Recently google changed its policies and announced that they would be working more proactively with secured websites with HTTPS and SSL certificates and this meansthat these websites will have a lot to benefit from google and other search engines in terms of Organic searches and rankings. This new policies are all new strategies mapped out by google in order to keep the web more secured.
What is HTTPS AND SSL
HTTPS which means Hyper Text Transfer Protocol is a mechanism which allows a browser or a software to securely connect to a website. HTTP is a highly recommended because it helps to keep your browsing and logging in details safe and perfectly secured from unauthorized users.
SSl certificates on the other hand stands for Secure Socket Layer and its main function is to enable or provide a secure communication between a web browser and web server. It helps to protects users when they are performing certain online transactions which involves the use of passwords, bank card numbers, usernames etc. It however works like an email encryption which secures your email login details and its contents.
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Why you should migrate to HTTPS
Migrating to HTTPS is very crucial especially for content producers who place much importance to there different contents online;
Security
The main reason why every website owner should migrate to HTTPS is because of the high level of security it has to offer. The HTTPS/SSL helps your site to run on an SSL/TLS connection which encrypts your website login details, especially in cases where the blog/website is multi-authored. Running a HTTPS/SSL enabled site is the best way to keep your site away from hackers and from any other unauthorized user from having access to your site login details.
Performance
Running a website through a HTTPS provides a better connection than when you are doing so on a HTTP. The HTTPS has enabled protocols such as the HTTP/2 which enables site owners to view there site speed and also be able to optimize it for better performance. And since one of the criteria’s for a site to be ranked high on search engines is perfomance, that also means you also get to rank higher on this search engines for your specific keywords.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
With google’s new policies, which places more of HTTPS enabled sites higher than the HTTP ones, that means if you are running a HTTPS optimized site, you get to rank higher on search engine results for your specific keywords which also drives your organic traffic upwards.
Google Chrome’s restriction
Earlier this year, Google released a new version of chrome, (chrome 56) and this version of chrome tags every HTTP site that is involved in password and credit card transaction as illegal. But it has no restriction for HTTPS sites.
How to easily move from HTTP to HTTPS
Back up your site
Before you start moving to a HTTPS always make sure to back up your site, this is recommended in case if any thing should go wrong.
Also read: why you will fail as a blogger
Get a suitable SSL and install it:
Getting SSL Certificates can be really easy and cheap now a day. There are many SSL certificate providers present in the market, But I would like to suggest You SSL2BUY for buying an SSL certificate. SSL2BUY is an authorized reseller of leading CAs.
SSL2BUY claims to provide cheapest SSL certificates than certificate authorities and also provide 24*7 tech support, fast issuance times at free of cost.
Add the HTTPS to the admin section of your site
Go to your WordPress dashboard, look for the wp-config.php in the root folder and paste this code in there
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After pasting this code, click on update.
Test the SSL Certificate
After updating the file, you will now have to test whether it worked correctly,all you have to do is go back to your WordPress login page and add HTTPS in front of your URL. If it logged in, then you got it right, but if does not then retry the steps and be more careful.
Update your website Address
Go to your setting>general and then change the site address from the current HTTP to HTTPS , then click update when you are done.
Change links in your templates and implement the 301 redirects in .htaccess
After applying all the above mentioned procedures, you will now have to change all the links in your contents, but certain plugins like Velvet can help you with this procedures.
After changing your content links what you now have to do is to redirect your site visitors from the HTTP site to the new HTTPS by setting up a redirect link and to do so, make sure to have an enabled .htacess, and then paste this code to a root directory on your dashboard.
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Run a final Site Test
When you are done implementing all the above steps, make sure to run a final test to make sure everything worked out correctly. To do this, logout from your dashboard and type in your site URL with the HTTPS in front of it , if it opens to your website then it was successful but if it did not then you missed a step or made a mistake.
After all setup has been achieved and your site is now on HTTPS, your files and data should be more secured and you should then be enjoying the benefits of a HTTPS site.
