Website security is important. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption can protect an entire domain name, sub-domain or multiple related sites that use the same certificate. A certificate is what you purchase to activate the already, built-in, security encryption feature in modern browsers today.

With a certificate in place, it encrypts the data being passed from the user to the site owner. The 128-bit SSL certificate gives your users the highest level of possible protection whenever they use their credit card or other confidential information on your website. It would take longer than the age of the universe to crack a 128-bit key. The standard lock icon and https will give your visitors assurance – knowing their information will be safe.

In some cases, it’s necessary to set up a “redirect” to mask https on areas of a site that contain unsecured information. For instance, if there’s content being pulled from outside of the protected domain, the user would get a warning message telling them that not everything on the website is secure. You don’t want this – this scares your visitors away. Ask your host provider to set up a mask if you have integrated content that comes from other websites. However, if your site uses iframes, SSL will protect iframed content, just as long as the iframe’s content is on the same server under the same protection of the certificate.

The GoDaddy domain name and web hosting service offers two certificate options. The first is standard in which you get the protection you need with the indicating https and lock icons. The second option gives the user an additional green highlighted indicator bar in the browser and also a owner verification tag. With the first option, if a user clicks the https on their browser, they get information detailing the security level, but no owner name. The second option gives them an owner name, the owner’s location and a green bar.

I think both options are well worth it. I’ve seen high level sites use both. I think the biggest concern for the user is if the information they’re sending is protected. The second level of protection gives the user confidence knowing they’re using a site who’s owner has been authenticated.

Costs for these certificates start at $99/year.