What SSL makes a difference?
 

In your opinion, does it seem to make a difference for either security or SEO to get SSL from Let's Encrypt or one of the services which charges or upsells hard from a free solution? It had been my understanding early on that the most trusted certificates were supposed to be really personalized with company data, but I'm not really seeing that when I surf around.

What is your opinion on the importance of SSL and what provider you use?

Let's Encrypt only offers 'domain validated' certificates. If you need the extra security of an extended validation certificate (EV) for your site, you must purchase one from a traditional CA provider.
(to me) It depends on the volume of monetary actions, all of which can be a liability.
Some transaction partners may require a EV Cert.
Low volume and or value, Let's encrypt is just fine.
Opinions vary.

thanks this was very helpful!

Not sure I totally get what extra security that is. I don't store people's credit card numbers, but it seems like maybe extra secure is better for SEO etc.

It depends on what type of site you run... if you run a paysite that collects members info before they sign up, then it's beneficial to have SSL, if you run a blog that has no forms at all, and doesn't collect any info from surfers, then benefit is minimal if any....

A SSL does not vouch for what you do for/with user data.
It vouches that data transferred between your site and the user is not 'easily interceptable'.
It's just about the data transaction process using encryption and registration for a basic level of assurance.

It basically says that your data gets to the correct recipient without any other eyes on it.
What happens once delivered is not part of the process.

The encryption says while you might see it, you can not read it.
The issued certificate issued to you can/will be verified in the process seamlessly in the beginning of any data transaction.

It keeps anyone from seeing what is sent/received between 2 targets (no man in the middle).

You can have higher levels of encryption. And they will continue to increase that level with time as computers get faster. As I might be able to capture that info as a man in the middle and spend time breaking the encryption to obtain sensitive information contained for example.

Probably the best I can do to explain it.

https://seoadult.net/https-as-a-ranking-factor/

https://i.postimg.cc/jjPvJ8pH/https.jpg

Encryption doesn't belong at the networking level imho op.