Looking to increase the security of your WordPress site hosted on Bluehost? Look no further! In this detailed guide, we will walk you through the process of activating a free SSL certificate with Bluehost and seamlessly migrating your site from HTTP to HTTPS.
Understanding SSL Certificates
Before we dive into the tutorial, it’s important to understand what SSL certificates are. SSL certificates encrypt the data transmitted between a web server and a visitor’s browser, ensuring a secure connection. SSL certificates are crucial in today’s digital world as they not only enhance your website’s trustworthiness but also positively impact its search engine ranking.
Different types of SSL certificates are available. For informational websites like blogs, a free SSL certificate is sufficient. Let’sEncrypt is a popular provider of free SSL certificates. However, for e-commerce platforms and transaction-based sites, it is recommended to use Extended Validation (EV) or Organization Validation (OV) certificates, which can be obtained from paid providers.
Activating a Free SSL Certificate with Bluehost
Let’s now go through the step-by-step process of activating a free SSL certificate with Bluehost:
1. Log in to your Bluehost dashboard and navigate to “My Sites” > “Manage site”.
2. Click on the “Security” tab to access the SSL options panel.
3. Look for the “Free SSL Certificate” option and toggle the button to “On”.
4. Bluehost will start installing the free SSL certificate on your hosting account. You may receive a pending notice and an email from the Bluehost billing team regarding the certificate installation process.
5. Wait for a few hours until the installation is complete. You can verify if the SSL certificate is active by using an online SSL checker tool.
6. Once the SSL certificate is installed, you can proceed with migrating your WordPress site from HTTP to HTTPS.
Migrating from HTTP to HTTPS
To ensure a seamless transition from HTTP to HTTPS and maintain your site’s SEO, follow these steps after activating the SSL certificate:
1. Install the Really Simple SSL Plugin
Install and activate the Really Simple SSL plugin from the WordPress plugin repository. This plugin automatically redirects all traffic from HTTP to HTTPS, ensuring a seamless user experience.
2. Modify Your .htaccess File
Add the following code snippet at the beginning or end of your WordPress .htaccess file to enable HTTP to HTTPS redirection:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule (.*) https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [R=301,L]
The .htaccess file can be edited using the Yoast SEO plugin or FTP.
3. Update All HTTP URLs in the Database
Use the Better Search & Replace plugin to update all existing HTTP URLs to HTTPS. This plugin ensures that all internal links within your site are updated to the secure HTTPS version.
Additionally, consider using the Broken Link Checker plugin to identify and update any links to third-party websites that still use HTTP.
4. Adjust Cloudflare Settings (if applicable)
If you are using Cloudflare, make the following changes in your Cloudflare dashboard to ensure a smooth migration:
– Enable “Full” SSL under the “Crypto” section.
– Enable “Automatic HTTPS Rewrites” for seamless HTTPS loading.
Congratulations! You have successfully migrated your WordPress site from HTTP to HTTPS, improving its security for your visitors.
Conclusion
Bluehost provides a seamless experience for activating a free SSL certificate and migrating from HTTP to HTTPS. By following this guide, you have taken a crucial step towards enhancing your site’s security and improving its ranking on search engines.
Feel free to share your experience in the comments section below. If you found this guide helpful, don’t forget to share it with others who are using Bluehost for their WordPress sites.
