How To Create an SSL Certificate with GoDaddy

With stories of cyberattacks and data breaches making their way into the news, online browsing has become a scary affair. Consumers are wary of sharing their information and exposing themselves to credit card fraud or identity theft. If you own an online business, especially one that collects personal data, you might be looking for ways to reassure your customers.

Adding an SSL certificate to your site is an excellent method of boosting security and letting your clients know their information is safe. Let’s dive into how to create an SSL certificate on GoDaddy.

Creating an SSL Certificate

You can purchase an SSL certificate for websites after setting them up. You will then need to request, verify, download, install and redirect the certificate. It may seem lengthy, but the platform makes everything pretty straightforward. Let’s go through the steps one at a time.

Purchase an SSL Certificate on GoDaddy

Purchasing an SSL certificate is relatively simple. Go to the SSL Certificate page on GoDaddy and select the plan that works for you. The platform has three subscription tiers that vary depending on the needs of your website. For instance, a personal site won’t require as much encryption as an e-commerce platform that takes credit card information.

Request an SSL Certificate on GoDaddy

With your SSL certificate now purchased, you will have to request it for your domain name. Here’s how to do that.

1. Open GoDaddy’s product page and scroll to the “SSL Certificates” section.
   
2. Press “Manage All” then “New Certificate.”
   
3. In the “Certificate Setup” window, click on “Input a CSR.”
   
4. Paste your CSR in the box provided.
   
5. Tap “Continue.”
   
6. Find the “Additional Options” page, select your preferred certificate issuer.
   
7. Read and agree to the Subscriber Agreement and the Terms and Conditions, then click “Continue.”
   

You have now requested your SSL certificate from GoDaddy.

Verify an SSL Certificate on GoDaddy

The next step is to verify your SSL certificate on GoDaddy. This process allows GoDaddy to confirm that you are indeed the one in control of the domain you would like to secure. SSL verification prevents the certificate from falling into the wrong hands.

If the domain you want to protect is hosted by GoDaddy, you won’t need to do anything for the certificate to be verified. The platform already has all the information they need to prove that the website is yours. Once you’ve requested the document, GoDaddy will email you when the certificate is ready for download.

However, if your website isn’t hosted on the platform, GoDaddy will send you a series of verification emails to complete the process.

The first email will have a link that confirms you own or control the domain. This email is sent to the email address listed on the WHOIS directory, meaning it will only go to the domain administrator. Click on the link to verify your identity.

The second email is sent to the address listed on the SSL certificate. It will have instructions on how to proceed with proving domain control. Follow the prompts provided to verify the certificate.

Download an SSL Certificate on GoDaddy

With the SSL certificate verified, you’ll now need to download it by following these steps:

1. Go to GoDaddy website and navigate to the GoDaddy product page.
   
2. Press “SSL Certificate” then “Manage” next to the certificate you would like to download.
   
3. Scroll to “Download Certificate” and choose the appropriate server type.
   
4. Click “Download Zip File” to begin the download process.
   

After downloading the SSL certificate, you can install it on your website server.

Install an SSL Certificate on GoDaddy

With your SSL certificate in hand, it’s time to upload it to your server. Select your server from the list displayed on GoDaddy and follow the prompts.

Redirect HTTP to HTTPS on GoDaddy

The last step is to redirect your URL from HTTP to the more secure HTTPS. GoDaddy offers instructions on how to do this on your particular server. Here’s how to redirect HTTP in Windows hosting.

1. Head to the GoDaddy product page and tap “Web Hosting.”
   
2. Scroll to your “Deluxe Windows Hosting with Plesk” account.
   
3. Press “Manage” and navigate to the dashboard and hit “Plesk Admin.”
   
4. Click on “File Manager” on the Plesk and Domains page.
5. Tap “web.config,” which will open in a code editor.
   
6. Add the code shown below after the opening “system.webServer” tag and before the corresponding closing tag.
   <rewrite>
 <rules>
      <rule name="HTTP to HTTPS redirect" stopProcessing="true">
       <match url="(.*)" />
       <conditions>
 <add input="{HTTPS}" pattern="off" ignoreCase="true" />
       </conditions>
       <action type="Redirect" redirectType="Permanent" url="https://{HTTP_HOST}/{R:1}" />
 </rule>
 </rules>
</rewrite>
7. Press “OK” at the bottom of the screen.

With HTTPS set up, your website now has optimal protection and verification.

What Is an SSL Certificate, and Why Is It Important?

An SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificate is a digital document that encrypts information between a website and its server. It prevents others browsing the internet from seeing this data, keeping it safe from hackers.

An SSL certificate authenticates that the site has an additional layer of security. Websites with SSL protection have a lock icon in the address bar, just before the URL. Visitors who see this emblem are assured that their data is safe.

GoDaddy offers site owners an opportunity to create an SSL certificate. These documents give visitors peace of mind, knowing hackers can’t retrieve their information. Getting an SSL certificate is essential if your business takes online payments. Most e-commerce payment companies require the sites they service to have this level of encryption. An SSL certificate also prevents browsers from displaying a warning to visitors saying that the site isn’t one they should trust.

The GoDaddy Managed SSL Service

Creating an SSL certificate on GoDaddy can seem like a daunting experience for some. Although the platform does its best to make this a pain-free process, you might prefer to have someone else take care of things for you. Fortunately, GoDaddy has a Managed SSL Service that you can utilize, which means they’ll install and manage the certificate for you. All you’ll need to do is buy an SSL certificate and submit a request for your website, as shown below.

1. Go to the Managed SSL Service from GoDaddy. Head to the GoDaddy product page.
   
2. Scroll to the Managed SSL you are setting up and click on “SSL Certificates.”
   
3. Press “Set Up” and then “Internal Hosting.” Select your hosting product from the drop-down menu.
4. Enter the domain name you want to protect, then hit “Next.”
5. Read and agree to the SSL Agreement Certificate Service Agreement and site modification document. Click “Activate” to begin the process of setting you your Managed SSL.

GoDaddy will send you an email once your SSL certificate has been installed on your website.

Secure Your Website

Stories of cyberattacks and stolen credit card information have made customers wary. People are concerned about providing their personal information on websites that might be hacked. That’s why it’s so important for site owners to install SSL certificates. These documents encrypt information, reassuring customers that their data is safe. The guide above shows you how to create and install an SSL certificate on GoDaddy, allowing you to add that coveted lock icon on your URL that gives customers peace of mind.

Have you created an SSL certificate on GoDaddy? What was the process like for you? Let us know in the comments below.