What Is an SSL Certificate and How to Get One for Your Site?
Have you noticed that some websites display a padlock icon in the browser address bar while others show "Not Secure" warnings? This visual indicator reflects whether a site uses SSL/TLS encryption—and in 2025, having an SSL certificate isn't just recommended, it's absolutely essential for every website.
If your site doesn't use HTTPS with a valid SSL certificate, browsers warn visitors about security risks, Google penalizes your search rankings, and you lose credibility with potential customers. The good news? Obtaining SSL certificates has become remarkably simple and affordable, with many web hosting providers offering them completely free.
This comprehensive guide explains what SSL certificates are, why they're crucial for your website's success, the different types available, and exactly how to obtain and install one for your site in 2025.
What Is an SSL Certificate?
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates are small data files that digitally bind a cryptographic key to an organization's details. When installed on a web server, they activate the padlock icon and enable HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) connections between web servers and browsers.
Understanding SSL vs TLS
Technical note: The industry now uses TLS (Transport Layer Security) rather than SSL. TLS is the successor to SSL and provides stronger security. However, the term "SSL certificate" persists in common usage even though modern certificates actually implement TLS protocols.
For practical purposes, when people say "SSL certificate," they mean the certificates that enable HTTPS encryption using current TLS standards.
How SSL Certificates Work
SSL certificates create an encrypted connection between a web server and a browser through the following process:
1. Browser Requests Secure Connection: When a visitor navigates to https://yoursite.com, their browser requests the server to identify itself.
2. Server Sends SSL Certificate: The web server responds by sending a copy of its SSL certificate along with its public encryption key.
3. Browser Validates Certificate: The browser checks whether it trusts the certificate by verifying:
- The certificate was issued by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA)
- The certificate hasn't expired
- The certificate is being used by the website it was issued for
- The certificate hasn't been revoked
4. Encrypted Session Begins: If the browser trusts the certificate, it creates and encrypts a session key using the server's public key, then sends it to the server.
5. Secure Data Exchange: The server decrypts the session key using its private key. From this point forward, all data transmitted between browser and server is encrypted using this shared session key.
This entire "SSL handshake" process takes milliseconds and happens automatically without user intervention.
Why SSL Certificates Are Essential in 2025
SSL certificates have transitioned from optional enhancements to mandatory requirements for all websites. Here's why:
1. Data Security and Encryption
Protects Sensitive Information: SSL encryption prevents hackers from intercepting data transmitted between users and your website—including:
- Login credentials (usernames and passwords)
- Credit card numbers and payment information
- Personal information (addresses, phone numbers, emails)
- Private communications and messages
- Any form data submitted by visitors
Prevents Man-in-the-Middle Attacks: Without encryption, attackers can intercept communications and steal or modify data. SSL prevents these attacks by encrypting all transmissions.
Secure Wi-Fi Protection: When users access your site over public Wi-Fi networks (coffee shops, airports, hotels), SSL encryption prevents eavesdropping on their connection.
2. Google Search Engine Rankings
Confirmed Ranking Factor: Google officially uses HTTPS as a ranking signal. Websites with SSL certificates receive preferential treatment in search results compared to non-secure HTTP sites.
Mobile-First Indexing: Google's mobile-first indexing prioritizes secure sites, making SSL even more critical for mobile search visibility.
Chrome Browser Indicators: Google Chrome (the most popular browser) actively warns users away from non-HTTPS sites by displaying "Not Secure" warnings in the address bar—scaring visitors away before they even read your content.
3. User Trust and Credibility
Visual Trust Indicators: The padlock icon in the address bar signals to visitors that your site is legitimate and secure.
Avoid Warning Messages: Browsers display frightening warnings for non-HTTPS sites, telling users "Your connection is not private" and suggesting they shouldn't proceed. These warnings devastate conversion rates.
Professional Appearance: HTTPS is expected in 2025. Sites without SSL look outdated and unprofessional.
Customer Confidence: Visitors are more likely to share personal information, create accounts, and make purchases on secure websites.
4. Compliance Requirements
PCI DSS Compliance: If you accept credit card payments, SSL certificates are mandatory for PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) compliance.
GDPR and Privacy Regulations: Various data protection regulations require appropriate security measures, including encryption for personal data transmission.
Industry Standards: Many industries have specific security requirements that mandate SSL/TLS encryption.
5. Browser Requirements for Modern Features
HTTPS-Only Features: Modern web technologies including HTTP/2, service workers, progressive web apps, and geolocation APIs require HTTPS connections.
