completed, your website will automatically have an SSL certificate installed.

3. Using Let’s Encrypt

Lets Encrypt

Let’s Encrypt is another platform that will allows you setup an SSL certificate. Some web hosting companies have it as part of their cpanel software where you can easily install it. You can also go their website to setup and account and follow their step by step installation guide based on your hosting company.

These are some of the ways to an SSL certificate on your website so you can increase your trust factor from your website visitors, because many people will not visit any website with that ‘padlock sign’.

Also, Google will flag your website and warn your website visitors that visiting your website is at their own risk.

So, if you don’t have an SSL on your website, you have yourself to blame because there are many ways to have and some of them are free as I have shared above.

If you need help setting it up, feel free to ask, and I can assist you.