27 February 2025

SSL Certificate & HTTPS Implementation

Securing your website with an SSL certificate and migrating to HTTPS improves SEO, build trust, and ensures data security.

1. Importance of SSL for SEO
- Boosts Search Ranking - Google considers HTTPS as a ranking factor.
- Improves Security - Encrypts user data to prevent cyberattacks.
- Builds Trust - Users feel safer visiting secure websites.
- Prevents "Not Secure" Warnings - HTTP websites show warnings in Chrome * other browsers.
- Protects Sensitive Information - Essential for e-commerce, login pages, and payment gateways.

2. Migration from HTTP to HTPPS
- Steps to Move from HTTP to HTTPS

- Step 1 : Purchase & Install an SSL Certificate 
- Get an SSL certificate from a trusted provider (Let's Encrypt, GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Namecheap, etc.).

- Step 2 : Update Website URLs to HTTPS
- Change all internal Links from http:// to https://.
- Update images, script, and third-party resources to HTTPS.

- Step 3 : Set Up 301 Redirects (HTTP→HTTPS)
- Redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS using .htaccess (for Apache servers):
Rewrite Engine On
Rewrite Cond %{HTTPS} !=on
Rewrite Rule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}/$1 [R=301,L]

- For NGINX servers, add this in the configuration file :
server {
   listen 80;
   server_name yourwebsite.com www.yourwebsite.com;
   return 301 https://yourwebsite.com$request_uri;
}

• - Step 4 : Update Google Search Console & Analytics
  - Add your HTTPS website in Google Search Console.
  - Update the website URL in Google Analytics settings.
•  
• - Step 5 : Update Sitemap & Robots.txt
  - Update your XML Sitemap to use HTTPS.
  - Resubmit the sitemap in Google Search Console.
  - Update robots.txt to allow Google to crawl HTTPS URLs.

- Step 6 : Check for Mixed Content Issues
- Use tools like Why No Padlock, SSL Checker, or Chrome Dev Tools to detect mixed content errors.
- Fix non-secure resources (CSS, JSM images) by updating URLs to HTTPS.

3. Fixing Mixed Content Issues
What is Mixed Content?
When an HTTPS website loads resources (images, CSS, JavaScript) over HTTP, browsers flag them as "Not Secure", causing security warnings.

How to Fix Mixed Content Errors?
- Update Internal Links - Change all http:// references to https://
- Use Relative URLs - Intend of https://example.com/style.css, use /style.css.
- Enable Automatic HTTPS Rewrites - If using Cloudflare, enable "Automatic HTTPS Rewrites" in settings.
- Force HTTPS in WordPress - Use plugins like Really Simple SSL to update links.
- Check External Scripts - If third-party script don't support HTTPS, replace or remove them.

Conclusion
Migrating to HTTPS is essential for SEO, security, and user trust. Proper SSL implementation and fixing mixed content ensures a fully secure website without warnings.