Cookie Security: Secure cookies require HTTPS to function properly.
Mixed Content Blocking: Browsers block insecure content (HTTP) on secure pages (HTTPS), potentially breaking functionality on non-secure sites.
6. Referrer Data Preservation
Analytics Accuracy: When traffic passes from an HTTPS site to an HTTP site, referrer information is stripped, appearing as "direct traffic" in analytics. This obscures where visitors actually came from, damaging your marketing insights.
Types of SSL Certificates
SSL certificates vary in validation level and coverage, with different types serving different purposes.
Based on Validation Level
Domain Validation (DV) Certificates
What They Validate: Only verifies that you control the domain name.
Issuance Speed: Automated validation enables instant or near-instant issuance.
Cost: Free to $50/year (most are free in 2025).
Best For: Blogs, personal sites, small business websites, informational sites.
Trust Level: Basic trust—shows padlock but no organization name in certificate.
Example: Let's Encrypt certificates are DV certificates available free with most hosting plans.
DV certificates are perfect for the majority of websites that need encryption and basic trust indicators without requiring verified organizational identity.
Organization Validation (OV) Certificates
What They Validate: Verifies domain ownership plus the organization's legal existence and identity.
Issuance Speed: 1-3 days (requires documentation verification).
Cost: $50-300/year.
Best For: Business websites, organizations wanting to display verified identity.
Trust Level: Medium trust—certificate details show verified organization information.
Validation Process: Certificate Authority verifies business registration, address, and phone number through public databases and callbacks.
Extended Validation (EV) Certificates
What They Validate: Rigorous verification of organization identity, legal existence, physical location, and domain ownership.
Issuance Speed: 1-7 days (extensive verification required).
Cost: $100-1,000+/year.
Best For: E-commerce sites, financial institutions, organizations handling highly sensitive data.
Trust Level: Highest trust—formerly displayed organization name in browser address bar (though modern browsers removed this feature).
Validation Process: Extensive documentation required, including business registration, articles of incorporation, D&B verification, and personal identity verification of authorized signers.
Current Value: EV certificates have declined in importance since browsers removed the green address bar display. For most websites, DV certificates now provide equivalent visible trust indicators at zero cost.
Based on Coverage
Single Domain Certificates
Coverage: Protects one specific domain (e.g., www.example.com).
Best For: Websites using only one domain/subdomain.
Limitation: Doesn't cover other subdomains (blog.example.com would need a separate certificate).
Wildcard Certificates
Coverage: Protects one domain and unlimited first-level subdomains (*.example.com covers www.example.com, blog.example.com, shop.example.com, etc.).
Best For: Websites using multiple subdomains.
Cost: Typically higher than single domain certificates.
Limitation: Doesn't cover second-level subdomains (mail.blog.example.com would not be covered).
Multi-Domain (SAN) Certificates
Coverage: Protects multiple completely different domains within one certificate (example.com, example.net, another-domain.com).
Best For: Organizations managing multiple websites.
Flexibility: Can include different domains and subdomains.
Cost: Based on number of domains included.
How to Get an SSL Certificate
Obtaining SSL certificates has become remarkably simple in 2025, with multiple options ranging from completely free to premium paid certificates.
Option 1: Free SSL Through Your Hosting Provider (Recommended for Most Websites)
The easiest method is using free SSL certificates included with your web hosting plan.
Let's Encrypt Integration
Let's Encrypt is a nonprofit Certificate Authority providing free, automated SSL certificates that have revolutionized website security. Over 350 million websites use Let's Encrypt certificates in 2025.
How It Works:
Automatic Provisioning: Most quality hosting providers integrate Let's Encrypt directly into their control panels.
One-Click Activation: Enable SSL with a single click in your hosting control panel.
Automatic Renewal: Certificates auto-renew every 90 days without manual intervention.
Domain Validation: Automated verification confirms you control the domain.
Hosting Providers Offering Free Let's Encrypt SSL:
DreamHost: Free SSL certificates included with all hosting plans, automatically installed and renewed. Their WordPress hosting includes pre-configured SSL for immediate HTTPS.
Hostinger: Unlimited free Let's Encrypt SSL certificates with automatic renewal.
SiteGround: Free Let's Encrypt SSL on all plans with wildcard support.
Bluehost: Free SSL certificates for all domains and subdomains.
A2 Hosting: Free automated SSL certificates through Let's Encrypt partnership.
