SSL Certificate

Why It Matters

• Browsers warn users about insecure sites. Modern browsers display "Not Secure" warnings for any site still running on plain HTTP. These warnings scare visitors away before they even read your content. No one wants to fill out a form on a page their browser is actively warning them about.
• Search engines prefer HTTPS. HTTPS is a confirmed ranking signal. While it is a relatively small factor compared to content quality, all else being equal, the HTTPS version of a page has an advantage over the HTTP version in search results.
• It protects your users. Without encryption, anyone on the same network — at a coffee shop, airport, or hotel — can potentially intercept data your visitors send to your site. SSL prevents this kind of eavesdropping entirely.
• It is required for modern web features. Many browser features and APIs, including service workers, geolocation, and HTTP/2, require HTTPS. Without SSL, you cannot take advantage of these technologies that improve performance and functionality.

How to Set It Up

1. Obtain a certificate. Many hosting providers include free SSL certificates. Free certificate authorities issue domain-validated certificates at no cost. For sites handling financial transactions, you may want an extended validation certificate, but for most sites a standard certificate works perfectly.
2. Install and configure it on your server. Your hosting provider usually handles this, often with a one-click setup. If you manage your own server, install the certificate files, configure your web server to use them, and ensure the SSL configuration follows current best practices.
3. Redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS. Set up 301 redirects so every HTTP request automatically goes to the HTTPS version. This ensures no visitor accidentally lands on the insecure version and that search engines index only the encrypted URLs.
4. Update internal links and resources. Change all internal links, image sources, script references, and stylesheet links to use HTTPS. Mixed content — loading HTTP resources on an HTTPS page — triggers browser warnings and can break functionality.
5. Set up automatic renewal. SSL certificates expire, typically every 90 days for free certificates or annually for paid ones. Configure automatic renewal so your site does not suddenly lose its encryption and display security warnings to every visitor.

Common Mistakes

• Forgetting to redirect HTTP to HTTPS. Installing a certificate is only half the job. If visitors can still reach your site over plain HTTP, they are not protected. Set up server-side redirects to force all traffic through HTTPS.
• Mixed content warnings. Loading images, scripts, or stylesheets over HTTP on an HTTPS page defeats the purpose. Browsers will flag these as insecure, and some resources may be blocked entirely. Audit your pages for mixed content after switching.
• Letting the certificate expire. An expired certificate is worse than no certificate because browsers display a full-page warning that most users will not click past. Set calendar reminders or, better yet, automate renewal.
• Not updating the sitemap and canonical URLs. After migrating to HTTPS, update your sitemap, canonical tags, and any hardcoded URLs to reflect the new protocol. Leaving old HTTP references can confuse search engines and split your link equity.