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Have you ever wondered why some URLs begin with HTTP:// and others begin with HTTPS://? Perhaps you noticed the extra "s" when visiting websites that enable you to provide confidential information, such as when paying bills online.

But what does that extra "s" say, and where did it come from?

Simply put, the extra "s" indicates that your access to that website is protected and encrypted and that any information you enter is securely shared with that website. The technology behind that little "s" is SSL, which stands for "Secure Sockets Layer." Always look for HTTPS:// while visiting a site you trust with your personal information. As a marketer, you can make sure you have at least one SSL certification for your target audience. Let's take a look at why SSL certification is so important.

What is an SSL Certificate?

SSL certificates are small data files that provide a secure connection between a web server and a browser using cryptography. This link ensures that all information exchanged between the web server and the browser is kept confidential. On an unsecured website, the details you enter on a page with a form to fill out and send can be captured by a hacker. This information may range from bank account information to an email address used to register for a bid.

When you visit an SSL-encrypted website, your browser establishes a connection with the web server, checks the SSL certification, and then binds your browser to the server. This safe link ensures that only you and the website can see or view the information you enter. This link is instantaneous, and some even say that it is quicker than connecting to an insecure website. Simply visit a website that uses SSL certification, and your link will be protected automatically.

SSL stands for Safe Socket Layer. It's a protocol that ensures that data exchanged between servers and web browsers is kept private. This is accomplished by the use of an encrypted connection between the server and the browser. The degree of authentication and encryption given or the number of domains or subdomains covered by the certificate is used to classify SSL certification.

• Encryption and Validation Certificate

  1. Domain
  2. Organization
  3. Extended validation

• Domain Number

  1. Single
  2. Multidomain
  3. Wildcard

Benefits of an SSL Certificate

1. SSL Protects Data

An SSL certificate's primary purpose is to secure server-client communication. When SSL is activated, every bit of data is encrypted. Since no one else has the key to open it, the data is locked and can only be accessed by the intended user (browser or server). When dealing with sensitive data such as IDs, passwords, credit card numbers, and so on, SSL protects you from the sinister army of hackers and skimmers. Since SSL converts data into an unreadable format, a hacker's skills prove to be a pointless weapon against SSL certification's unbreakable encryption technology.

2. SSL Verifies Your Identity

The second major role of an SSL certification is to authenticate a website. Identity authentication is one of the most important aspects of web security. There is no denying that the internet is being more misleading. Fake websites have caused people to lose tens of thousands of dollars. This is where an SSL certification is useful.

3. Improved Search Engine Positioning

Google, as we all know, is constantly updating its algorithms, and in 2014, it declared HTTPS as a ranking signal. When you use the best SSL certificate to protect your website, browsers can show a confidence indicator (Pad Lock) in the address bar. This type of confidence measure can boost your website's traffic and, as a result, your SEO rating.

Backlinko.com founder Brian Dean conducted research that revealed a strong link between HTTPS and higher search engine rankings.

4. SSL Protects Against Phishing and Other Threats

As the number of people using the internet grows, so does the number of attacks like phishing and MITM attacks. For a variety of purposes, protecting the website from such attacks is important. A best SSL certificate on the website is an easy solution. Since phishing requires cloning a website or a webpage, having an SSL-certified cloned website is nearly impossible. The best SSL certificate for protecting a website from such attacks is an EV SSL Certificate.

5. SSL Boosts Customer Trust and Revenue

A Trust indicator known as a "Padlock" is provided by an SSL Certificate for your website. Because of SSL encryption, this padlock indicates that the website is stable. SSL encryption serves as a visual indication for customers to trust the website's authenticity/security and share their personal information with it. Consumer trust has risen as a result of this.

By gaining more confidence as a safe place to exchange information, businesses can use these security features to turn visitors into customers. This is a significant step toward increasing company sales.

Best SSL certificate providers

For your website, each of these best SSL certificate providers provides a variety of benefits and security features. Learn more about each choice below to help you decide which is the best fit for your needs.

1. Strikingly

At no additional cost, all Strikingly sites come with HTTPS / SSL. This is true for both free and paid sites hosted on a custom domain. Strikingly makes use of Let's Encrypt's HTTPS and SSL, so it's completely secure. Being one of the best SSL certificate providers, we've got you covered from SSL certificate renewal to installation. Let's Encrypt is a collaborative effort backed by the majority of the internet's most well-known businesses and organizations. Its goal is to make the entire web more secure and provide users with the assurance that their personal information is safe.

Strikingly recognizes the value of establishing data protection on your website. For a long time, the same explanation has motivated us to provide automatic HTTPS for custom domains. We recently expanded the reach of this free HTTPS URL to include all free sites. Every website, we believe, is entitled to some degree of protection. It simply means that when you build a website with us, whether you want a free plan or one of our yearly plans, you will receive a free HTTPS certificate to protect your site. Isn't it a fantastic feature for a no-cost website?

Here are a few Strikingly websites that use free SSL certification:

  1. Free Strikingly websites with SSL certificate
  • Globehop

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Image taken from Strikingly’s user website

  • Billy Sky Scraper

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Image taken from Strikingly’s user website

  • GDC Consulting

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Image taken from Strikingly’s user website

  1. Premium Strikingly websites with SSL certificate
  • Sourdough Against the System

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Image taken from Strikingly’s user website

  • Whitfield Six

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Image taken from Strikingly’s user website

2. Symantec

Symantec continues to provide high-end encrypted traffic management technology solutions, which are now available via Broadcom. TLS 1.3 is now provided by Symantec with the same world-class consistency for which the company is known. Even if that quality comes at a cost, many people are willing to pay for the peace of mind it offers.

3. GeoTrust

If you think Symantec is a little too pricey, check out GeoTrust's packages. The cost of basic encryption is $149, while the cost of full security is just $344. All options come with expert support, 256-bit encryption, and a warranty.

4. DigiCert

A veritable "who's who" of the online world trusts DigiCert. Multinational corporations such as IBM, Verizon, and the rest of the Fortune 100 use it. They sell their SSL certificate with up to 4096 bits of encryption for a very low price. Their Wildcard SSL certificates, for example, cost less than $700 and cover your entire domain! Their cheapest bundle costs as little as $207 a year.

5. Thawte

Thawte is another low-cost and one of the best SSL certificate providers, with the cheapest plan costing $149 a year and providing up to 256-bit encryption, and extended validation packages costing less than $350

6. SSL.com

SSL.com provides the highest level of security for a single site, multiple pages, and sub-domains. They support 99 percent of browsers, have a 30-day no-questions-asked refund and 24/7 customer service, and provide free lifetime certificate reissues. You'll also get a free SSL.com site seal and an easy-to-use account manager, as well as a padlock symbol and an "HTTPS" domain, so your guests know their information is secure.

7. GoDaddy

Most people are familiar with GoDaddy as the world's largest domain registrar, but they also sell SSL certificates for $79.99 for the simple package and $199.99 for the managed package. Both packages can be tailored to your specific requirements. However, GoDaddy has an advantage in that you have access to knowledgeable support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Finally, we've realized how important it is to have the best SSL certificate on a website. As you can see, SSL isn't nearly as technical as it appears when you consider its critical role in protecting your website and its visitors' knowledge. Although it will seem that you have little to worry about, as a buyer and a business owner, you must take this seriously. Strikingly, in collaboration with businesses and organizations dedicated to making the entire web a safer place to conduct personal and business transactions, is committed to encouraging people to create secure websites.

Strikingly enjoys sharing tips and ideas on how to create a stable and healthy website. We'd like to hear what's on your mind as well. Let's work together to build a reliable and stable website.