Advantages:
- Zero cost
- Automatic installation and renewal
- Same encryption strength as paid certificates
- Perfect for most websites
Considerations:
- DV validation only (sufficient for most sites)
- 90-day validity requiring automatic renewal
- No warranty or insurance (doesn't matter for most sites)
Option 2: Purchase SSL Certificates
Some situations justify purchasing SSL certificates despite free options being available.
When to Buy SSL Certificates:
Organization Validation Required: Your business wants verified organizational information displayed in the certificate.
Extended Validation Needed: Financial institutions or high-value e-commerce may prefer EV certificates for maximum trust (though benefits over DV have diminished).
Warranty Protection: Paid certificates include warranties ($10,000-$1,750,000) covering data breaches resulting from certificate defects.
Specific Compliance: Some industry regulations specifically require purchased certificates from particular Certificate Authorities.
Where to Purchase SSL Certificates:
Certificate Authorities:
- DigiCert (premium, $200-1,000+/year)
- Sectigo (formerly Comodo, $50-300/year)
- GlobalSign ($200-800/year)
- GoDaddy ($70-300/year)
Domain Registrars: Most domain registrars sell SSL certificates, often with simplified installation.
Hosting Providers: Many hosts sell premium SSL certificates alongside free Let's Encrypt options.
Option 3: Use Cloudflare Free SSL
Cloudflare, a content delivery network and security service, offers free SSL certificates for websites using their services.
How It Works:
- Sign up for Cloudflare's free plan
- Point your domain's DNS to Cloudflare
- Enable SSL/TLS encryption in Cloudflare dashboard
- Choose encryption mode:
- Flexible: Encrypts visitor-to-Cloudflare connection (not recommended—doesn't encrypt Cloudflare-to-server)
- Full: Encrypts both connections but doesn't validate server certificate
- Full (Strict): End-to-end encryption with validated certificates (recommended)
Advantages:
- Free SSL certificates
- Additional performance and security benefits
- DDoS protection included
- Fast global CDN
Considerations:
- Requires using Cloudflare's DNS
- Flexible mode doesn't provide true end-to-end encryption
- Another service layer to manage
How to Install SSL Certificates
Installation methods vary based on your hosting setup and certificate source.
Method 1: Automatic Installation (Hosting Control Panel)
Most modern hosting control panels make SSL installation completely automatic.
cPanel/WHM Process:
- Log into your hosting control panel
- Navigate to the SSL/TLS section
- Select "Let's Encrypt SSL" or "AutoSSL"
- Choose your domain from the list
- Click "Install" or "Enable SSL"
- System automatically generates and installs certificate
DreamHost Panel Process:
- Log into DreamHost panel
- Navigate to "Websites" → "Manage Websites"
- Click "Manage" next to your domain
- Toggle "Secure Hosting (Add a Free Let's Encrypt Certificate)"
- Certificate installs automatically within minutes
Time Required: 1-10 minutes for automatic installation.
Method 2: Manual Installation
If your hosting doesn't offer automatic installation or you purchased an SSL certificate separately:
Steps:
Generate CSR (Certificate Signing Request): Your hosting control panel or server generates a CSR containing your public key and domain information.
Submit CSR to Certificate Authority: When purchasing SSL certificates, you provide the CSR to the CA.
Complete Validation: DV certificates validate automatically via email or DNS record. OV/EV require submitting documentation.
Receive Certificate Files: CA emails certificate files after validation.
Install Certificate: Upload certificate files to your server through hosting control panel or via SSH.
Install Intermediate Certificates: Install CA bundle/intermediate certificates for complete trust chain.
Configure Web Server: Update server configuration to use the new certificate.
Time Required: 15 minutes to several days depending on validation level.
Method 3: VPS Hosting and Dedicated Server Installation
For VPS or dedicated servers, you have full control over installation:
Let's Encrypt via Certbot (Recommended):
# Install Certbot
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install certbot python3-certbot-apache
# Obtain and install certificate
sudo certbot --apache
# Or for nginx
sudo certbot --nginx
Certbot automatically configures your web server for HTTPS and sets up automatic renewal.
Manual Installation Process:
- Generate CSR on server
- Obtain certificate from CA
- Upload certificate files to server
- Configure Apache or nginx to use certificates
- Reload web server
- Set up renewal process
Post-Installation: Configuring HTTPS Properly
Installing the SSL certificate is just the first step. Proper configuration ensures security and avoids errors.
1. Force HTTPS (Redirect HTTP to HTTPS)
Ensure all visitors use secure connections by redirecting HTTP requests to HTTPS.
