{"id":15726,"date":"2017-10-26T14:24:08","date_gmt":"2017-10-26T14:24:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.awardspace.com\/?page_id=15726"},"modified":"2024-02-27T15:07:02","modified_gmt":"2024-02-27T15:07:02","slug":"ssl-certificate-installation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.awardspace.com\/kb\/ssl-certificate-installation\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do I Install an SSL Certificate?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>With each passing year, we are storing more and more of our personal information on the web. From social media to online banking, to medical records, an increasing number of websites hold sensitive information about ourselves that should remain protected at all times.<\/p>\n<p>One of the main ways website owners protect our data is by using SSL certificates. In this article, we will examine what exactly an SSL certificate is, what benefits it brings, and how to secure a website by installing an SSL certificate on it.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>What Is an SSL Certificate?<\/h2>\n<p>The term <em>SSL<\/em> stands for <em>Secure Sockets Layer<\/em> and it enables the <em>HTTPS protocol<\/em>. This is a security protocol that allows information to be sent securely over the web. Most web browsers confirm that a connection is secure by adding a padlock icon to the address bar.<\/p>\n<figure><a class=\"et_pb_lightbox_image\" title=\"If your connection is secure, a padlock will appear in your browser\u2019s address bar. To get more information on the SSL certificate that is used, click on the padlock icon.\" href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/install-ssl-certificate-1.png\" data-featherlight=\"image\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15434 aw-border-img alignnone\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/install-ssl-certificate-1.png\" alt=\"If your connection is secure, a padlock will appear in your browser\u2019s address bar. To get more information on the SSL certificate that is used, click on the padlock icon.\" \/><\/a><figcaption style=\"font-size: 80%; color: #515151;\">If your connection is secure, a padlock will appear in your browser\u2019s address bar. To get more information on the SSL certificate that is used, click on the padlock icon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>SSL achieves this higher level of security by encrypting all data that is transmitted between the server and the visitor\u2019s web browser. Once the data is encrypted, only the server itself and the visitor\u2019s web browser can decipher it. If a third party, such as a hacker or an advertising company, gets a hold of the information, all they would see is gibberish that makes no sense to them.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>What Are the Advantages of an SSL Certificate?<\/h3>\n<p>When you visit a website that employs an SSL certificate, you can rest assured that the information you supply will not be intercepted by a third party. As such, your data remains confidential and it cannot be altered by someone along its route.<\/p>\n<p>If you own a website that collects sensitive information about your visitors, such as their passwords or bank details, you should definitely install an SSL certificate on your website. That said, it is highly advisable to have an SSL certificate even if you do not collect any personal information.<\/p>\n<figure><a class=\"et_pb_lightbox_image\" title=\"A trend in modern web browsers is to show a \u201cNot Secure\u201d warning whenever you visit a page that lacks SSL encryption and has an input form of some kind.\" href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/install-ssl-certificate-2.png\" data-featherlight=\"image\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15434 aw-border-img alignnone\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/install-ssl-certificate-2.png\" alt=\"A trend in modern web browsers is to show a \u201cNot Secure\u201d warning whenever you visit a page that lacks SSL encryption and has an input form of some kind.\" \/><\/a><figcaption style=\"font-size: 80%; color: #515151;\">A trend in modern web browsers is to show a \u201cNot Secure\u201d warning whenever you visit a page that lacks SSL encryption and has an input form of some kind.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Offering a secure connection instills confidence in your site visitors and makes it more likely that they will return in the future. What is more, popular search engines like Google are likely to give you a boost in search ranking when they detect that you have installed an SSL certificate and are offering a secure connection to your visitors.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>What Are the Parts of an SSL Certificate?<\/h3>\n<p>Each SSL certificate is comprised of three parts: the root certificate, the CA (intermediate) certificate, and the private key. All three parts are necessary to properly install the SSL certificate. Most SSL issuers allow you to download the SSL certificate data as a small .ZIP archive.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>How Can I Obtain an SSL Certificate?<\/h2>\n<p>There are three main ways you can obtain an SSL certificate on our hosting platform:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>you can <a href=\"\/web-hosting\/ssl-certificates\/\">purchase an SSL certificate<\/a> through the AwardSpace website.<\/li>\n<li>you can get a free SSL certificate provided by Let\u2019s Encrypt.<\/li>\n<li>you can purchase your SSL certificate through a third-party SSL provider.