Should you get a Wildcard SSL Certificate for your site? The honest answer: it depends. But one thing we do know for sure is that you should get an SSL certificate.
Today, installing an SSL on any website type isn’t yet mandatory, but it may as well be. Apart from inspiring trust in users and customers, major browsers will flag your site as “not secure” if you don’t have one, plus search engines like Google and Bing are big fans of them too. And hey — who doesn’t like creating more secure, encrypted connections to their site?
Everything about having an SSL is positive. However, choosing the right one for your site can be a bit more tricky and downright confusing. With so many different types available, how do you know which is the right one for you? Today we’re going to dispel some of the confusion by taking a closer look at Wildcard SSLs.
First, we’ll define what a Wildcard SSL, go through some general use cases, and what exactly makes them so good.
Read on to find out more!
What is a Wildcard SSL, and who needs one?
A wildcard SSL certificate protects a single primary domain and unlimited subdomains of one level linked to it. There are many reasons you might have a subdomain or several rather than just create more website pages. Maybe you want to separate parts of your site with different functionalities for SEO purposes, or perhaps you have a sandbox testing environment you don’t want on your main site.
As an example, say you own the domain “acoolwebsite.co”. Here are some examples of potential subdomains:
- login.acoolwebsite.co
- dev.acoolwebsite.co
- store.acoolwebsite.co
- mail.acoolwebsite.co
- blog.acoolwebsite.co
Basically, if you have a website with one or more subdomains, you’ll more than likely benefit from a Wildcard SSL certificate.
The benefits of a Wildcard SSL
So why is a Wildcard SSL so beneficial for this specific situation? Let’s break it down into three points:
- You’ll only have to keep track of one SSL certificate: Managing multiple SSL certificates can get messy and will get even messier the more subdomains and, consequently, the more SSL certificates you add. With multiple expiration dates to keep track of, you may forget about when certain subdomain’s certificates expire and end up with unsecured sites. A Wildcard certificate will get rid of this problem entirely.
- It’s often more affordable: Beyond just being messy, multiple single-domain SSL certificates can also become very expensive. Just paying for a single certificate can end up being cheaper in the long run.
- It will protect any subdomains you create in the future: If you plan on expanding your website in the future, a Wildcard SSL has you covered. A wildcard SSL automatically protects all current subdomains as well as the subdomains you create later.
Conclusion
For anyone with one domain and multiple subdomains, choosing a Wildcard SSL Certificate is a no-brainer. As they are easy-to-manage, affordable, and futureproof, you don’t have to worry about securing your site and protecting your customers because a wildcard SSL will do it all for you.
