Picture this: Your website is a blooming kingdom in the vast realm of the Internet. It’s packed with people, search engines are pleased with you, and your pages rank higher than a knight on a white horse. However, you suddenly hear murmurs of a threat: HTTP is under attack! Your dominion isn’t as safe as you assumed. You must move quickly and migrate your website to the impregnable fortress of HTTPS. But wait a minute—you cannot afford to lose your SEO ranking during this courageous change. What should a noble webmaster do? Do not worry! This humorous (but practical) guide will assist you on how to migrate your website to HTTPS without sending your SEO to the dungeon.
Step 1: Rally Your Troops (Prepare for Migrate your website to https)
First and foremost, every hero must have a plan. Migrating your website is not a spur-of-the-moment choice; it is an epic journey that demands planning.
- Obtain an SSL Certificate: Consider this your magical shield. It will activate HTTPS and encrypt all data transferred on your website. You can receive it via your hosting provider, a Certificate Authority (CA), or for free through Let’s Encrypt.
- Backup Your Kingdom: Prior to any major move, back up your whole website, including files, databases, and customizations. A wise monarch always plans for the unexpected.
- Create a checklist: Your SEO ranking is valuable. Record every key page, asset, and link on your website—it’s like counting every coin in the royal treasury.
Step 2: Enchant your website (install and configure SSL).
Once you’ve secured your SSL certificate, it’s time to use it.
- Install the SSL Certificate: Your hosting company can assist you with this process. Once installed, a padlock icon will appear next to your URL, indicating your kingdom’s newfound strength.
Further Readings: How to install and SSL Certificate
- Update Your URLs: HTTP URLs are like rusted old armor. Replace all links (internal links, pictures, and scripts) with the bright new HTTPS versions.
Example: http://yourwebsite.com becomes https://yourwebsite.com.
Pro Tips
Use tools or plugins like Better Search Replace for WordPress to speed up the process.
Step 3: Redirect the Lost Knights (Setup 301 Redirects)
This is where you use your magic wand: the 301 redirect spell. Without this, your visitors and search engines may become disoriented, causing your SEO rating to drop.
- Implement 301 Redirects: These permanent redirects ensure that anyone who visits your old HTTP URLs is automatically directed to the secure HTTPS equivalents.
- Test the Redirects by walking the path yourself: Click on old HTTP links to ensure they lead to the new HTTPS castle. You can use tools like Screaming Frog to check for redirect problems.
Step 4: Declare Your Secure Kingdom (update your sitemap and robots.txt).
Your next task? Inform the search engines that your website has been fortified!
Update Your Sitemap: Create a new HTTPS sitemap and upload it to Google Search Console and other search engines. This helps web crawlers identify and index your secure sites more rapidly.
Update Robots.txt: Make sure your robots.txt file points to the new HTTPS URLs. You do not want to accidently block the entrances of your castle!
GET IN TOUCH
Create Your Website, Blog, Or E-Commerce Site In 5 Minutes
Step 5: Notify the Town Crier (Update External References).
What use is a secure website if nobody knows about it?
Share the news widely !!!!!
- Update Backlinks: Contact blogs, partners, and directories that connect to your site and request that they update the links to HTTPS.
- Update your social media profiles and email templates: Make sure all of your URLs reflect the secure HTTPS version.
Monitor your analytics: Update Google Analytics and tracking tools to include HTTPS traffic.
Step 6: Test, Test, and Celebrate (The Grand Audit).
No task is complete unless you’ve tested your success.
Check for Mixed Content: Old HTTP resources (images, scripts) can creep into your sites. Use tools such as Why No Padlock to detect and resolve mixed content issues.
Monitor Performance: Use Google Search Console to track your traffic and SEO rankings. If you observe a dip, don’t be alarmed; it’s usual for search engines to adjust following the migration.
Celebrate your victory by raising your goblet! Your website is now secure, trustworthy, and SEO friendly.
Final thoughts: The SEO legend lives on.
Migrating your website to HTTPS may seem difficult, but with the appropriate measures, you can safeguard your users, secure your business, and keep your SEO ranking.
- Remember:
- SSL certificates are your magical shield.
- 301 redirects lead lost visitors back to your castle.
- Updating links, sitemaps, and tools allows for a smooth transition.
So go ahead, courageous webmaster! Secure your kingdom with HTTPS and watch your SEO ranking soar higher than before. After all, a secure website is a happy website, and search engines will reward you for that.
Your HTTPS adventure awaits—don’t make HTTP the villain of your story!
If you enjoyed reading this, check out other latest posts on SSL, website and tech related.