SSL Certificate

Definition

An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate — technically now TLS (Transport Layer Security) — is a digital certificate that authenticates a website's identity and encrypts data sent between the browser and server. When installed, it enables HTTPS (the padlock icon in the browser address bar). SSL certificates are critical for SEO because: Google confirmed HTTPS as a ranking signal in 2014, browsers mark HTTP sites as 'Not Secure' (hurting trust and conversions), SSL enables HTTP/2 (faster page loads), and it protects user data in transit. Types of SSL certificates include: Domain Validation (DV) — basic verification, Organization Validation (OV) — company verified, and Extended Validation (EV) — highest trust level. Free SSL certificates are available through Let's Encrypt, Cloudflare, and most hosting providers. Check your SSL configuration with an SSL checker to ensure proper setup, valid expiry dates, and complete certificate chains.