Do you want to know how to activate an SSL certificate from cPanel? In this guide, we show you how to activate SSL on your website in just a few seconds.
When launching a website, it’s important to activate the SSL certificate to provide greater security for users who visit your site. For this reason, at Sered.net we want to teach you step by step how to activate it from your own cPanel panel.
What is an SSL Certificate?
The SSL certificate is a security protocol that encrypts the data transferred from a browser to a server. By using SSL, it’s unlikely that you will lose your information or suffer attacks from hackers.
SSL slightly changes the URLs of your website, switching from HTTP to HTTPS. When a site uses this protocol, all information is encrypted and, ultimately, the security of the data stored on your website is increased.
Since search engines value the security of information and the data exchanged on the web, websites that use SSL are more highly valued and therefore receive a better ranking in search results.
How to Install an SSL Certificate from cPanel?
Before starting with the installation of the SSL certificate on your website, it’s recommended to make sure that your hosting is compatible with this type of certificate. If you are a Sered.net client, with any of our hosting plans you won’t have any compatibility issues.
Next, follow the steps we provide to correctly install SSL on your WordPress:
First, log into the Sered client area with your access credentials (email and password).
Once there, go to the cPanel control panel by clicking the “ENTER CPANEL” button.
Then, you will find a wide variety of cPanel tools, where you need to look for the “SECURITY” section and click on the “LET’S ENCRYPT SSL” option.
The “LET’S ENCRYPT SSL” window will open, where you will select the domain name you want to add the SSL certificate to and click the “ISSUE” button.
⚠️ IMPORTANT: Leave the option checked for “cpanel, webmail, webdisk, cpcontacts, cpcalendars, autodiscover.”
After activating your Let’s Encrypt SSL, a confirmation message will appear similar to the one shown in the image below.
Alternative: Use AutoSSL if Let’s Encrypt is Not Available
If Let’s Encrypt is not available on your server, don’t worry. You can use AutoSSL, an integrated tool in cPanel that automatically generates and renews free SSL certificates for all your domains and subdomains. Follow these steps to activate it:
Step 1: Check the status of SSL certificates
In the cPanel panel, look for the “SECURITY” section and click on “SSL/TLS Status.”
On the SSL/TLS Status page, you will see a list of all your domains and subdomains.
Domains with a green padlock already have an active SSL certificate.
Domains with a red prohibited icon do not have an SSL certificate installed.
Step 2: Activate AutoSSL
If you find domains or subdomains without an SSL certificate, check the box next to them and then click the “Run AutoSSL” button.
AutoSSL will begin generating and installing SSL certificates for all domains and subdomains that don’t have one. This process may take a few minutes.
Once completed, the red prohibited icons will turn into green padlocks, indicating that the SSL certificates were successfully installed.
Step 3: Verify the installation
To make sure the SSL certificate is active, visit your website using HTTPS (for example, https://yourdomain.com).
If everything is correct, you will see a green padlock in your browser’s address bar.
The 5 Benefits of an SSL certificate
When it comes to a website, the priority is always security, so you must implement an SSL certificate to keep your site secure and thus legitimize your business or company. The SSL certificate helps to have your site encrypted, making visitors not run security risks, thus preventing your data from being stolen.
A website with the SSL certificate activated will provide the following benefits:
Prevents malware
SSL certificates scan websites to search for malware or illicit programs that may put your site at risk.
In addition, it is important to know that the most well-known browsers such as Google Chrome, Firefox, and others, warn when you are entering a website that does not have the HTTPS protocol, considering it as an insecure site.
Improves user trust
Users entering your website will feel more secure when they see that it has an SSL certificate. Otherwise, they will see a message warning them that they are entering a website that may not be secure.
Helps to rank your website
It is also of great interest to position your website, which is why since 2017 Google has favored websites that have the HTTPS protocol. For that reason, having an SSL certificate will allow you to obtain a better position in search engines.
Although the HTTPS certificate is not mandatory, implementing it provides great advantages to your website. It can even be very useful if it is a business niche or an online store. In these circumstances, security must be guaranteed through an SSL certificate, giving reputation and security to your potential clients.
You can check on Google that the vast majority of websites ranked at the top positions have the SSL certificate installed.
Although this is only one aspect of your site’s SEO, you must consider other elements such as the quality of your content, in addition to other essential factors. If you want to know more about how to position your website using tips to improve SEO, you can visit our article.
A more professional website is achieved
Online privacy has become essential for users; that’s why visitors to your website need to feel protected. The HTTPS protocol is a way for users to enter their data without worrying that it will be revealed or stolen.
Helps encrypt information
Thanks to the installation of an SSL certificate, it allows you to encrypt your information and that of your website’s users. If someone were to compromise your site’s security, you would not have to worry, as all data would be safe.
If creating a Let’s Encrypt SSL seems complicated, you can always open a support ticket from your client area, and our technical team will be happy to help you.