Via .htaccess (Apache):
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]
Via WordPress Plugin: Really Simple SSL automatically handles redirects for WordPress sites.
Via Hosting Control Panel: Many hosts offer "Force HTTPS" toggles in their control panels.
2. Update Internal Links
Change hardcoded HTTP links to HTTPS or use protocol-relative URLs (//).
WordPress Users: Search and replace plugins like Better Search Replace can update all database links from HTTP to HTTPS.
3. Fix Mixed Content Warnings
Ensure all resources (images, scripts, stylesheets) load via HTTPS, not HTTP.
Identify Mixed Content: Browser developer tools console shows mixed content warnings.
Solutions:
- Update HTTP resource URLs to HTTPS
- Use protocol-relative URLs (//example.com/image.jpg)
- Enable "Content Security Policy" to automatically upgrade insecure requests
4. Update External Services
Update HTTPS URLs in:
- Google Search Console
- Google Analytics
- Social media profiles
- Email signatures
- Marketing materials
- Third-party integrations
5. Test SSL Configuration
SSL Labs Test: Visit https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/ and enter your domain.
Target Grade: A or A+ rating confirms proper configuration.
Common Issues Detected:
- Incomplete certificate chains
- Weak encryption protocols
- Vulnerable server configurations
- Certificate expiration approaching
6. Monitor Certificate Expiration
Let's Encrypt: Auto-renewal handles expiration, but monitor to ensure renewal succeeds.
Purchased Certificates: Set calendar reminders for renewal 30 days before expiration.
Monitoring Tools:
- SSL monitoring services
- Hosting control panel notifications
- Browser warnings when visiting your own site
Troubleshooting Common SSL Issues
"Your Connection Is Not Private" Errors
Causes:
- Expired certificate
- Certificate domain mismatch
- Self-signed certificate
- Incomplete certificate chain
- Invalid certificate
Solutions:
- Verify certificate hasn't expired
- Ensure certificate matches your domain exactly
- Install intermediate certificates
- Obtain certificate from trusted CA
Mixed Content Warnings
Cause: HTTPS pages loading HTTP resources.
Solution: Update all resource URLs to HTTPS or protocol-relative format.
Redirect Loops
Cause: Incorrect redirect configuration.
Solutions:
- Check .htaccess rules for conflicts
- Verify CDN/proxy SSL settings
- Review WordPress plugin configurations
Certificate Not Trusted
Cause: Incomplete certificate chain or missing intermediate certificates.
Solution: Install CA bundle/intermediate certificates alongside primary certificate.
SSL Certificates for Different Platforms
WordPress SSL
WordPress works seamlessly with SSL certificates once properly configured.
Recommended Approach:
- Choose hosting with free automatic SSL (DreamHost's managed WordPress hosting includes pre-configured SSL)
- Install WordPress
- Enable SSL through hosting control panel
- Install Really Simple SSL plugin to handle redirects and mixed content
- Update WordPress URL settings to HTTPS
E-commerce Platform SSL
WooCommerce, PrestaShop, Magento: SSL is mandatory for payment processing. Enable SSL before launching store.
Shopify, BigCommerce: SSL included automatically on all plans.
Email SSL
Separate from website SSL, email SSL secures email connections:
- SMTPS: Port 465 for outgoing mail
- STARTTLS: Port 587 with encryption upgrade
- IMAPS/POP3S: Secure incoming mail connections
Quality hosting providers include email SSL certificates automatically.
Conclusion: Getting SSL Is Simple and Essential
SSL certificates have transformed from optional technical enhancements to mandatory requirements for every website. The good news is that obtaining and installing SSL has never been easier or more affordable—in fact, it's completely free with quality hosting providers.
Action Steps:
Choose hosting with free SSL: Select a hosting provider like DreamHost that includes free Let's Encrypt SSL certificates with automatic installation and renewal.
Enable SSL: Activate SSL through your hosting control panel with one click.
Configure HTTPS properly: Set up redirects, fix mixed content, and test your configuration.
Monitor and maintain: Ensure automatic renewal works correctly.
The entire process takes just minutes when using modern hosting with integrated SSL support. There's simply no reason to delay implementing SSL on your website.
Don't let "Not Secure" warnings scare away visitors, damage your search rankings, or undermine your credibility. Get SSL protection today—your website's success depends on it.
Ready to launch a secure website? Start with reliable web hosting that includes free SSL certificates, then find your perfect domain name using Namr's domain generator. With proper hosting and HTTPS in place, you'll establish a professional, secure online presence that builds trust with visitors and performs well in search engines.