Moving your website to the HTTPS protocol will provide higher rankings and increase security. User information security is provided by using an SSL certificate. Moving to a new domain helps search engines better recognize your website during processing. Google or Yandex index sites using the HTTPS protocol faster.

As a result, targeted traffic increases, the web page occupies higher positions. More customers visit the website, increasing traffic. HTTPS has become a universal standard. Sites using HTTP have lower levels of trust, gradually falling behind and being flagged by search engines as suspicious. It makes sense to switch to a new domain. Follow the necessary instructions to do so.

Buying and installing a certificate

Before installing a secure certificate, it is necessary to check the hosting or dedicated server. The transition procedure depends on the initial settings of the resource. The process must be performed by a specialist in accordance with the selected algorithm of actions. To ensure the successful procedure, it is important to follow general rules. It is necessary to pay attention to the following details:

  • Familiarize yourself with the features and conditions of the hosting. It should provide support for the SSL certificate. If there is no such support, you will have to ensure a competent transfer of the resource to a new provider. This will result in a change in the IP address of the domain, which should be taken into account.
  • Find experienced specialists who will help with the task. It is important to pay attention to the availability of free technical support after the move.
  • Choose a suitable time. This is one of the important stages. During the move, the site will lose its traffic. The move is recommended to be done during the period of least traffic to preserve the client base.
  • When switching to new encryption, a backup of all files should be created. Regardless of the results of the operation, it is necessary to provide the ability to roll back. This is required in case of critical errors during the transfer.

Absolute link weight is replaced by relative links during the migration process, simplifying indexing in automatic mode. All pages will be redirected to the new address, ensuring free and uninterrupted access to information on the resource. Relative links should be specified in all documents. This step is mandatory.

Choosing a certificate

Depending on the goals and features of the website, it is important to choose the right technology to ensure the security of user data. There are several different types of certificates depending on the purpose and features of use:

With domain validation. This option is popular among individuals and legal entities. It allows determining the resource ownership by a particular owner. As a result, the user receives confirmation of information security and is assured of safety. Detailed information about the owner is not required to issue a certificate. All data is kept secure, enabling secure online commercial transactions.

With organization validation. Used for entrepreneurs and companies. It confirms the website’s ownership by a specific organization. An application is submitted to the certification center, which conducts the verification. The owner receives a document describing the verification result. It is suitable for online stores, legal entities, and other establishments.

With extended validation. Suitable for large organizations. It involves a thorough examination of the company after submitting the application. As a result, a certificate is issued confirming the company’s reliability and security. In search results, such a resource is marked with a checkmark, and the organization’s name is written next to it.

When choosing a certificate, it is possible to protect the main website address and all subdomains. This guarantees a secure transition to all pages of the website. There is also a special option – to create a card with all the organization’s details.

Installing an SSL certificate and configuring a website

First, the SSL certificate is activated after it is purchased. This process depends on the chosen type of information protection. Typically, everything is done automatically. In some cases, the accuracy of the information is checked, and a corresponding certificate with the verification results is provided.

After activation, further instructions are sent to the email address. The instructions specify the steps to install the certificate. The procedure’s specifics depend on where the domain is hosted.

The simplest option is to purchase the certificate on the platform where the website is already hosted. To do this, it is necessary to choose suitable conditions and then make a payment through a personal account. This is the least expensive way, allowing you to save time. As a result, the correctness of the installation and the placement of the entire link mass are verified.

Alternatively, the certificate can be purchased from a certification center. To do this, the following actions must be taken:

  1. To register on the resource and choose an appropriate type of certificate depending on the placement and purpose of the website.
  2. To generate a special file in the form of an application that contains all the information about the owner and the security key of the resource. It is mandatory to save the data when submitting the request as they will be required for further verification.
  3. Next, the payment for the service is made. A domain confirmation is sent to the email for the purpose of verifying the identity of the owner.
  4. At the last stage, the certification center sends the certificate in a separate file.
  5. The client installs the certificate, for which the previously saved key is required.

Checking the website’s functionality and installation correctness

To check the correctness of the procedure, special services are used. You need to fill out a form, specifying the new website address. As a result of the check, a report is provided, which describes the correctness of access to a particular page of the resource. If there are any errors, a corresponding message is displayed. After that, you should contact specialists who will help to solve the problem.

Setting up a 301 redirect

It is important to set up a redirect with a 301 code, which is required for the correctness of verification by search robots and indexing of pages. This allows excluding the old address from the check.

On the hosting, you can enter the appropriate settings through the control panel. Depending on the provider, it may also be necessary to make changes to the .htaccess document.

If the resource is hosted on a dedicated server, special Nginx software is used. You can also use builders or contact specialists for support.

Making changes for search engines

After installing Secure Sockets Layer, it is necessary to make changes for search engines to recognize and index the website. To do this, you will need to work with the main files of the site.

Modify data in robots.txt and sitemap.xml

After forming the security protocol, it is necessary to correct the location of all elements of the resource. The sitemap.xml document is located in the root directory on the server side. To replace it, simply copy the document using the control panel or FTP protocol. The new map is placed at the same address as the old document. It can be viewed at the corresponding address.

To be indexed by search engines, some changes need to be made to robots.txt. To do this, simply upload the new file in place of the old one. To do this, go to the control panel. After that, the document is uploaded using a file manager or file management protocol.

All settings can be made manually or automatically. For automatic configuration, simply go to the corresponding tabs of the resource control panel. All data is automatically entered according to previous results.

Modify data in Google Search Console and Yandex Webmaster

Immediately after switching to the new security protocol, traffic drops. This is a normal phenomenon. To fix the problem, you need to provide new data to the search engines. To do this, transfer all information from the old protocol to the updated HTTPS.

Next, you will need to wait for the site to be re-indexed. This process can take several weeks depending on the peculiarities of the resource placement on the internet.

Switching to the new security protocol helps to increase the website’s positions in search engines. It also creates a certain level of trust from visitors.