One of the things Google looks at when ranking search engines is whether the site is secure. You can tell if a site is secure by looking at your browser’s address bar. Secure sites show a lock and the word “Secure” or their company name before the domain name.

There are a couple of different types of secure certificates, and these are called SSL certificates. SSL stands for secure sockets layer and technically transforms your site from http: to https:. A plain certificate ensures basic security on your site. You can also get a certificate that verifies your business identity and one that handles multiple domains.

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Pricing for SSL certificates varies significantly, but an average price for a basic certificate is typically under $100 per year, not including installation. Installation can be hairy; it requires generating a CSR – a certificate signing request — that’s encrypted and installed on your web server.

A secure site does a couple of things. It makes the visitor feel a little more safe when browsing your site. It now also boosts search engine rankings.
We offer SSL certificates to clients that are on our hosting platform. If you’d like to add this boost to your website, please reach out and we’ll explain your options. Platinum sites get this bonus at no extra charge.