Hey everyone Patrik CK here, today I want to share an important website development
step.
So you’ve built your WordPress site you’ve got your SSL certificate, you’ve searched
and replaced all of your URLs to sit behind secure https and when you load your site you
see that lovely green pad lock in the address bar.
So we’re done right?
Well not yet and here’s why.
Let’s open up a private browsing window to mimic how other users would first visit
your site.
For us Chrome users this mean opening the infamous incognito window now let’s type
in your website’s URL without the preceding http.
What comes up?
Well unfortunately the regular unsecure http version.
Without typing https:// into the browser, which let’s admit no one does, your users
and costumers will be directed to the unsecure version of your site.
Why would it do such a thing you may ask after I’ve spent all the time to get a SSL cert
and update my URLS, well the short answer is the protocols of the internet default to
http so you have to force the matter.
Luckily this is actually really easy to do and there are two routes to accomplish it.
If you are extremely lazy or don’t want to mess with coding anything into anywhere
than this first route is for you.
All it involves is installing a plugin called Really Simple SSL from the WordPress plugin
library like so.
Activating it and push the button called Activate SSL!
That’s it you’re done.
Now if we try the same trick to view our site in the private browser you see it goes directly
to https and everyone is happy.
So that’s the really easy way to do it, but I’m not a fan of installing plugins
if I can accomplish the same goal without it.
This route will require a little more experience and higher level access.
So if you don’t have access to your CPanel account or don’t know what a CPanel account
is than stick with the plugin, it gets the job done.
In your CPanel account under File Manager in your public_html file you will find the
.htaccess file.
If you don’t see it you may have to enable the setting to view hidden files.
The .htaccess file is hidden by default.
Go ahead and open the file into the editor and at the top above the other rules but below
the first declaration insert the following four lines of rules.
I’ll put it in the description for easy coping.
Save the file and close.
And you are done.
Adding those rules to the .htaccess file is basically what the Really Simple SSL plugin
did automatically for you, so that you wouldn’t have to venture into this part of your web
hosting environment.
Let’s face it most people aren’t willing to mess with stuff back here.
I didn’t want to either until I learned my way around better.
Anyway, lets try our little test again in a private browser window and you’ll be happy
to see it goes to https without a problem.
I could explain what each rule does but I may save that for a later video.
Of course when you’re done make sure to clear your website’s cache.
I hope this helps you guys take full advantage of your SSL certificate.
This has been Patrik CK, like and share if you enjoyed this content.
Subscribe to get more videos when they come out and hope to see you all next time, thanks
everyone!