Everyday, we hear of cases of identity theft and data infringement on the web, causing users to become more suspicious about the sites they visit. They are starting to get smarter about where they put their personal information and the kind of websites they trust. Understanding how to make website HTTPS has become more important than ever.

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Decoding the Acronyms: HTTP vs. HTTPs

A lot of communication happens whenever you pull up a website from the internet. Your computer talks to other computers or servers in a network to serve you with the information you requested. HTTP and HTTPs are two communication protocols that both clients and servers implement to be able to talk to each other.

HTTP or hypertext transfer protocol is the most basic communication protocol. The information transferred between the browser and server with an HTTP site is in clear text so the network through which it passes can clearly read the information being transmitted. This is a concern when a user is sending sensitive data such as personal information, credit card numbers, passwords and email addresses.

Meanwhile, HTTPS or HTTP Secure answers this security concern by creating an encrypted communication channel where clear text can pass through. This protects it from eavesdropping.

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Why Make HTTPS Sites?

Learning how to make site HTTPS is highly recommended for a number of reasons:

  1. Keep data confidential. It maintains confidentiality of data transmitted between the user and your website. Without HTTPS, anyone on the same Wi-Fi access point can view private information being transmitted through that network.
  2. Maintain the integrity of your content. HTTPS websites ensure the integrity of the information being transmitted. For instance, a third party software or user can add extra ads to an unsecured website or tamper with image quality or content of the articles being accessed. HTTPS is a way to ensure that no one can tamper with your website.
  3. Ensures authenticity. HTTPS makes sure that a website is exactly what it claims to be. It prevents hackers from sending browsers to a fake website. It also maintains user confidence. Users are more likely to transact through your website when they are assured that you are not pretending to be something you’re not.
  4. Good for SEO. Google is known to favor secure websites over HTTP websites. Making your site secure can improve your website’s search engine rankings. In fact, you may also be at risk of getting your HTTP website blacklisted especially if it has been found to be a source of malware and information breaches.
  5. Prevents unnecessary downtimes. An HTTP website is vulnerable to attacks from malware and other malicious third party websites. This can cause your website unnecessary downtime as you try to clean up the mess these hackers can cause. If you’re running a business, one day or even an hour away from the internet can cause you to lose money. It’s better to invest in proper SSL protection and make your website HTTPS rather than spend hundreds of dollars on damage control when your website gets hacked.

How to Make Site HTTPS

When you register a custom domain either through Strikingly or a third-party registrar, you automatically get the option for HTTPS and obtain SSL. You don’t have to do anything to activate HTTPS on your Strikingly website especially if you have acquired your custom domain after April 5, 2018. You don’t have to purchase a separate SSL certificate and figure out how to install it into your website