An SSL certificate is a digital certificate that encrypts the data sent between a website and a browser (passwords, card details, form entries). Technically the protocol used today is TLS, but the name “SSL” has stuck. With a certificate installed, the site opens with https:// instead of http://.
Google has used HTTPS as a search signal since 2014. Browsers such as Chrome mark pages without HTTPS as “Not secure” in the address bar, and that warning instantly lowers a visitor's trust, especially on forms and at checkout.
There are three types of certificate: Domain Validation (DV) only checks control of the domain and is enough for most sites; Organization Validation (OV) also checks the company's details; Extended Validation (EV) is the strictest check. Let's Encrypt issues free DV certificates, which are all most sites need.
Why it matters
A site without SSL opens with a browser warning and does not inspire trust, and most payment gateways will not connect without it. HTTPS is the minimum standard on the modern web.
How SaytPro helps
SaytPro installs an SSL certificate on every site and sets up automatic renewal. The domain, first-year VPS hosting, SSL and a business email are included in the website price.
