SSL Certificates

An SSL certificate is a mechanism to provide additional security to a website/web-application which provides reassurance to visitors that the information they enter is secure. This information might be highly sensitive like debit/credit card details, but it also applies to usernames, passwords, personal details and even searches. Having an SSL certificate is commonly known as a website being 'secure'

When an SSL certificate is installed, it means the browser encrypts all traffic between the visitor and the webserver hosting - ensuring no data can be intercepted and examined along the way - you may notice the address bar starts with https:// instead of just http:// - the 's' stands for secure. SSL certificates can also verify websites as being authentic instead of being 'spoofed'. Having an SSL certificate shows that your company or organisation has to gone to some effort to protect the privacy of their visitors which helps to build trust.

Why do I need an SSL certificate?

As of 2016, we highly recommend all websites make use of an SSL certificate. The SEO benefit alone should justify the cost and it ticks another box for responsible security.

Trust & reassurance - When a visitor hits your website, they will form an instant first impression. This is based on many factors, but security is often one of them. Many people are still sceptical of the dangers of being online - and have been advised to look for telltale signs and ensure they look for 'padlock' symbols before giving away any information about themselves. Having an SSL certificate will help to build trust and make your business or organisation look established.
eCommerce & forms – Traditionally the most common reason for having one was having a website which had eCommerce - allowing products/services to be purchased online. In these cases, customers are often providing their personal details, address details and potentially payment details - all of which need to be handled securely. However any website with any user-input such as enquiry forms should be 'secured' with an SSL certificate to ensure the privacy of that data.
Improved search engine rankings– Recently Google have change their ranking algorithms to favour secure websites over non-secure websites - as they want to promote better privacy too - and also it helps to weed out the cheats/fake sites.
Peace of mind – If you care about your customers or visitors, it's just nice to know they are safe. It's a responsible thing to do as a website owner

We practice what we preach

This website right now is running under https:// and should show the padlock symbol somewhere in your browser. We value and respect your privacy so any communications from you input via our website (i.e. enquiry form submission) will be encrypted.

What does an SSL certificate cost?

Typically from £100 per domain per annum (payable 1 year in advance)
There are upgrade options available for additional features - such as the green bar & organisation name. Please contact us for further details on this.
If you have multiple websites or sub-domains, there are options to buy 1 SSL certificate to cover multiple domains - thus reducing costs. Again, please contact us for details.

Frequently asked questions about SSL Certificates

I have an SSL certificate already, can I transfer it to your hosting?

Yes, if we are given the CSR, CRT and private key, we can arrange for the certificate to be installed for a charge. Please contact us.

Will my website rank better?

There is strong evidence to say you will get a boost in search engine rankings by moving to https:// from http. However the transfer needs to be correctly handling using redirects to ensure Google and other searches understand the change - and there are no broken links. But we handle all of this as part of any SSL certificate purchase & installation..

How quickly can you get an SSL certificate installed?

Typically this can take 24-48hrs, although sometimes sooner. In some cirumstances, validation will need to take place to ensure the organisation purchasing the SSL certificate is genuine - so some background checks may take place - and evidence is occasionally required to prove ownership.

SSL Certificates