[FAQ]

Hey,
I’m a bit confused about something.

My web hosting company is constantly emailing me to buy an ‘SSL certificate’. My website is just a simple ‘brochure’ site – it has our business info, a photo gallery, and a contact form. We don’t sell anything online or take credit cards.

I see that ‘https’ thing on banking sites, but do I really need one? My browser (Chrome) also puts a ‘Not Secure’ warning on my site, which looks bad, but is it just a scare tactic to get me to buy one?

Is this a real, necessary thing for a small site, or is it an upsell I can ignore?

Thanks.

[Jeff Bullas]

Yes, you absolutely need one; it’s no longer optional in 2025.

Short Answer: An SSL certificate is a security key that encrypts all the text, image, and form data transmitted between your website and your visitors. Yes, you absolutely need one, even for a simple site, to protect your users and establish trust.

That ‘Not Secure’ text warning you’re seeing is the browser’s way of telling visitors that your website’s content is not secure, which immediately damages your credibility.

An SSL certificate is no longer a simple upsell; it is a fundamental requirement for any modern website. First, even though you aren’t selling anything, your contact form still collects and transmits sensitive text-based data like names and email addresses, and SSL is the standard mechanism that encrypts this information to protect your visitors’ privacy. Second, the certificate authenticates your website, proving to browsers that your site is legitimate, which is why they reward you with a padlock icon—a powerful visual image that builds trust. Finally, search engines use HTTPS as a ranking signal, meaning your site’s text and image content may be ranked lower than competitors who have a secure site. Given that many hosts now offer basic SSL certificates for free, there is no good reason to skip it.

Cheers,
Jeff

[Author]

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