Seeing a “Not Secure” warning on your own website is incredibly frustrating. This warning scares away your visitors, ruins your brand reputation, and hurts your Google rankings. Fortunately, executing a proper wordpress ssl setup solves this problem instantly by securing your site data. In this guide, you will learn how to install ssl wordpress and migrate wordpress to https without breaking your site. We will walk you through the entire process step by step. You do not need to be a developer to follow these instructions. We will explain how to get a free certificate, update your URLs, and fix common mixed content errors safely. By the end of this article, your business website will display the trusted padlock icon. This change ensures your customer transactions remain completely private and secure. Having a secure website is no longer optional for modern businesses. In fact, search engines actively penalise unencrypted sites. Let’s get your site secured today so you can focus on running your business with peace of mind.
Why Is a WordPress SSL Setup Essential for Your Business?
A WordPress SSL setup is essential because it encrypts the data sent between your visitor’s browser and your web server, protecting sensitive information from hackers. Without this encryption, passwords, credit card numbers, and contact forms are sent in plain text. This vulnerability makes it easy for cybercriminals to intercept your data.
Additionally, Google uses HTTPS as a ranking signal. According to W3Techs data, over 85% of websites now use HTTPS by default. If you do not migrate wordpress to https, your search engine rankings will suffer.
Furthermore, modern web browsers display a prominent warning on non-HTTPS sites. This warning tells users that their connection is not private. Most visitors will immediately leave your website when they see this warning. Securing your site builds instant trust and keeps your traffic safe.
Additionally, HTTPS is required for modern web protocols like HTTP/2, which greatly improves speed optimisation and page load time. Finally, SSL is a legal requirement for many businesses. If you collect personal data, regulations like GDPR require you to protect that information. Implementing SSL is the easiest way to ensure compliance and avoid heavy fines.
How Do You Install SSL in WordPress Safely?
To install ssl wordpress safely, you must obtain an SSL certificate from your hosting provider and configure your WordPress dashboard to recognise the secure connection. Most modern hosting companies offer free Let’s Encrypt certificates that you can install with a single click.
Let’s break that down into simple steps.
Step 1: Generate Your SSL Certificate
First, log into your web hosting control panel, such as cPanel or your custom host dashboard. Look for the security section and click on the SSL/TLS manager. Here, you can select your domain and install a free Let’s Encrypt certificate. This process usually takes less than five minutes to complete.
Step 2: Verify the SSL Installation
Once installed, test the certificate by typing your domain name with “https://” in a new browser tab. If you see a padlock icon, your certificate is active. However, your work is not finished yet. You still need to configure WordPress to direct all traffic to this secure version.
While you are setting up SSL, it is also a great time to run WordPress updates, plugin updates, and theme updates. If your hosting provider does not offer a free certificate, you may need to purchase one manually. However, we highly recommend hosting with providers that include SSL automatically. This saves you time and reduces your annual maintenance costs.
How to Migrate WordPress to HTTPS Without Breaking Your Links
You can migrate wordpress to https without breaking your links by updating your site address in the WordPress settings and setting up a permanent redirect. This ensures that anyone typing your old HTTP address is automatically sent to the secure HTTPS version.
To start, log into your WordPress admin dashboard. Navigate to Settings and click on General. You will see two fields: WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL). Change both fields from “http” to “https”. Save your changes.
You will be logged out of WordPress immediately. This logout is normal because your login session must re-authorise over the secure connection. Simply log back in using your normal credentials.
Next, you must redirect all old traffic. The best way to do this is by adding a 301 redirect rule to your .htaccess file. Alternatively, you can use a high-quality security plugin to handle the redirect.
Using a 301 redirect is crucial for SEO. It tells search engines that your pages have moved permanently to the secure version. This preserves your hard-earned rankings and passes link equity to your new HTTPS pages.
What Are Mixed Content Errors and How Do You Fix Them?
Mixed content errors occur when your website loads some resources, like images or scripts, over an insecure HTTP connection while the main page loads over HTTPS. This issue prevents the padlock icon from appearing, and browsers may still warn your visitors.
To fix these errors, you must find and update the insecure URLs. Here is how you can resolve this issue quickly:
Using a Search and Replace Plugin
You can install a plugin like Better Search Replace. This tool allows you to search your database for “http://yourdomain.com” and replace it with “https://yourdomain.com”. This database update fixes most mixed content errors instantly. Always perform a complete WordPress backup before running any database search and replace tool.
