A small date, a big problem
An SSL certificate is the document that encrypts the connection between a visitor's browser and your site and proves the site really is yours. A certificate has an expiry date. The moment it passes, browsers show the visitor a full-screen security warning.
What happens when it expires?
- Visitors see a warning. A screen like "Your connection is not private" appears. Most people never enter the site.
- Forms and payment pages can stop working. Actions that need a secure connection are blocked.
- Search engines and integrations are affected. Systems that crawl the site and services that connect to it may fail.
- Trust is damaged. A customer who sees the warning once trusts the site less.
Why is it forgotten?
Certificates are usually renewed every year or every few months. Renewal emails go to an old address, a credit card expires, or auto-renewal fails silently. The problem is not noticed until a visitor complains.
How to prevent it
- Turn on auto-renewal and check from time to time that it really works.
- Monitor the expiry date. Get a warning at least two weeks before it passes.
- Cover all your domains. The main domain is renewed but a subdomain (www, panel, api) can be forgotten.
- Who gets the alert? Make sure the notification goes to the team, not one person's inbox.
Let us monitor it for you
With our hosting and maintenance service, your sites' SSL expiry dates and availability are monitored continuously and you get an early warning when a date approaches. Write to us for details.