An SSL certificate encrypts the connection between your website and your visitors, so information like passwords, contact forms and card details can't be intercepted while travelling across the internet. It's what turns http:// into https:// and shows a padlock icon in the browser bar.
Yes, every website needs one today - not just online shops. Modern browsers actively warn visitors with a "Not Secure" label if a site doesn't have SSL, which damages trust even for a simple brochure website. Google also uses HTTPS as a ranking signal, so it can affect your search results too.
Most hosting providers, including us, offer free SSL certificates (often via Let's Encrypt) that renew automatically, so there's rarely a reason to go without one. If you handle payments or sensitive customer data directly on your site, a paid SSL certificate with extra validation may be worth considering - ask your hosting provider what's right for your situation.