Is on HTTPS

Why It Matters

• It protects user data. Any information submitted through forms — logins, contact details, payment info — travels in plain text on HTTP. HTTPS encrypts that data so it cannot be intercepted by anyone sitting between the user and your server.
• Browsers warn visitors about HTTP sites. Modern browsers display "Not Secure" warnings on pages served over HTTP, especially those with forms. This scares visitors away and damages trust before they even engage with your content.
• Search engines prefer HTTPS. Secure connections are a confirmed ranking signal. All else being equal, an HTTPS page has a small advantage over an HTTP equivalent in search results.
• It enables modern web features. Many browser features — geolocation, service workers, HTTP/2, push notifications — require HTTPS. Without it, your site cannot take advantage of these capabilities.

How to Set It Up

1. Get an SSL/TLS certificate. You need a certificate to enable HTTPS. Many hosting providers include free certificates, and free options from certificate authorities are widely available. There is no cost barrier anymore.
2. Install and configure the certificate. Follow your hosting provider's instructions to install the certificate on your server. Most modern hosting platforms offer one-click installation that handles the setup automatically.
3. Redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS. Set up 301 redirects so every HTTP request automatically goes to the HTTPS version. This ensures no one accidentally accesses the insecure version of your site.
4. Update internal links and resources. Change any hardcoded http:// URLs in your site to https://. This prevents mixed content warnings where secure pages load insecure resources.
5. Update your sitemap and canonical tags. Make sure your sitemap, canonical tags, and any other references to your URLs use the HTTPS versions so search engines know the secure URL is the canonical one.

Common Mistakes

• Mixed content on HTTPS pages. Loading images, scripts, or stylesheets over HTTP on an HTTPS page triggers browser warnings and can break the padlock icon. Every resource on a secure page must also be loaded securely.
• Forgetting to redirect HTTP to HTTPS. Installing a certificate without setting up redirects means the HTTP version of your site still exists. Users and crawlers can still access the insecure version, creating duplicate content.
• Letting the certificate expire. SSL certificates have expiration dates. An expired certificate triggers scary browser warnings that will drive visitors away immediately. Set up automatic renewal to prevent this.
• Not updating hardcoded HTTP links. Old links in your content, templates, or database that still use http:// create mixed content issues. Audit your site after migration to catch every one.