SSL certificate and HTTPS: why it is mandatory and how to enable it

🔒 What HTTPS is

HTTPS means the connection between the visitor and the site is encrypted. It is provided by an SSL (more precisely TLS) certificate. You then see https:// in the address instead of http://. Encryption protects data from contact forms and logins and confirms that the site is really yours.

⚠️ Why it is mandatory

• Browsers warn about sites without HTTPS, especially those with forms.
• Google named HTTPS a ranking signal long ago and expects it.
• Trust: a customer who sees a warning leaves.
• Legally and practically, every form collecting data should be protected.

🛠️ How to enable it

1. Hosting with a free certificate. Most good hosts offer Let's Encrypt or similar with automatic renewal.
2. Enable it in the panel and wait for activation.
3. Redirect all http addresses to https with a permanent (301) redirect.
4. Choose one version of the address (with or without "www") and redirect the other.
5. Update internal links, canonical tags and the sitemap to https.
6. Add the https version to Search Console and submit the sitemap.

🚧 Most common mistakes

• Mixed content: the page is https but loads images or scripts over http. The browser flags it as not secure.
• An expired certificate because renewal is not automatic.
• A redirect loop because of wrong rules.
• A forgotten www/non-www so two versions of the site exist.

🧰 Additional protection

With HTTPS it is worth enabling security headers (for example HSTS, X-Content-Type-Options, Referrer-Policy). Our sites ship with these settings. Hosting details are in hosting and domain.