Site-wide configuration
How to move your site to HTTPS
The site is served only over plain http. Browsers mark it as Not Secure, anything typed into it travels in the clear, and HTTPS has been a ranking signal for years.
What it is, and what it costs
HTTPS encrypts the connection between your site and its visitors. Without it, browsers show a "Not Secure" label in the address bar, forms leak data, and you miss the small ranking preference Google gives secure sites. It is one of the few basics that is both free and expected.
How to fix it
Install a TLS certificate and serve the site over https, then force http to redirect to it.
- Most hosts / WordPress: the host panel usually has a one-click Let's Encrypt certificate; then a plugin like Really Simple SSL flips the site to https.
- Cloudflare: proxying the site provides HTTPS at the edge quickly.
- Hand-coded: issue a Let's Encrypt certificate (free, auto-renewing) and configure the server for https.
How to check your site
Load https://yoursite.com. If it fails or warns, HTTPS is not set up.
Related: forcing http to redirect to https, and fixing mixed content afterwards.
Questions people ask
- Is HTTPS worth it for a small site?
- Yes. It is free, it removes the "Not Secure" label that scares visitors, and it is expected on any site that takes input.
Does your site have this?
Check your site to confirm it is served securely.
See also
- How to build a custom 404 pageWhen someone follows an old link to a page that is gone, a bare server error tells them nothing and they leave. A 404 page with your normal layout, a short line of explanation, and a search box turns that dead end into a way back into the site.
- How to redirect http to httpsThe http:// address does not redirect to https://. Both versions are reachable, so search engines see two copies of the site and some visitors stay on the insecure one.
- How to fix an invalid HTTPS certificateThe HTTPS certificate does not verify: expired, self-signed, or issued for a different name. Browsers show a full-page warning before anyone reaches the site, and search engines will not index it normally.
- How to fix title tag problemsThe title tag is the line people read in search results, and the strongest single signal on the page about what it is for. Four things go wrong with it, and a site with one of them usually has two. Each is below, with what it costs and how to put it right.