Do I need an SSL certificate?

/ 02

Why it's non-negotiable

Chrome, Safari and Firefox all flag non-HTTPS sites with a 'Not Secure' warning next to the URL. That's the last thing you want a first-time visitor to see. Google has confirmed HTTPS as a ranking factor since 2014 — small on its own, but part of a compound advantage.

And if you take any kind of form submission or ecommerce data over HTTP, you're one email away from a data-protection complaint you don't want.

/ 03

Types of SSL — what actually matters

For 99% of small business sites, a free Domain Validated (DV) certificate from Let's Encrypt is perfectly fine. Organisation Validated (OV) and Extended Validation (EV) certificates cost more and offer no meaningful browser trust benefit anymore — browsers stopped showing the green bar years ago.

• • DV (Domain Validated) — free, automated, fine for brochure and ecommerce sites
• • OV (Organisation Validated) — £50–£200/year, no visible browser benefit
• • EV (Extended Validation) — £150–£500/year, no longer displays a green bar
• • Wildcard SSL — for multiple subdomains under one certificate

/ 04

How to check yours is working

Load your site. If the URL shows a padlock and starts with https://, you're fine. If it shows 'Not Secure', talk to your host — they can almost always enable Let's Encrypt for free in a few clicks. Run ssllabs.com/ssltest to check for expired certificates, weak ciphers, or missing intermediate chains.

/ 05

Where RIOT fits in

We're a small Colchester studio helping UK SMBs get website security right without agency waste or freelancer flake. If you've read this far and you want a second opinion on your specific setup, book a 20-minute call and we'll tell you honestly whether it's worth doing anything at all.

We work with clients across Essex, Suffolk, London and the wider UK — and remotely with brands abroad. No lock-in, no monthly retainer minimums, no pretending your problem is bigger than it is.

/ FAQs

Common questions