Is Your Website Secure? A Complete Guide to Enabling an SSL Certificate

As the internet  grows and cyber threats multiply, SSL certificates have become essential for every website that wants to keep its visitors and their data safe. If you have a website and you’re looking for the best ways to improve security and build customer trust, enabling an SSL certificate is the first and most important step.

In this article, we’ll give you a complete, clear guide to enabling an SSL certificate and protecting your website from security holes.

What Is an SSL Certificate and Why Does It Matter?

An SSL certificate uses a security protocol that encrypts the data exchanged between the user and the server. When someone visits a website with an SSL certificate, their sensitive data, such as personal information and payment details, is encrypted, which makes it hard for intruders and hackers to get to it.

So how does an SSL certificate work?

When you visit a website that uses SSL, a secure connection is set up between the user’s browser and the website’s server using the HTTPS protocol. The website is verified with a digital certificate issued by a licensed body called a certificate authority (CA). The certificate confirms the website’s identity and makes sure all data sent between the two sides is fully encrypted.

Why Does Your Website Need an SSL Certificate?

Your website needs an SSL certificate to stay secure:

1. Better security: the most important job of an SSL certificate is protecting your site’s data. Without encryption, information sent over the internet is open to snooping and hacking. Securing this information is essential, especially on websites with sensitive data, such as ecommerce sites.
2. Better SEO: Google announced in 2014 that it uses HTTPS as a ranking signal. That means if you use an SSL certificate, there’s a good chance your site will outrank competitors that don’t.
3.  More user trust: when users see the padlock in the browser’s address bar, they feel confident the site they’re browsing is safe. That trust leads directly to better conversion rates (CRO), because visitors are more likely to buy from or engage with sites that keep their data safe.

The Main Types of SSL Certificates

Before buying an SSL certificate,  it’s important to understand the different types you can use for your website:

• Domain Validated (DV) certificates

DV certificates are the most common type and the cheapest. They’re issued quickly and provide basic protection. They check that the website owner controls the domain, but they don’t verify the company’s identity.

• Organization Validated (OV) certificates

OV certificates require extra verification of the identity of the company or organization running the site. They offer a higher level of assurance than DV certificates and suit sites that handle sensitive data.

• Extended Validation (EV) certificates

EV certificates are the most rigorous and the most expensive. They offer a high level of trust, because the company’s verified name is shown in the certificate details, and they’re ideal for large sites and companies that need to build strong trust with their customers.

How to Enable an SSL Certificate on Your Website

1. Choose the right SSL certificate for your website

The first step is choosing the type of certificate that fits your site’s needs. If your website is simple and doesn’t handle sensitive information, you can choose a DV certificate.  If you have an online store or a site that handles sensitive data, an OV or EV certificate is a better choice.

2. Buy an SSL certificate from a trusted provider

Once you’ve chosen a type, buy it from a trusted provider such as Comodo or Symantec. Working with a trusted provider is essential for your certificate’s security. Or, when you buy web hosting from Kemetova, you get a free SSL certificate with your hosting plan.

3. Install the SSL certificate on your server

The steps for installing an SSL certificate depend on the type of server your site uses. Here are two common examples:

• Installing the certificate on an Apache server:
  1. Get the required files from the certificate authority (CA).
  2. Edit the configuration file to add the certificate paths.
  3. Restart the server to activate the SSL certificate.
• Installing the certificate on an Nginx server:
  1. Upload the certificate files to the server.
  2. Update the Nginx configuration file to set the certificate path.
  3. Restart Nginx to activate the SSL certificate.

4. Redirect to HTTPS automatically

After installing the SSL certificate, make sure all your visitors are automatically sent to the secure (HTTPS) version with a 301 redirect. This means visitors will never see the insecure (HTTP) version of your website.

5. Test your SSL certificate after installing it

After installing your SSL certificate, test it with a tool such as SSL Labs to confirm it’s installed correctly and there are no security problems on your site.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Installing an SSL Certificate

• Ignoring mixed content: when files such as images or scripts load over HTTP instead of HTTPS on a site that uses SSL, that’s called mixed content. Make sure every element on your site loads over HTTPS to avoid this problem, which can hurt your site’s security and users’ trust.
• Not renewing your SSL certificate: security certificates are valid for a set period, so make sure you renew your site’s certificate before it expires, to avoid gaps in protection and browser warnings.
•  Not updating internal links after moving to HTTPS: update all your internal and external links to avoid broken links or SEO problems.

Enabling an SSL certificate on your website isn’t just an option; it’s essential  on today’s internet. By following the steps above, you can secure your website, build your customers’ trust and improve your search rankings. 

The benefits of SSL aren’t limited to security; it also directly improves the user experience and conversion rates. If you have a website, protect it and set it up for success online. An SSL certificate is the best way to protect your site and build customer trust over the long term.

If you have any questions  about securing your website against security threats, get in touch with the Kemetova team, and we’ll get back to you with the details.