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>To learn more about the three ways of obtaining an SSL certificate for your website, you can read our dedicated article on <a href=\"\/kb\/how-to-get-ssl-certificate\/#how-to-get-ssl-certificate\">how to get an SSL certificate<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Where Should I Install the SSL Certificate?<\/h2>\n<p>If you mostly work with your website through a content management system like WordPress, you may be tempted to think that you can install the SSL certificate directly through the CMS. That, however, is not the case.<\/p>\n<p>SSL installation needs to be carried out in the <a href=\"https:\/\/cp1.awardspace.net\/ssl-manager\/\">SSL Manager section<\/a> of our Hosting Control Panel if you are using one of our shared hosting packages. The shared hosting plans that include SSL functionality are our <a href=\"\/web-hosting\/shared-hosting\/\">premium shared hosting<\/a> and our <a href=\"\/web-hosting\/semi-dedicated-hosting\/\">Semi-Dedicated web servers<\/a>. Due to its advanced nature, the ability to install an SSL certificate is not possible on our <a href=\"\/free-hosting\/\">free website hosting<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure><a class=\"et_pb_lightbox_image\" title=\"The SSL Manager provides an easy and straightforward way to install your SSL certificate.\" href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/install-ssl-certificate-3.png\" data-featherlight=\"image\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15434 aw-border-img alignnone\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/install-ssl-certificate-3.png\" alt=\"The SSL Manager provides an easy and straightforward way to install your SSL certificate.\" \/><\/a><figcaption style=\"font-size: 80%; color: #515151;\">The SSL Manager provides an easy and straightforward way to install your SSL certificate.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The only notable difference is found with our <a href=\"\/web-hosting\/vps-cloud-hosting\/\">Virtual Private Server packages<\/a>. If you own a VPS, then you need to perform the SSL installation manually through the command line. Since all VPS instances are standalone servers, they do not have access to our Hosting Control Panel and the SSL Manager in particular.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"install-ssl\">How Do I Install an SSL Certificate?<\/h2>\n<p>Installing an SSL certificate on our shared hosting platform may sound like a daunting task, but it is actually quite simple thanks to our SSL Manager. Below, we will look at the three different ways you can install an SSL certificate on your domain.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"option-1\"><\/a>Option 1: Purchase an SSL Certificate Through AwardSpace.<\/h3>\n<p>If you opt to purchase your SSL certificate through us, we will handle the entire installation process for you! To purchase your SSL certificate, follow the steps below:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Open the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/cp1.awardspace.net\/ssl-manager\/\">SSL Manager<\/a><\/strong> section of our Control Panel.<\/li>\n<li>Click on the <strong>name of the domain<\/strong> that you wish to secure with SSL.<\/li>\n<li>From the three tabs that pop up, open the <strong>Buy SSL Certificate<\/strong> tab.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<figure><a class=\"et_pb_lightbox_image\" title=\"The ability to purchase an SSL certificate is the first option that you are presented with.\" href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/install-ssl-certificate-4.png\" data-featherlight=\"image\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15434 aw-border-img alignnone\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/install-ssl-certificate-4.png\" alt=\"The ability to purchase an SSL certificate is the first option that you are presented with.\" \/><\/a><figcaption style=\"font-size: 80%; color: #515151;\">The ability to purchase an SSL certificate is the first option that you are presented with.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li>In the <em>Buy SSL Certificate<\/em> tab you will be presented with a brief overview of the benefits you will gain when you install an SSL certificate. To proceed, click on the <strong>Get an SSL Certificate<\/strong> button.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<figure><a class=\"et_pb_lightbox_image\" title=\"The SSL Manager lists a few of the perks you gain when you install an SSL certificate.\" href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/install-ssl-certificate-5.png\" data-featherlight=\"image\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15434 aw-border-img alignnone\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/install-ssl-certificate-5.png\" alt=\"The SSL Manager lists a few of the perks you gain when you install an SSL certificate.\" \/><\/a><figcaption style=\"font-size: 80%; color: #515151;\">The SSL Manager lists a few of the perks you gain when you install an SSL certificate.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ol start=\"5\">\n<li>You will be presented with the list of premium SSL certificates that we offer. Select your preferred one by <strong>placing a checkmark<\/strong> before its name. To learn more about the various SSL certificates that we offer, you can read our dedicated <a href=\"\/kb\/how-to-get-ssl-certificate\/#get-paid-ssl\">guide on getting an SSL certificate<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>When you place the checkmark, an additional <strong>Hostname<\/strong> field will appear. In this field, you should enter the name of the domain or subdomain that the SSL will be issued for. In our example, we will be securing <em>example-website.atwebpages.com<\/em>, so we will enter simply <em>example-website.atwebpages.com<\/em>. Do not enter the <em>http:\/\/<\/em> or <em>https:\/\/<\/em> prefixes.