What Is SSL and Why Your Site Needs HTTPS
SSL is the technology behind the little padlock you see in your browser's address bar. This article explains what it means and why it matters for your website.
What SSL and HTTPS actually mean
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) creates an encrypted connection between your visitor's browser and your website. When SSL is active, your site loads over HTTPS instead of plain HTTP — the "S" stands for secure.
In practice, this means the information passing between your visitors and your site is scrambled so that nobody in between can read or tamper with it.
What the padlock tells your visitors
When someone visits a site secured with HTTPS, their browser shows a padlock icon next to the web address. That padlock is a quick, visual reassurance that:
- The connection is encrypted.
- Information they enter (like contact details or payments) is protected in transit.
Sites without HTTPS, on the other hand, often display a "Not secure" warning, which can make visitors hesitate or leave.
Why HTTPS matters
There are three big reasons to make sure your site uses HTTPS:
- Trust — Visitors are far more comfortable browsing, signing up, or buying from a site that shows the padlock rather than a "Not secure" warning.
- Security — Encryption protects anything sent through your site, such as login details, contact form entries, and payment information.
- SEO — Search engines like Google favour secure sites, so HTTPS can help your rankings.
We provide SSL free and automatically
You don't need to buy a certificate or configure anything complicated. We automatically request a free Let's Encrypt certificate for your website and renew it for you before it expires, so your site stays secure without any ongoing effort on your part.
For brand-new websites, the certificate is usually issued automatically a short time after your site goes live.
Next steps
Want to confirm your certificate is active or force all traffic to the secure version? See our guide on enabling SSL and Force HTTPS. If you have any questions, open a support ticket and we'll be happy to help.