The padlock in the address bar is not decoration. It means traffic is encrypted.
Direct answer
An SSL/TLS certificate enables HTTPS, which encrypts data between your visitors and your site and confirms the site is who it claims to be. Most modern hosts include free certificates that renew automatically. Check that your site loads over https:// and redirects from http://.
Why you need it
- Protects passwords and form data.
- Browsers mark non-HTTPS sites as not secure.
- Required for many browser features.
- Builds trust and is a small ranking signal.
How to get one
- Choose a host that offers automatic HTTPS.
- Add your domain and verify it.
- Enable HTTPS and force redirects from HTTP.
- Check the certificate renews automatically.
Test it
Visit your site and check the padlock. Fix "mixed content" warnings by making all images and scripts load over HTTPS.
Where Teyro fits
Teyro's Build and Launch a Website course turns this into short lessons you can play in a few minutes a day. It has 100 lessons, and you can start free.
The bottom line
Turn on HTTPS from day one. It is free and expected.