<\/li>\n<li>Place a checkmark before the <strong>I\u2019ll use this SSL in my hosting account.<\/strong> option.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<figure><a class=\"et_pb_lightbox_image\" title=\"Our various SSL certificate options can suit the needs of just about everyone - from a small one-person shop to a large multinational company.\" href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/install-ssl-certificate-6.png\" data-featherlight=\"image\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15434 aw-border-img alignnone\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/install-ssl-certificate-6.png\" alt=\"Our various SSL certificate options can suit the needs of just about everyone - from a small one-person shop to a large multinational company.\" \/><\/a><figcaption style=\"font-size: 80%; color: #515151;\">Our various SSL certificate options can suit the needs of just about everyone &#8211; from a small one-person shop to a large multinational company.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ol start=\"8\">\n<li>Scroll further down the page and you will arrive at the Private IP (SSL) section. A Private IP address is necessary for the proper installation of the SSL certificate, so place a checkmark before the <strong>IP for SSL<\/strong> option.<\/li>\n<li>In the <strong>Hostname<\/strong> field you need to enter the name of the domain or subdomain that you are securing. You should enter the exact same domain\/subdomain as you did three steps ago for the SSL certificate field itself.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<figure><a class=\"et_pb_lightbox_image\" title=\"For us to be able to install your SSL certificate without issues, a Private IP address should be ordered along with the certificate itself.\" href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/install-ssl-certificate-7.png\" data-featherlight=\"image\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15434 aw-border-img alignnone\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/install-ssl-certificate-7.png\" alt=\"For us to be able to install your SSL certificate without issues, a Private IP address should be ordered along with the certificate itself.\" \/><\/a><figcaption style=\"font-size: 80%; color: #515151;\">For us to be able to install your SSL certificate without issues, a Private IP address should be ordered along with the certificate itself.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ol start=\"10\">\n<li>Press the <strong>Continue<\/strong> button to proceed.<\/li>\n<li>Finish the order process by selecting a payment method and entering your payment details.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Once the payment is made, simply allow a couple of hours for the Sales team to process your order, issue the SSL certificate, and then install it on your domain name on your behalf. If there are any issues with the SSL installation, the Sales team will contact you via email with more information.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"option-2\"><\/a>Option 2: Get a Free SSL Certificate Provided by Let\u2019s Encrypt.<\/h3>\n<p>Apart from our premium SSL certificates, we also provide a free SSL alternative, courtesy of Let\u2019s Encrypt. As long as you are using a <a href=\"\/web-hosting\/shared-hosting\/\">paid hosting plan<\/a>, you will be able to take advantage of our free SSL option. To get your website secured with an SSL certificate for free, follow the steps below:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Open the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/cp1.awardspace.net\/ssl-manager\/\">SSL Manager<\/a><\/strong> section of our Control Panel.<\/li>\n<li>Click on the <strong>name of the domain<\/strong> that you wish to install a free SSL certificate.<\/li>\n<li>From the three tabs that appear, choose the <strong>Upload Your Certificate<\/strong> tab.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<figure><a class=\"et_pb_lightbox_image\" title=\"The option to install a free SSL certificate is situated alongside the option to upload a custom SSL certificate.\" href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/install-ssl-certificate-8.png\" data-featherlight=\"image\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15434 aw-border-img alignnone\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/install-ssl-certificate-8.png\" alt=\"The option to install a free SSL certificate is situated alongside the option to upload a custom SSL certificate.\" \/><\/a><figcaption style=\"font-size: 80%; color: #515151;\">The option to install a free SSL certificate is situated alongside the option to upload a custom SSL certificate.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li>Scroll down to the bottom of the options list and you will find a button called <strong>Create Free Certificate<\/strong>. Click on it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<figure><a class=\"et_pb_lightbox_image\" title=\"Clicking on the Create Free Certificate button is all you need to do to install a free SSL certificate on your domain name.\" href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/install-ssl-certificate-9.png\" data-featherlight=\"image\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15434 aw-border-img alignnone\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/install-ssl-certificate-9.png\" alt=\"Clicking on the Create Free Certificate button is all you need to do to install a free SSL certificate on your domain name.\" \/><\/a><figcaption style=\"font-size: 80%; color: #515151;\">Clicking on the Create Free Certificate button is all you need to do to install a free SSL certificate on your domain name.