Do I need to implement SSL?

jwlimages · 2019-02-15 07:38:45

I am almost finished updating my test site from CE4 to Backlight2. Before I start putting things in place for my production site, I have a pretty basic question:

Am I going to need to go to https URLs soon? Google is starting to flag 'non-secure' sites now, but they still work. If I build my site without SSL will I be more-or-less forced to implement it in the near future?

(apologies if this is bone-head question, but as you can see I am not very savvy on this stuff)

I can continue my site with just http URLs - it's primarily a portfolio not a sales site. But if it seems like ultimately I'll need a security certificate & https URLs, I would rather go that route now than have to update it in a year or so. Also, I am assuming that implementing SSL before I build the production site will make things go much easier than adding it later - correct?

Thanks for any wisdom you can share on this - and don't hesitate to correct any possible misconceptions here!

John

rod barbee · 2019-02-15 08:05:55

Am I going to need to go to https URLs soon? Google is starting to flag 'non-secure' sites now, but they still work. If I build my site without SSL will I be more-or-less forced to implement it in the near future?

I don't know about forced. But hasn't Google said it will penalize non-secure sites? (or words to that effect)

You can add SSL any time. If you add it after you've built the site you'll need to do a couple of things, maybe more:

Go into settings and change the Site and Company URL to https://.....
Change the WordPress setting to https://.... (unless you're using something like /blog)

Under Privacy, change Automatically Redirect Browsers To https to "yes"

If you're using any inline images hosted on your own site, or you've got text urls going to other pages on your site, change the urls to those to https://...

Same with your navigation menu. If any nav items are set to go to URLs that are pages on your site, change those urls as well.

jwlimages · 2019-02-15 10:20:14

rod barbee wrote:

Am I going to need to go to https URLs soon? Google is starting to flag 'non-secure' sites now, but they still work. If I build my site without SSL will I be more-or-less forced to implement it in the near future?
I don't know about forced. But hasn't Google said it will penalize non-secure sites? (or words to that effect)...

Hi Rod,

Sounds like you're suggesting I might as well go ahead & build as secure site from the start.

Thanks for your reply - speedy & helpful, as always!

John

jherman · 2019-02-15 21:30:01

You may want to take a look at this thread as I and a few others worked through converting to SSL last year. Notes may be a bit dated as we were using an earlier version of BL but the shopping list of things to update is unchanged.

http://community.theturninggate.net/vie … hp?id=7335

jwlimages · 2019-02-16 03:12:49

Thanks jherman,

Yes, I have seen lots & lots of discussion about updating things to work with a site with SSL. Trying to catalog them for reference, as I'm sure I will need lots of help doing this.

John

rod barbee · 2019-02-16 05:48:06

It's really so much easier now that Matt and Ben have added that switch in the Settings. Now all you really need to do is change the URLs and change that switch to Yes.

(and manually update urls to any text links or images or other assets you have on the site)

Community @ The Turning Gate

#1 2019-02-15 07:38:45

Do I need to implement SSL?

#2 2019-02-15 08:05:55

Re: Do I need to implement SSL?

#3 2019-02-15 10:20:14

Re: Do I need to implement SSL?

#4 2019-02-15 21:30:01

Re: Do I need to implement SSL?

#5 2019-02-16 03:12:49

Re: Do I need to implement SSL?

#6 2019-02-16 05:48:06

Re: Do I need to implement SSL?

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