Many people think securing a website with SSL (SSL encryption) is necessary only if they’re selling products or services via their website and collecting credit card or payment information. What many website owners do not realize is that SSL encryption has other very important benefits for small business owners.
To understand the benefits of having an SSL certificate installed for your website, it helps to understand what SSL is and actually does.
What exactly is SSL encryption?
SSL, which stands for Secure Sockets Layer, is an encryption technology that creates a secure connection between your website’s server and your website visitor’s web browser. This allows for information to be protected during transmission between the two.
Without SSL encryption any computer could intercept the transmission from your browser to the server.
This includes the transmission of credit card numbers, usernames and passwords, and other sensitive information.
When your site is secured you’ll see that little green lock in the left corner of your browser’s location bar, followed by the website URL beginning with HTTPS. Data that is sent using HTTPSÂ provides three key layers of protection:
Authentication:Â Confirms visitors are on the right website, yours, and builds trust.
Data integrity:Â Customer data cannot be corrupted or modified.
Encryption:Â Visitor activity cannot be intercepted while browsing your website.
What are my next steps, once I get a SSL certificate for my WordPress site?
Something I see on a daily basis is developers, hosters, SEO, etc forget one major piece after they apply the SSL certificate to a site.
They forget to change the links. See WordPress stores every link, whether it’s a URL to another page, and image on a page, or a javascript theme file; and it does not change them just because you decide you want everything to be HTTPS.
After applying the SSL certificate, you will need to find and replace every last reference to your site containing a http://, and change them to https://
On top of this, if you link in anything from a 3rd party, like a RSS feed, or *gasp*, and iframe from Google, you will also need to update those links, otherwise their content will not show for you… or will display but will show your site as being non-secure for displaying mixed content.
20+ Years of PC and server maintenance & over 15+ years of web development/design experience; you can rest assured that I take every measure possible to ensure your computers are running to their peak potentials. I treat them as if they were mine, and I am quite a stickler about keeping my machines up to date and optimized to run as well as they can.
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SSL and Your Wordpress Site
Many people think securing a website with SSL (SSL encryption) is necessary only if they’re selling products or services via their website and collecting credit card or payment information. What many website owners do not realize is that SSL encryption has other very important benefits for small business owners.
To understand the benefits of having an SSL certificate installed for your website, it helps to understand what SSL is and actually does.
What exactly is SSL encryption?
SSL, which stands for Secure Sockets Layer, is an encryption technology that creates a secure connection between your website’s server and your website visitor’s web browser. This allows for information to be protected during transmission between the two.
Without SSL encryption any computer could intercept the transmission from your browser to the server.
This includes the transmission of credit card numbers, usernames and passwords, and other sensitive information.
When your site is secured you’ll see that little green lock in the left corner of your browser’s location bar, followed by the website URL beginning with HTTPS. Data that is sent using HTTPS provides three key layers of protection:
Authentication: Confirms visitors are on the right website, yours, and builds trust.
Data integrity: Customer data cannot be corrupted or modified.
Encryption: Visitor activity cannot be intercepted while browsing your website.
What are my next steps, once I get a SSL certificate for my WordPress site?
Something I see on a daily basis is developers, hosters, SEO, etc forget one major piece after they apply the SSL certificate to a site.
They forget to change the links. See WordPress stores every link, whether it’s a URL to another page, and image on a page, or a javascript theme file; and it does not change them just because you decide you want everything to be HTTPS.
After applying the SSL certificate, you will need to find and replace every last reference to your site containing a http://, and change them to https://
On top of this, if you link in anything from a 3rd party, like a RSS feed, or *gasp*, and iframe from Google, you will also need to update those links, otherwise their content will not show for you… or will display but will show your site as being non-secure for displaying mixed content.
Our Privacy Policy
Last Updated: June 18th, 2025
Introduction
Western Mass Hosting (“we,” “our,” or “us”) respects the privacy of all individuals and organizations that interact with our services. This Privacy Policy establishes our practices regarding the collection, use, disclosure, and protection of personal information for visitors to our website and clients utilizing our managed hosting and WordPress services. By accessing our website or engaging our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this policy in its entirety.
