Is HTTPS required for your website? Is Google search going to lower the ranking of those without?
HTTPS is a website security feature that protects the visitor’s privacy.
Without HTTPS, Google Chrome browser marks your site as “not secure”.
So, start scrambling now and get that HTTPS for your website.
Converting HTTP to HTTPS
Today, I journal the steps to updating my own website to HTTPS.
I will skip the technical explanation of what is HTTPS and how it encrypts data to protect visitors.
Here’s how my website URL looks like in Google Chrome.
When you click on the “i” icon, it says “Your connection to this site is not secure”.
How does a HTTPS secured website look like? Here is a site which I am reading to learn about HTTPS.
There is an extra text “https://” in front of the URL with the word Secure beside it.
Updating Website to HTTPS
My website is now on a shared hosting plan at Hostgator. So the screenshots you see are Hostgator’s user interface as at 18 October 2017.
On a shared hosting plan, all you have to do is activate the SSL certificate from the Cpanel. Some call it TLS instead of SSL.
What is SSL?
SSL (secure socket layers) encrypts information as it is transferred across the internet.
First, log in to the Customer Portal or Cpanel and select the Hosting tab.
Scroll down to look for SSL Certificate and select it.
To get an SSL certificate, you have to pay for it… and renewed annually… it is not free.
SSL certificates cost $31.99 per year for regular business websites and a whopping $256.49 per year for e-commerce sites.
What is an SSL Warranty?
“Warranty is an insurance for an end user against loss of money when submitting a payment on an SSL-secured site.” – Namecheap
For your information, you can get the SSL certificate for free and for a lifetime if you transfer your website to another web host.
Free SSL Certificate for Lifetime
Does Hostgator have free lifetime SSL certificate?
I am using the Baby Plan now. If I upgrade to Business Plan, The overall cost will be lower than if I purchase the SSL certificate for the Baby Plan.
BUT, is the Private SSL free?
Yes, there is a free private SSL. BUT… is it free for a lifetime?
It’s free only for the first year, after which the SSL certificate has to be renewed annually for a fee.
Maybe, it’s time to consider moving to a web host with free lifetime SSL like Hostinger.
What is a “Private” SSL?
“Public or Shared SSL will use a HostGator domain and will cause certificate warning messages to pop up on your site. Private SSL will use your domain name and will not cause any warnings messages. Private SSL is preferred for protecting credit card information for E-Commerce websites. This is because shared SSL warnings make people uncomfortable with submitting their credit card information on your website.” – Hostgator
Upgrading to Business Plan
After much research, the decision is to upgrade the existing Web Hosting Plan to Business level, thus enjoying the one year of free SSL. In the meantime, let’s review other web hosts with free lifetime SSL to consider transferring over to.
Under review now, is a web host with a low fee lifetime SSL certificate. Is it private or shared? Let’s find out.
Over to You
Feel free to comment or ask questions.
If you have already switched to HTTPS, please share your method and the fee you are paying.
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