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>That\u2019s it! At this point, you should see a confirmation message that your free SSL certificate was installed successfully. You can read our article on the <a href=\"\/kb\/how-to-get-ssl-certificate\/#differences-between-paid-free\">differences between free and paid SSL certificates<\/a> if you wish to learn more about how the SSL certificate provided by Let\u2019s Encrypt differs from the premium options that we have available.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"option-3\"><\/a>Option 3: Upload Your Own Certificate.<\/h3>\n<p>The last option that we have available when it comes to installing an SSL certificate is the ability for you to upload your own SSL certificate that is issued by a third party. To perform this task, follow the steps below:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Open the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/cp1.awardspace.net\/ssl-manager\/\">SSL Manager<\/a><\/strong> section of our Control Panel.<\/li>\n<li>Click on the <strong>name of the domain<\/strong> where you wish to upload your own custom SSL certificate.<\/li>\n<li>From the three tabs that appear, choose the <strong>Upload Your Certificate<\/strong> tab.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<figure><a class=\"et_pb_lightbox_image\" title=\"You can use the same tab in the SSL Manager to both upload your own certificate and request a free one from Let\u2019s Encrypt.\" href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/install-ssl-certificate-8.png\" data-featherlight=\"image\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15434 aw-border-img alignnone\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/install-ssl-certificate-8.png\" alt=\"You can use the same tab in the SSL Manager to both upload your own certificate and request a free one from Let\u2019s Encrypt.\" \/><\/a><figcaption style=\"font-size: 80%; color: #515151;\">You can use the same tab in the SSL Manager to both uploads your own certificate and request a free one from Let\u2019s Encrypt.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li>You will notice three text fields: <strong>Certificate<\/strong>, <strong>Private Key<\/strong>, and <strong>CA Certificate<\/strong>. You need to enter your certificate information into these fields. If you have trouble doing so, contact your SSL issuer or read our <a href=\"\/kb\/how-to-use-the-ssl-manager\/\">overview of the SSL Manager<\/a> to get more information. Additional information on the CA Certificate can be found in our article on <a href=\"\/kb\/what-is-intermediate-certificate-authority\/#purpose-of-intermediate-certificate-authority\">what is the purpose of the Intermediate Certificate Authority<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<figure><a class=\"et_pb_lightbox_image\" title=\"Be sure to include the BEGIN and END tags for each certificate part when you paste it into the SSL Manager.\" href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/install-ssl-certificate-10.png\" data-featherlight=\"image\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15434 aw-border-img alignnone\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/install-ssl-certificate-10.png\" alt=\"Be sure to include the BEGIN and END tags for each certificate part when you paste it into the SSL Manager.\" \/><\/a><figcaption style=\"font-size: 80%; color: #515151;\">Be sure to include the BEGIN and END tags for each certificate part when you paste it into the SSL Manager.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ol start=\"5\">\n<li>Once all fields have been filled, press the <strong>Upload SSL Certificate<\/strong> button.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Your SSL certificate is now installed on the server! But in order to activate it, you need to also purchase a Private IP address. Continue reading to learn how to do so.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4 id=\"buy-ip-for-ssl\">How Can I Purchase a Private IP for My SSL Certificate?<\/h4>\n<p>If you opt to upload your own SSL certificate, you will still need a Private IP to activate it. To obtain a Private IP address, follow these steps:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Open the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/cp1.awardspace.net\/ssl-manager\/\">SSL Manager<\/a><\/strong> section of our Control Panel.<\/li>\n<li>Click on the <strong>name of the domain<\/strong> where the Private IP address should be added.<\/li>\n<li>From the three tabs that appear, choose the <strong>Buy IP for SSL<\/strong> tab.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<figure><a class=\"et_pb_lightbox_image\" title=\"Getting a Private IP address is only necessary if you install your own SSL certificate or you purchase one of our premium SSL certificates.\" href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/install-ssl-certificate-11.png\" data-featherlight=\"image\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15434 aw-border-img alignnone\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/install-ssl-certificate-11.png\" alt=\"Getting a Private IP address is only necessary if you install your own SSL certificate or you purchase one of our premium SSL certificates.\" \/><\/a><figcaption style=\"font-size: 80%; color: #515151;\">Getting a Private IP address is only necessary if you install your own SSL certificate or you purchase one of our premium SSL certificates.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li>You will be presented with a brief description of what a Private IP is. To get started with the purchase process, click on the <strong>Get an IP for SSL<\/strong> button.