Millions of websites are run on WordPress. A large number of these sites deal with sensitive information on a daily basis. This consists of user logins, personal information and payment information. In the absence of the SSL, such data is not secure. It can be intercepted and abused by hackers. This threat is avoided through an SSL certificate which encrypts the data. It also creates confidence in your visitors. The padlock symbol lets the visitors know that your site is secure. Google goes to the extent of rewarding websites that use the SSL with better ranking. In the case of WordPress users, it is easy and strongly advisable to install an SSL.
Step One: Select your SSL Certificate.
The initial step is to buy ssl certificates. Paid SSL certificates are now provided by a number of hosting providers. You can as well opt for free versions which are suitable in the case of a personal blog. In the case of an e-commerce store, a better option can be a premium SSL. After making the decision, order the certificate with your hosting company.
Step Two: Enable the use of SSL in Your Hosting Account.
The majority of hosting dashboards have a basic tool of activating an SSL. Log into your hosting account and locate the section of the SSL. select your domain name and install. The SSL will be automatically installed through the hosting system. This can be in a few minutes in most instances. In case your host is not offering free SSL, you can upload one that you have purchased. In any case, your server must identify the SSL in order that WordPress can utilize it.
Step Three: Change WordPress Settings.
Once it is activated, you will be able to log in to the WordPress dashboard. Click on the general settings page. Replace your WordPress Address and Site Address with http by https. Click save and refresh your site. WordPress is now aware that it needs to use the secure version of your web site. This is an important step. In its absence, visitors can still be referred to the insecure version.
Step Four: Route all Traffic to HTTPS.
This is because sometimes users can still type in http as opposed to https. To fix this, set up a redirect. You can do this in two ways. One of them is by editing your htaccess file using a redirect rule. The other method is by installing a plug-in such as Really Simple SSL. The plugin will automatically redirect all the traffic to HTTPS. This makes certain that all visitors will always end up on the secure site.
Step Five: Find Mixed Content.
Mixed content occurs when your site loads part of the files using the http. These can be either images, scripts or stylesheets. This is able to shatter the padlock symbol. To correct this, change all links to use https. Mixed content problems can also be scanned and fixed by use of a plugin. After being fixed, your site is supposed to have a padlock in the browser.
Final Thoughts
Adding the SSL to WordPress is not a complex task. Just follow the above steps and your visitors will be more secure. In return Google will also reward your site with a higher ranking. WordPress security is a good move towards expansion and confidence.
