It's relatively easy to enable SSL (HTTPS) on a WordPress website. Once you've purchased or enabled your SSL certificate on your web server, in theory all you need to do is update the home and site URL (in Dashboard > Settings, or using wp-config.php) and you're done! In practice however, there can be a few stumbling blocks depending on how your site has been built and configured.
Why should you consider using SSL? Using SSL secures communication on your website using encryption, keeping traffic between web browser and web server private. Aside from the security benefits, it's also strongly encouraged by search engines. SSL has even been a ranking factor since 2014. For many years, web browsers have displayed padlocks and various icons to help users identify secure sites, these are now becoming more noticeable. SSL is an important trust factor, however if you need further convincing on why you should be using HTTPS rather than HTTP, check out a recent article on WP Tavern that reports that more than 50% of web traffic is now encrypted. They also dig into some of the current usage statistics.
In this article, I'll cover some of the popular plugins that I've come across, and been recommended by others in the WordPress community. I'll also list a few useful testing tools that have helped me when troubleshooting both client and server SSL related issues.
It's worth noting that all modern web browsers are equipped with "Developer Tools", including several that can assist with SSL and certificate problems.
Continue reading %WordPress SSL Plugins to Make Switching to HTTPS Easier%
by Chris Burgess via SitePoint
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