So you want to create a site, that will take get people to pay online. In order for them to do this they need to pay with Credit Card. So you purchase an account with an online Merchant, and want your site to collect the Credit Card information to collect payment.

Now can you do this on your normal page? No, you should not! Why? Because if the page is not secure, then the potential of your customers credit card number getting in the wrong hands is likely! And we don't want such a thing to happen to our customers. So how do we protect the Credit Card Number? A Thing we call SSL Certificates.

First things first. What is a SSL Certificate?

A SSL Certificate makes your site have a URL with https instead of just http. What does that little s make a difference? It does because with the Certificate, your page is encryped in a Secure fashion, and other groups are not able to view what you do online, and are not able to get secure information such as the credit card number. The goal of the SSL Certificate is to keep your information exchange or purchases with credit card transactions encrypted and secure.

What else does an SSL Certificate do for me?

The main positive aspect of an SSL Certificate, is it shows customers they can do business with you safely. Your visitors, prospects, and customers are on their guard and worry about their personal and financial information being leaked to people who should be getting it. You can turn these same customers' concerns into a competitive advantage by showing them you keep their information a secure manner. With SSL Certificates 256-bit encryption and 99% browser recognition, customers can be confident that their information will not be put in the wrong hands.

The SSL Certificate verifies:

You were approved to be issued the certificate.

WebTrust Seal of assurance for Certification Authorities

Make sure you get your SSL Certificate to Boost Customer Confidence in purchasing online on your site, and to protect those Credit Card Numbers from falling into the wrong hands!