Use HTTPS for encrypted connections - SSL certificate
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2025 4:09 am
One of the most forgotten ways to improve WordPress security is to install an SSL certificate and run your site over HTTPS . HTTPS ( Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure ) is a mechanism that allows your browser or web application to securely connect to a website. A big misconception is that if you don’t accept credit cards, you don’t need SSL . Well, let’s explain a few reasons why HTTPS is important for more than just e-commerce. Many hosts, including Kinsta, offer free SSL certificates with Let’s Encrypt.
Safety
Of course, the biggest reason for HTTPS is the added security, and yes, this does apply to e-commerce sites. However, how important is your login information ? For those of you with multi-author WordPress sites, if you are running on HTTP, every time a person logs in, that information is sent to the server in plain text. HTTPS is absolutely advertising database essential to maintaining a secure connection between your website and the browser. This way, you can prevent hackers or middlemen from accessing your site. So whether you have a blog, a news site, an agency, etc., they can all benefit from HTTPS, as it ensures that nothing is ever sent in plain text. Google has officially stated that HTTPS is a ranking factor . While it is only a small ranking factor , most of you will probably take advantage of any advantage you can get in the SERPs to get ahead of your competitors.
Trust and reliability
According to a survey conducted by GlobalSign, 28.9% of visitors look for a green address bar in their browser. And 77% of them are worried about their data being intercepted or misused online. Seeing a green padlock will give customers peace of mind knowing their data is safer.
Directions data
Many people don't realize that HTTPS to HTTP redirect data is blocked in Google Analytics . So what happens to this data? Well, most of it is simply merged into the "direct traffic" section. If someone goes from HTTP to HTTPS, the referrer is still passed along.
Safety
Of course, the biggest reason for HTTPS is the added security, and yes, this does apply to e-commerce sites. However, how important is your login information ? For those of you with multi-author WordPress sites, if you are running on HTTP, every time a person logs in, that information is sent to the server in plain text. HTTPS is absolutely advertising database essential to maintaining a secure connection between your website and the browser. This way, you can prevent hackers or middlemen from accessing your site. So whether you have a blog, a news site, an agency, etc., they can all benefit from HTTPS, as it ensures that nothing is ever sent in plain text. Google has officially stated that HTTPS is a ranking factor . While it is only a small ranking factor , most of you will probably take advantage of any advantage you can get in the SERPs to get ahead of your competitors.
Trust and reliability
According to a survey conducted by GlobalSign, 28.9% of visitors look for a green address bar in their browser. And 77% of them are worried about their data being intercepted or misused online. Seeing a green padlock will give customers peace of mind knowing their data is safer.
Directions data
Many people don't realize that HTTPS to HTTP redirect data is blocked in Google Analytics . So what happens to this data? Well, most of it is simply merged into the "direct traffic" section. If someone goes from HTTP to HTTPS, the referrer is still passed along.