SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates are an integral part of website security,  they encrypt data exchanged between the server and the website visitor.

The major benefits of enabling SSL in a website are:

 

1. Customer information like name, address, contact number etc., are encrypted and cannot be intercepted.

2. Customers are more likely to trust and input data in websites that use HTTPS.

3. Encrypted connections (https) is now a major criteria in Google's search ranking algorithms.

Zoho Sites has introduced SSL hosting option, and users can now upload their own SSL certificate to their website or use the free certificate (provided by Let's Encrypt, integrated with Zoho Sites) to get SSL enabled on their website. The SSL hosting option is part of the business add-on, and there are no additional charges associated with it.

Go to Manage > Settings > SSL Hosting, and you will find the option to either install your own SSL certificate or get a free SSL certificate.

To get a free SSL certificate, click on ‘Get SSL Certificate’ button in the SSL Hosting page and follow the on-screen instructions. Once done, the certificate installation process will be scheduled and completed most likely within an hour. The time taken to complete the SSL certificate installation process also depends on the number of users who have requested for SSL certificate installation at that time.

To install your own SSL certificate, click on the ‘Install your own SSL’ button in the SSL Hosting page, and you will be prompted to enter the certificate and key. Enter the required information, click on Install, and your certificate will be installed within some time.

You may click on the 'Remove SSL Certificate’ button to remove an existing SSL certificate from your Zoho website anytime you want.