Are you taking all of the measures necessary to keep your website safe? What about your customers’ data? There are plenty of best practices you should be following to safeguard your information. However, if your site doesn’t already have a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate in place, you could be putting sensitive data at risk.
The good news is that SSL certificates are relatively easy to generate and add to your website. But with several different types of certifications available, you’ll want to take some time to familiarize yourself with your options and choose one that’s best for you.
Why You Should Add an SSL Certificate to Your Website
Obtaining an SSL certificate for your website increases your security, especially when it comes to processing credit card payments and collecting other personal or sensitive information from users. Demonstrating to your visitors that you have an SSL certificate shows them that you care about their data security and peace of mind.
As an added bonus, an SSL certificate can even boost your search engine optimization (SEO). It’s a win-win for everyone!
Understanding the Different Types of SSL Certificates
There are a few common types of SSL certificates available, including:
- Wildcard SSL Certificates
- Multi-Domain SSL Certificates
- Organization Validation (OV)
- Extended Validation (EV)
A Wildcard SSL Certificate allows you to apply your certificate not just to your common domain name but to any related subdomains (such as a mobile version of your site) as well at no additional charge. Meanwhile, a Multi-Domain SSL Certificate provides protection for sites with multiple top-level domains. For example, if you have a .com, .biz, and .eu version of your website, this certificate will cover all three.
Organization Validation SSL Certificates are ideal for non-eCommerce sites, as they offer basic protection for contact information, passwords, and more. This type of certificate tends to be very affordable, especially when compared to Extended Validation SSL Certificates, which encrypt eCommerce transactions.
Which SSL Certificate Is Right for You?
Now that you have a better understanding of the different types of SSL certificates available to you, which is best for your website? This will ultimately depend on several factors. For starters, you should consider your site’s domain type and any subdomains you own. If you have multiple domain types or subdomains, then a Wildcard or Multi-Domain SSL Certificate will likely be your best bet. On the other hand, if you run an eCommerce site that handles a lot of customer payment information, then you’ll probably want to spend a bit more on an Extended Validation SSL Certificate for your customers’ peace of mind. Of course, if you’re on a budget and aren’t handling or collecting a lot of sensitive information from your visitors, then a basic Organization Validation SSL Certificate may fit the bill.
No matter what type of SSL certification you end up with, make sure you’re maximizing your security by hosting your website on a dedicated server. ReliableSite offers dedicated server hosting to suit any budget, with free DDoS protection and plenty of other security measures in place. Contact us today to learn more!