SSL/TLS Buyer’s Guide

  1. What SSL Actually Does for You?
  2. SSL/TLS Buyer’s Guide
  3. More Info To Be Added Soon
  4. Order A Certificate

SSL/TLS
Buyer’s Guide

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO CHOOSE
THE RIGHT CERTIFICATE FOR YOUR WEBSITE.

Almost every website involves some exchange of information — from login details for an online application to contact info on a landing page — and today’s savvy online consumers won’t stay on a website unless they feel confident that it’s secure.

Use this guide to help you select an SSL/TLS option for your business.

Three Things to Consider Before you Buy


1. FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE EVERYTHING.
The visual cues provided by SSL help your visitors feel confident they can trust your site. Choosing the right certificate is about both security and selecting the level of trust you need to gain from your customers.
2. YOUR SSL/TLS PROVIDER MATTERS.
The certificate authority that issues your SSL/ TLS certificate is just as important as the kind of certificate you choose. You want to be backed by a name that both you, and your visitors, know and trust.
3. COMPLIANCE MATTERS, TOO.
EV is recommended by PCI (Payment Card Industry) for websites that handle sensitive information, such as insurance records, credit card information or personally identifiable information (PII).

Here are some key reasons why you need an SSL Certificate in the first place:


Meet new website requirements

Avoid “Not Secure” browser warnings

Protect customer information

Boost search rankings and traffic

Enable popular mobile features

Improve website speed and security

Increase trust, confidence and conversions

Stand out vs. competition


To choose the right certificate type and functionality, answer these questions:


Do I Need to?

Solution

Use Case

Secure one site?

Single-domain

Secure 1 domain

(both www and non-www)

 Available in DV and EV

Secure site(s) with sub-domains?

Wildcard

Secure 1 domain

and unlimited first-level sub-domains

(www.domain.com, *.domain.com, login.domain.com)

 Available in DV

Secure multiple sites?

Multi-domain

Secure up to 250 domains,

(domain.net, domain.org, domain.com)

Available in DV, OV and EV

Simplify management

Save money

Secure multiple domains?

Multi-domain Wildcard

Secure multiple domains along with multiple

sub-domains (www.domain.com,

blog.domain.com, domain.org)

Available in DV, OV and EV

Simplify management

Save money

What level of identity/business validation do I need?

Choose from three levels

Basic

Business

Enhanced Business

Validation
Level

Domain
Validation (DV)

Organization
Validation (OV)

Extended
Validation (EV)
Validates Domain Ownership Domain Ownership
Legally Legitimate Company		 Domain Ownership
Legally Legitimate Company
Operational Existence
Physical Address
Telephone Verification
Visual Trust
Indicators		 HTTPS + Padlock

 HTTPS + Padlock

 HTTPS + Padlock
Green Address Bar
Site Seal Encryption Only
No Forms, Logins or Other Info Sharing		 Business Validation
Secure Logins, Passwords & Profiles		 Highest Validation
Secure Credit Card & Sensitive Financial Data
Maximize Conversions
Build Trust
Protect Brand Reputation
Best Fits Blogs, Personal, Internal, non-customer-facing websites Small Business Websites without e-commerce e-commerce Websites
Financial Websites
National/Global
Warranty protection Up to $10K Up to $1,750,000 Up to $2,000,000

What length of term do I need?

Default is 1 year. Save time and money with the maximum of 2 years.


Just so you know all SSL Certificates:

Include industry standard 256-bit encryption (SHA-2)

Ensure a secure encrypted connection between browser and server

Verify domain control

Display HTTPS and a padlock next to web address in browser bar


Other things to consider:

According to PhishLabs, within a 30-day-window, 99.5% of HTTPS phishing sites had a Domain Validation (DV) SSL Certificate so it’s getting tougher to distinguish legit from non-legit DV sites

Bizrate reports 69% of online shoppers specifically look for websites that display trust symbols

In a Ted-ED Survey:

  • 77% of online buyers are hesitant to shop on a website without EV SSL
  • 100% noticed the green address bar
  • 93% prefer to shop on sites with EV
  • 97% are likely to share credit card info on sites with EV vs. only 63% on non-EV sites

EV is proven to reduce shopping cart abandonment and increase conversions:

  • Overstock.com — 8.6% decrease in shopping cart abandonment
  • Canadadrug.com — 33% more purchases were completed with 27% higher sales per transaction
  • CRS Hotels — 30% more conversions for their central reservation service
  • Fitness Footwear — 16.9% increase in conversions
  • iStyles — 28% jump in conversions