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<figure><a class=\"et_pb_lightbox_image\" title=\"The Private IP allows you to use a custom SSL certificate on our platform.\" href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/install-ssl-certificate-12.png\" data-featherlight=\"image\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15434 aw-border-img alignnone\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/install-ssl-certificate-12.png\" alt=\"The Private IP allows you to use a custom SSL certificate on our platform.\" \/><\/a><figcaption style=\"font-size: 80%; color: #515151;\">The Private IP allows you to use a custom SSL certificate on our platform.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ol start=\"5\">\n<li>You will be taken to our SSL\/IP ordering page. Just scroll past our premium SSL offers until you reach the <em>Private IPs (SSL)<\/em> section.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<figure><a class=\"et_pb_lightbox_image\" title=\"For us to be able to install your SSL certificate without issues, a Private IP address should be ordered along with the certificate itself.\" href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/install-ssl-certificate-7.png\" data-featherlight=\"image\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15434 aw-border-img alignnone\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/install-ssl-certificate-7.png\" alt=\"For us to be able to install your SSL certificate without issues, a Private IP address should be ordered along with the certificate itself.\" \/><\/a><figcaption style=\"font-size: 80%; color: #515151;\">For us to be able to install your SSL certificate without issues, a Private IP address should be ordered along with the certificate itself.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ol start=\"6\">\n<li>Place a checkmark before the <strong>IP for SSL<\/strong> option.<\/li>\n<li>In the <strong>Hostname<\/strong> field, you need to enter the name of the domain or subdomain that you will be securing. The value that you enter here must match exactly the hostname that the SSL is issued for.<\/li>\n<li>Proceed by clicking on the <strong>Continue<\/strong> button.<\/li>\n<li>Finish the order process by selecting a payment method and entering your payment details.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Keep in mind that your IP for SSL needs to be renewed every year. Otherwise, your website may stop functioning as expected. To learn more, read our article on <a href=\"\/kb\/dedicated-ip-for-ssl-expires\/\">what happens when a dedicated IP for SSL expires<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Why Is My Website Not Loading Securely Now That I Have SSL?<\/h2>\n<p>Even after you successfully install an SSL certificate on your domain name, you may still see a <em>Not Secure<\/em> warning when visiting your website in a browser. This could be due to three main reasons which we will outline below:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The most likely reason is that your website is not configured to force a secure connection. In other words, unless your site visitors explicitly type <em>https:\/\/<\/em> before the start of your domain name, your website will not load securely. This is fixed by setting up the server or your CMS to automatically redirect all unsecured traffic to the secure versions of the requested URLs.<\/li>\n<li>The second reason you could be experiencing security warnings is if some of your website elements like images or CSS files are loaded by a plain <em>HTTP<\/em> connection rather than <em>HTTPS<\/em>. As a rule of thumb, we recommend all connections, links, and resources on secure pages be loaded via <em>HTTPS<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li>Lastly, the reason could be as simple as your browser keeping an outdated copy of your website in its cache for faster loading. Try clearing your browser cache as this can fix the issue.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If you need additional help getting your pages to load securely, you can read our in-depth guide on <a href=\"\/kb\/redirect-http-to-https\/\">how to force a secure connection to a website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Nowadays, having an SSL-enabled website is more important than ever. A website secured with an SSL Certificate will have increased user trust, enhanced security, and better search ranking. You can get all of those perks and more by <a href=\"\/web-hosting\/ssl-certificates\/\">purchasing a premium SSL certificate<\/a> or even just using our free SSL option.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With each passing year, we are storing more and more of our personal information on the web. From social media to online banking, to medical records, an increasing number of websites hold sensitive information about ourselves that should remain protected at all times. One of the main ways website owners protect our data is by [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":33819,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15726","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ssl-manager"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How Do I Install an SSL Certificate? | Knowledge Base | AwardSpace<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how to install an SSL certificate on your website, thus protecting your visitors&#039; data and getting a boost in search ranking.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.awardspace.com\/kb\/ssl-certificate-installation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How Do I Install an SSL Certificate? 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