Do I need SSL Certificate?

What is an SSL Certificate? I’m sure that when you’ve been shopping online you’ve noticed that stores often have web addresses that start with “ https:// ” instead of “ http:// ”, and some of them also display their web address or company name in green, as well as showing a little padlock in the address bar. This is especially used on banking and financial websites like PayPal. What does SSL Certificate do? Having an SSL Certificate applied to a domain means that the domain address is secure and the data being transferred is encrypted. It does this by keeping the SSL Certificate applied to the transmission of the data, kind of like putting a letter in an envelope before putting it in the mailbox. Does my website need an SSL Certificate? Previously, having an SSL Certificate was only really relevant if you were a store or if you stored customer data. But Google has decided to make the web a safer place and so they start prioritising sites that have a web address and the SSL Certificate of security, regardless of the level of data it transmits. It's a very light ranking signal at the moment as they recognise that people need time to make changes, but they will likely get stronger in the future. Having a secure web address and an SSL Certificate can also help inspire confidence in your customers, as it means you are taking their security seriously. How do I get the SSL Certificate? There are many different types of certificate available and usually your host will be able to supply you with one and apply the domain to it for you. Pricing varies from £80 to £280 per year depending on the level of security you require. It is also recommended for someone who provides redirection services from their old domain to the new one, to benefit Google as well.