SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer. An SSL Certificate is installed on a web server to authenticate your website’s identity. This means that the website is what it claims to be. In other words, it proves your identity to your visitors so they can be sure they are seeing your site, and not a fake or bogus website.
The other key function of an SSL Certificate is that it encrypts the data that is transmitted between the server containing the site and your visitors. This prevents data being sent between your website and your visitors from being read by anyone else.