Scope and Applicability
This Privacy Policy governs our handling of information collected through our corporate website and in the course of providing managed hosting, WordPress maintenance, and development services. In accordance with global privacy regulations, we serve as a Data Controller for information related to our business operations and client relationships. When processing data on behalf of our clients through hosted services, we act as a Data Processor under applicable data protection laws.
Information We Collect
We collect various categories of information necessary to provide and improve our services. This includes personal contact and payment details provided during account registration, technical information such as IP addresses and device characteristics for security purposes, and records of communications through support channels. For clients utilizing our hosting services, we may process end-user data stored within client websites, though we do not control or monitor the collection practices of such data.
Purpose and Legal Basis for Processing
We process personal information only when we have proper justification under applicable laws. The primary legal bases for our processing activities include the necessity to fulfill contractual obligations to our clients, our legitimate business interests in maintaining and improving our services, and in limited cases, explicit consent for specific marketing communications. We maintain detailed records of processing activities to demonstrate compliance with legal requirements.
Use of Collected Information
The information we collect serves multiple business purposes. Primarily, we use this data to deliver and maintain reliable hosting services, including server provisioning, performance monitoring, and technical support. We also utilize information for business operations such as billing, customer relationship management, and service improvement initiatives. Security represents another critical use case, where we analyze data to detect and prevent fraudulent activity or unauthorized access to our systems.
Data Sharing and Third-Party Disclosures
We engage with carefully selected third-party service providers to support our operations, including cloud infrastructure providers, payment processors, and customer support platforms. These relationships are governed by strict contractual agreements that mandate appropriate data protection measures. We may disclose information when legally required to comply with court orders, government requests, or to protect our legal rights and the security of our services.
International Data Transfers
As a global service provider, we may transfer and process data in various locations worldwide. When transferring personal data originating from the European Economic Area or other regulated jurisdictions, we implement appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses and rely on adequacy decisions where applicable. Our subprocessors, including AWS Lightsail, maintain robust compliance certifications to ensure the protection of transferred data.
Data Retention Practices
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy. Client account information is typically maintained for five years following service termination to comply with legal and financial reporting obligations. Backup data associated with hosting services is automatically purged after thirty days, as specified in our Terms of Service. For data processed on behalf of clients, retention periods are determined by the respective client’s policies and instructions.
Security Measures
We implement comprehensive technical and organizational security measures to protect personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction. Our security program includes network encryption protocols, regular vulnerability assessments, strict access controls, and employee training on data protection best practices. We maintain incident response procedures to address potential security breaches and will notify affected parties where required by law.
Individual Rights
Individuals whose personal data we process may exercise certain rights under applicable privacy laws. These rights may include requesting access to their information, seeking correction of inaccurate data, requesting deletion under specific circumstances, and objecting to particular processing activities. We have established procedures to handle such requests in accordance with legal requirements, typically responding within thirty days of receipt. Requests should be submitted to our designated Data Protection Officer through the contact information provided in this policy.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Our website employs various technologies to enhance user experience and analyze site performance. Essential cookies are used for basic functionality and security purposes, while analytics cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our site. Marketing cookies are only deployed with explicit user consent. Visitors can manage cookie preferences through their browser settings or our cookie consent tool.
Policy Updates and Notifications
We periodically review and update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. Material changes will be communicated to affected clients through email notifications at least thirty days prior to implementation. Continued use of our services following such notifications constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
Contact Information
For questions or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact our Data Protection Officer at info@westernmasshosting.com or by mail at:
Western Mass Hosting 22 Orlando. St., Feeding Hills, MA 01030.
We take all privacy-related inquiries seriously and will respond promptly to legitimate requests. For clients with specific data processing agreements, please reference your contract for any additional terms that may apply to our handling of your data.