SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a tool that encrypts the data transferred between our website and our visitors. Ssl ensure that sensitive information like passwords and payment details remain private. Besides improving security, SSL is also vital for SEO. This because search engines like Google prioritize secure sites which boost their rankings.
In Blogger websites, SSL is given by Google for free. But in wordpress we need to install ssl certificates manually. In this WordPress Tutorial, Bytes Vibe will teach you two method to install SSL certificate in WordPress site for free. By the end of this wordpress tutorial, we will have a fully secured site that signal users that our website is trustworthy.
Why SSL is Essential for WordPress Website?
Before we learn How to add SSL certificate to WordPress website, we need to learn why SSL is important for website:
Now, let’s check the methods for installing an SSL certificate on WordPress website.
How to Install SSL certificate in WordPress?
Method 1: Install a Free SSL Certificate Using Let’s Encrypt
Let’s Encrypt is a free and open certificate authority (CA) that offers free SSL certificates. Most of hosting providers offer Let’s Encrypt certificates to add this in website. This makes the process of installing SSL relatively simple. I personally use this method for all my website to Install SSL certificate in WordPress.
Step 1: Check Hosting Provider’s SSL Support
Most reputable WordPress hosting providers support Let’s Encrypt. We need to check with our hosting control panel (cPanel, Plesk, etc.) to see if there’s an option to install Let’s Encrypt directly. If it’s available than we need to follow these steps to Install SSL certificate WordPress:
Step 2: Access Hosting Control Panel
- First we need to log into our hosting provider’s control panel (e.g., cPanel or Plesk).
- Than look for the “Security” or “SSL/TLS” section. In latest cpanel, it is marked as Security.
- Now we need to find the Let’s Encrypt option and select our domain in which we want to install ssl certificates.
- Now click “Install” option that is besides domain. The installation process might take a few seconds. Once done, we will see a success message. Now our site will be accessible via HTTPS.
Now this is how we can install SSL certificates in wordpress for free wit Let’s Encrypt SSL. This method works really well and its really simple to do.
Method 2: Use Cloudflare for Free SSL
Cloudflare offers free SSL through its Content Delivery Network (CDN). If our hosting provider doesn’t support Let’s Encrypt or we want to use Cloudflare’s CDN, than we can use cloudflare to add SSL certificates in our website.
Step 1: Set Up Cloudflare
- Sign up for a free Cloudflare account.
- Add website by entering domain name.
- Cloudflare will scan site’s DNS records and present you with a list of settings. We need to make sure everything is correct and than proceed.
Step 2: Change Nameservers
If we want to enable Cloudflare’s SSL than we need to update our domain’s nameservers to Cloudflare’s nameservers. You can ask your domain hosting provider to help you on this nameservers change matter.
Step 3: Enable SSL in Cloudflare
- After our DNS has propagated (this can take up to 48 hours), we need to log into our Cloudflare account again.
- Than we need to go to the SSL/TLS section and set the SSL mode to “Full” or “Full Strict”.
And that’s it. This is how we can use cloudflare to install SSL certificates in our website for free.
Troubleshooting
If SSL certificate doesn’t appear after installing ssl via Lets encrypt or Cloudflare than try to clear site’s cache. We can also check with our hosting provider for any misconfigurations. It generally work if we just clear our browser cache.
Conclusion
The SSL certificate is important for securing our WordPress site and the other advantages include the trustworthiness and SEO-performance improvement. To bring the green padlock on our website, we can use a free solution like Let’s Encrypt or Cloudflare to import SSL certificates into it. Having SSL will provide visitors a more secure experience for our site and we get the advantages of good SEO and credibility.
