When you visit a website, one way to tell it’s secure is by checking for a TLS/SSL certificate. These certificates do two important things: they verify the website’s identity, and they encrypt any data exchanged between your browser and the site—both the information you send (like passwords or credit card numbers) and the information it sends back.

Technically, the current standard is TLS (Transport Layer Security), which is the more modern and secure successor to SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). But since “SSL certificate” is still the more familiar and widely used term, you’ll often see both mentioned together (like we’re doing here).

When it comes to guiding your clients toward the right TLS/SSL certificate, you don’t need to be a cybersecurity expert. You do, however, need to understand how each type works, what business purpose it serves, and how it ties back to your service offering.

Let’s break it down.

Understanding TLS/SSL certificate validation levels

TLS/SSL certificates work a lot like ID badges for people entering a secure building. A basic visitor pass might be issued to someone who simply shows a name and proves they were invited, while others go through a more rigorous vetting process, providing official documents, proof of employment, or even background checks to get a stronger ID badge. The more they verify about themselves, the more legitimate they appear—and the more confidently they can be trusted.

What’s important to know is that all TLS/SSL certificates, regardless of validation level, offer the same strong encryption. What changes is how thoroughly the certificate authority (CA) verifies the website owner’s identity before issuing the certificate. That’s where validation levels come in: they define the amount of background checking involved, not the level of protection.

There are three levels of validation for TLS/SSL, and you can think of them as increasingly thorough forms of ID: 

  • Domain Validation (DV): This is the most basic type of TLS/SSL certificate. You can get one in minutes, and it only requires proof that the applicant controls the domain, usually through a quick email or DNS-based verification. However, it does not confirm the identity of the website owner.
  • Organization Validation (OV): OV certificates take the verification process a step further by confirming the legitimacy of the organization operating the website. This includes checking business registration and contact details. It usually takes one to four business days to issue.
  • Extended Validation (EV): EV certificates provide the highest level of validation available. They require a comprehensive review of the organization’s legal, operational, and domain ownership. While modern browsers no longer display prominent trust indicators like they used to, EV certificates still include detailed identity information that’s accessible through the browser’s security settings. More tech-savvy users—and those who know where to look—can view these details to confirm a site’s legitimacy. Issuance typically takes between one and seven business days.

How Wildcard and SAN certificates support scalable security

While TLS/SSL validation levels determine how carefully a certificate authority checks the identity behind a website, Wildcard and Subject Alternative Name (SAN) certificates focus on how many domains or subdomains the certificate can cover. This difference is especially important when working with clients who manage multiple online properties.

Wildcard certificates

Wildcard certificates secure an unlimited number of subdomains under a single root domain. For example, a single certificate for example.com could protect blog.example.com, shop.example.com, and any other subdomain without needing to list them individually on the certificate. This option is both time-saving and cost-effective for agencies managing multi-layered websites or client portals.

SAN certificates

SAN certificates, also known as multi-domain certificates, are designed to protect multiple distinct domain names within one certificate. If your client owns several websites under different URLs—like clientproject.com, clientproject.net, and clientproject.co.uk—a SAN certificate allows you to secure them all at once with a single TLS/SSL setup. It cuts down the hassle of managing separate certificates for each domain, reducing the risk of missed renewals and configuration issues.

Both certificate types—SAN and Wildcard—offer flexibility at the DV and OV levels, while SAN certificates are also available at the EV level. That means your clients can choose the level of trust they need without sacrificing convenience. They can scale their security without giving up control or credibility.

Matching TLS/SSL types to use cases

While all TLS/SSL certificates provide the same strong encryption, selecting the right one for your clients depends on their business model, technical infrastructure, and audience expectations. The level of validation they go with can directly impact the level of trust and assurance they build with their users.

For basic sites: If a site doesn’t collect sensitive information, like a personal blog, landing page, or internal dashboard, a DV certificate can undoubtedly get the job done. It’s especially well-suited for internal tools, test environments, or other sites that don’t handle user data, since it encrypts data in transit and ensures the site won’t be flagged as insecure—without requiring extra verification steps that aren’t necessary for low-risk use.

For business sites: For company websites that include login functionality or collect customer details through forms, an OV certificate strikes the right balance. It verifies that a legitimate organization is behind the site, offering users peace of mind without the complexity of extended-level validation.

For high-trust websites: EV certificates are the top choice for sites where trust is paramount, such as e-commerce stores, financial services, and SaaS platforms that handle sensitive customer data. While modern browsers no longer highlight TLS/SSL certificates prominently, security-conscious users can still view certificate details to confirm that a site has been issued an EV certificate.

For multi-site management: When clients operate across multiple domains or subdomains, Wildcard and SAN certificates can simplify things by saving time and cutting down on complexity. Instead of juggling expiration dates and approval processes for dozens of certificates, you can help secure a client’s entire digital footprint with a single, centralized solution.

How to recommend (and resell) the proper TLS/SSL certificate

Choosing a TLS/SSL certificate is more than just checking a box for security. TLS/SSL helps build trust, support growth, and align with your client’s business goals. To guide them well, start by asking a few key questions:

  • What type of data is being shared? Suppose the website collects sensitive information, such as login credentials, credit card numbers, or personal details. In that case, your client may want an OV or EV certificate to help build trust with visitors.
  • How is their web presence set up? Do they have a primary domain, several subdomains, or multiple domain names??
  • How do they build trust online? Are they a known brand or a new business that needs to prove credibility?
  • What are their goals? Are they focused on saving time, scaling fast, or keeping costs low?

Once you understand their needs, you can show how TLS/SSL supports the bigger picture—not just security, but branding and user/customer trust.

From there, how you resell TLS/SSL depends on your business model:

  • If you’re a tech platform or service provider, you can use API integrations to make TLS/SSL provisioning fast and easy. DV offers quick and inexpensive security solutions. Wildcards are effective for broad coverage, and EV and SAN certificates appeal to enterprise customers concerned with customer trust or managing multiple websites. 
  • If you’re an agency or consultant, TLS/SSL is a great value add-on, strengthening client relationships and boosting perceived value. You can offer DV certificates with every domain or hosting package and upsell OV and EV certificates to clients who wish to establish credibility with their customers. 

Whatever your model, OpenSRS makes it easy to sell TLS/SSL at scale. Ask the right questions, offer the right products, and you’ll help clients build online trust while reinforcing your own.

Final thoughts

TLS/SSL isn’t just about encryption. It’s about credibility, reputation, and creating frictionless user experiences. By offering the right types of TLS/SSL certificates, you help your clients look more professional, protect their users, and stay compliant with legal or industry requirements.

With OpenSRS, reselling any type of TLS/SSL certificate is simple, whether your client needs basic coverage for a personal site or robust protection for a multi-domain platform. You can issue certificates manually through the Reseller Control Panel (RCP), or our flexible API lets you integrate TLS/SSL provisioning directly into your own system.

Want to learn more? Check out our TLS/SSL lineup or explore how we can support your business with solutions for domains, email, and hosting.