Give Your Shoppers the Highest Level of Security
Learn how to increase your website conversions with the right SSL Certificate
Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificates are data files that provide security for the connection between users and websites. You can tell if a website has it if their URL reads “HTTPS,” with the “S” standing for “secure.” When people need to transmit sensitive information, SSL certificates ensure that they can share this with the website in a way that no one else can see. Internet users should only ever give personal data to legitimate websites with SSL certificates. Otherwise, they risk sharing this information with outside parties who may use it to perpetrate identity theft and other fraudulent acts.
SSL certificates are issued by companies known as Certificate Authorities (CAs). The browsers and operating systems your customers use must approve of these CAs before granting their SSL certificates with access. SSL certificates each include two special keys. The public one can encrypt sensitive data while it is being transmitted, and the private one decrypts the data, but only when your server receives it. This kind of cryptography ensures that any intruders would be unable to read the code.
People consider certain data to be extremely private because it is extremely personal, and anyone who has it can take advantage of it at the original owner’s expense. This sensitive data includes credit card numbers, details about a user’s identity, and passwords for personal accounts. eCommerce companies may need to retrieve all of this information from customers so they can fill their orders. When an online store obtains SSL certificates, visitors can trust that their information will be safe from outside parties. This bolsters both conversions rates and Google rankings.
Shared SSL certificates differ from private ones in that they use the name of the website’s host. Companies typically use these types of certificates to give themselves privacy, for administration and other non-public aspects of running or starting an online store. On the other hand, private SSL certificates allow visitors from outside the company when they need a secure connection with the website — such as placing orders.
The most common SSL certificate is the DV. CAs only need to verify that the domain itself is legitimate before issuing this certificate. When a DV SSL is granted, the website visually communicates its presence by having their address bar show a padlock icon and the term “Secure.” This SSL type tends to be the simplest and least expensive, but it is also not viewed with as much trust as websites that go further.
When a CA receives a request for an OV, they investigate whether or not the party applying for the certificate is legitimate. Upon receiving approval, that party’s name appears on the certificate itself, giving them more credibility in the eyes of their customers. Despite all this, the address bars of websites with OV SSL certificates look identical to those of websites with DV SSL certificates.
EV SSL certificates go even further than other types in how much a CA looks into the company applying for it. In addition to checking the domain and the organization, they require certain documents as definitive proof. This type also goes further in the way it visually displays its presence in the address bar. Next to the padlock icon, you can see a green bar bearing the name of the company. Many online stores use EVs because visitors are more likely to perceive this as giving the website more credibility, and they may distrust and dismiss any site that lacks this identifying mark.
While the process of receiving an EV SSL certificate may require more time and effort than other kinds, it is worthwhile to do so. If you can persuade people into trusting that your website will keep their information secure, you will see growth in the number of visitors and the number of conversions. EV SSL certificates offer the greatest validation, especially because they also offer the greatest visual demonstration of that validation.
Google, not willing to steer people towards potentially dangerous websites, is also more trusting of the ones whose URLS display that green bar. It rewards them with higher rankings on their search results. There’s not really a reason to settle for anything less.
SSL certificates increase conversion rates, customer trust, and positions in search results pages. In light of all this, eCommerce companies would be wise to give their own customers valid and trustworthy security measures. That is why Shift4Shop provides a free SSL certificate to all of our online stores. The certificate is valid and utilizes high-level encryption technology to keep user information secure. Best of all, it comes with no charge. That’s how much we care about our partners and their customers.
Let’s Encrypt is the Internet Security Research Group’s own solution, used for providing free SSL certificates to any website that meets their security standards. Despite being quite secure and easy for most users to implement, this organization’s serious treatment of internet security can cause headaches for their users. Let’s Encrypt certificates expire after 90 days, and companies need to either constant renew theirs or lose that security.
Encryption Everywhere was created by DigiCert, a company that knows all about cybersecurity. This means that their complimentary SSL certificates give strong web protection. Plus, they only need to be renewed at least once a year. However, DigiCert only gives Encryption Everywhere certificates to web hosts that partner with them. If an individual person or company wants their SSL certificate for their own site, they have to get it as part of a hosting package.
Cloudflare offers a Dedicated Domain Validated SSL as low as $5 per month . This CA uses its own SSL certificate to secure the connection, which users make with a cached version of your site. This process removes many steps that other solutions require, meaning you can start receiving that security much quicker. All you really have to do is update your DNS servers to point to Shift4Shop DNS and we'll automatically enable Cloudflare on your store and active the $5/month Dedicated SSL. Cloudflare also automatically handles certificate renewal, with no need for users to send renewal requests.
In addition to giving users and websites secure connections with each other, this solution offers a bevy of handy features. These include DDoS protection, REST API, and unlimited bandwidth. Cloudflare also boasts quick response times around the world. They achieve this by monitoring the locations of their users and directing them to the nearest local server, out of the many they have worldwide.
These are 256 bit strong encryption certificates designed for securing intranets, extranets and web sites. Recognized by 99.9% of current Internet users, Enterprise SSL is an ideal way of securing your enterprise web server.
The Sectigo InstantSSL is one of the most affordable and popular Domain validation SSL certificate in the World. However, it is 2048-bit industry standard product with SHA2 hash algorithms available. InstantSSL comes with a green lock on the address line that helps customers understand that their data are encrypted and kept private.
Positive SSL certificates are the fast, cost-effective way for online merchants to protect customer transactions with SSL security. Featuring encryption, fast online issuance, dedicated customer support, $10,000 warranty, and free SSL certificate management tool, website security platform, PCI scanning service and website vulnerability scanning