Updating Hardcoded Theme Files
Sometimes, theme files contain hardcoded HTTP links. You will need to locate these files and manually update the links to HTTPS. If this process feels too complex, our team can manage your website security and website performance as part of our professional WordPress maintenance services. We ensure your site remains fully secure without any broken layouts.
This manual process can be time-consuming if your site has hundreds of pages. However, fixing these errors is vital. If left unresolved, some browsers will block your images and scripts entirely, ruining your user experience.
Best Practices After Your WordPress SSL Setup
Completing your SSL setup is a major milestone, but you must take a few final steps to protect your SEO and site health.
First, update your Google Search Console account. Google treats HTTP and HTTPS as two different websites. You need to add your new HTTPS property to ensure your search traffic is tracked accurately.
Second, update your XML sitemap. Ensure all URLs in your sitemap use the HTTPS prefix. Submit this updated sitemap to Google Search Console to speed up the indexing of your secure pages.
Third, update your Google Analytics property settings. Change the default URL to HTTPS so your traffic tracking remains seamless.
Finally, check your external social media profiles and directory listings. Update your website link on platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google Business Profile to point directly to your secure HTTPS URL.
These post-migration steps prevent tracking discrepancies and ensure Google indexes your secure pages quickly. It also guarantees a smooth experience for users clicking links from social media.
Common WordPress SSL Migration Mistakes to Avoid
You can avoid common WordPress SSL migration mistakes by ensuring your SSL certificate does not expire, avoiding redirect loops, and keeping your security plugins updated. Many site owners make simple errors that cause unnecessary downtime.
One major mistake is forgetting to renew the SSL certificate. Free certificates usually expire every 90 days. While most hosts renew them automatically, a minor system glitch can disrupt this process. Set up uptime monitoring to alert you immediately if your site downtime occurs due to an expired certificate.
Another issue is creating a redirect loop. This happens when your .htaccess file has conflicting redirect rules, causing the browser to bounce back and forth between HTTP and HTTPS. If this happens, your site will become completely inaccessible.
To avoid these headaches, consider setting up automatic backups and routine malware scanning. Having a professional team perform a regular website health check guarantees that your certificate is always active and your redirects function perfectly without errors. You can learn more about securing your site in our WordPress security checklist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I change my WordPress site from HTTP to HTTPS?
You can change your WordPress site from HTTP to HTTPS by installing an SSL certificate, updating your WordPress and Site Address URLs in the General Settings, and adding a 301 redirect. This process secures your site traffic and protects your user data. If you prefer expert help, you can use our monthly WordPress maintenance service to handle the migration safely.
Q: Will migrating to HTTPS hurt my search engine rankings?
No, migrating to HTTPS will actually improve your search engine rankings over time because Google uses SSL encryption as a positive ranking signal. While you might experience minor temporary fluctuations during the transition, a properly redirected site will quickly regain and improve its search visibility.
Q: Where can I get a free SSL certificate for my WordPress website?
You can get a free SSL certificate through Let’s Encrypt, which is supported by almost all major web hosting providers. You can easily activate this certificate directly from your hosting account control panel with a single click.
Q: What happens if I do not install an SSL certificate on WordPress?
If you do not install an SSL certificate, web browsers will display a “Not Secure” warning to your visitors, which destroys user trust and increases bounce rates. Additionally, your search engine rankings will drop, and sensitive user data submitted through forms will remain vulnerable to interception.
Q: How do I fix mixed content warnings after installing SSL?
You can fix mixed content warnings by running a database search and replace to update all internal HTTP links to HTTPS. Alternatively, you can use a plugin like Really Simple SSL to dynamically resolve these insecure links on your pages.
Conclusion
Securing your website with a proper SSL certificate is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your business online. By completing your WordPress SSL setup, you eliminate scary browser warnings, boost your Google search rankings, and protect your customer data from malicious actors. While the migration process is straightforward, dealing with mixed content errors and database redirects can sometimes feel overwhelming for busy business owners. You do not have to manage these technical hurdles alone. If you want to keep your website safe, fast, and updated without any stress, we can manage it all for you. Explore our managed WordPress support options today and let our experts handle your technical updates while you focus on growing your business.
Zeeshan is a seasoned web developer with over 8+ years of experience, specializing in WordPress, Themosis, and Laravel. customized web solutions. Through his website, zeeshanwebexpert.com, Zeeshan offers professional web services, ensuring long-term solutions for clients.
