As a follow up to my post on SSL certificates, I recently decided to implement SSL with a new WordPress website I created. It’s definitely less of a headache starting out with SSL on your site as opposed to adding it to an existing website that’s been around for a number of years. For new WordPress websites, the process is actually not that difficult at all.
Here is the process I used to implement SSL on my new WordPress site:
Purchasing and Installing the SSL Certificate
The easiest way to install an SSL certificate is to purchase it from your web hosting company. In that case, they will usually handle the installation for you. You can purchase your SSL elsewhere, but you then may have to perform the installation on your own.
Install WordPress on your https Domain
When you install WordPress, be sure to select your https domain. WordPress will then be installed on the domain with the SSL.
When you log into your WP admin and go to general settings, you’ll see your https domain specified as your WordPress and Site Address:
Create or Modify your .htaccess file
If you currently don’t have a .htaccess file in your WordPress directory, create one and with the following code:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{SERVER_PORT} 80
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://www.yourdomain.com/$1 [R,L]
Change yourdomain.com above to your own domain name.
Also, be aware that you may have to resave your WordPress permalink settings if you get 404 Not Found errors when trying to access your posts and pages.
Add your SSL Seal to your Website
Finally to make your website visitors feel safer with your site, display your SSL seal on your website. Usually, you just need to add a snippet of JavaScript code to your website. Then, you’ll be able to display your SSL seal.
While adding SSL to an existing and established WordPress site may not be advisable for everyone, I do think that implementing SSL on a new WordPress site is a good idea. It doesn’t cost you that much and the process is very straight forward. Your site visitors will feel more secure and the boost (however small) you’ll get from Google won’t hurt either.
