Adding https version of website: how best to redirect

[BlueprintMarketing]

Honestly, the way you set up a 301 is much more dependent on the server like Apache and Nginx then it is on a CMS

if you are looking for one I would recommend using WordPress or Drupal for a CMS  If you're thinking of switching  WordPress is much more user-friendly slightly quicker and many many more developers are available to help with it.

Tom

[BlueprintMarketing]

See

Aleyda Solis The HTTP to HTTPs Migration Checklist in Google Docs to Share, Copy & Download & the SEMrush guide

1. https://www.aleydasolis.com/en/search-engine-optimization/http-https-migration-checklist-google-docs/
2. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XB26X_wFoBBlQEqecj7HB79hQ7DTLIPo97SS5irwsK8/edit#gid=1975121463
3. https://www.semrush.com/blog/http-to-https-a-complete-guide-to-securing-your-website-semrushchat/

Hope this helps,

Tom

[bhsiao]

Thank you

[bhsiao]

I may have made a mess for myself. I turned on the ssl a couple of weeks ago (2-3) but didn't do the other things first. Should i remove the ssl from my site until I go through the checklist? I am starting to panic, hoping i have not gotten myself into big trouble.

My internal links, ads, canonical urls all still use http.

[BlueprintMarketing]

Definitely don’t panic and you’re not in trouble. What I would do for his run a search and replace on the URL‘s if you’re running a non CMS site  find a search & replace CLI or script that works with the code you’re site was made with if you’re hosting company is  managing the site ask them for help

run the search & replace to fix the URL‘s

one way is to just add CloudFlare.com for free and use the felxable cert

if your on a CMS like  wordpress you can use a plugin like better search & replace

[BlueprintMarketing]

If it’s hand coded use a text editor & search for http replac with https if using Dreamweaver it has a full site wide search and replace.

[bhsiao]

So you recommend just going forward with the https switch even though I have not done all the things on the checklist?

[BlueprintMarketing]

Did you allready 301 the site to https?

if so I would updat the URLs &  then follow the instructions

if https is in google index I would fix it with a search & replace or CloudFlare (the 1 thing on the list is this url https://raventools.com/blog/free-ssl-http2/ use it if it’s something you want to have do the work

[bhsiao]

I have not already 301'd the site to https. But either url works since I turned on the ssl at my host.

I will check into the Cloudflare.

[BlueprintMarketing]

I see you added the certificate but you didn’t force https

flow the guide and make sure it  all 4 URLs point to the (redirects) to https://www

you can do it in no time with cloudflare then check it with

https://varvy.com/tools/redirects/

hope that helps,

tom