Google Warns: Secure Your Site By October or Else…
Home
What’s New
Start Here
Contact
2 Create a Website Blog
Google Warns: Secure Your Site By October or Else…
Filed Under: New
62 Comments
If you don’t want the Chrome browser scaring your visitors away, here’s what you need to know…
- Pages with Forms: Ensure all pages containing form fields start with
https://instead ofhttp://. This encrypts data submitted through your website’s forms. - Google Chrome Warning: Starting October 2017, unauthenticated HTTP pages will display a "NOT SECURE" message to Google Chrome users. Even email opt-in forms will trigger this warning.
- Check Your Site: If you have a Google Webmaster account, an email might have notified you of pages that will show the "NOT SECURE" warning.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Let me be clear: if technical details make you uneasy, reach out to your host for assistance. They may have additional suggestions tailored to your situation. This post serves as a heads-up more than a tutorial; hosting choices largely dictate your steps.
How to Get Free Encryption
I use LiquidWeb (affiliate link) for dedicated hosting and they offer free AutoSSL, which was set up in just 3 minutes by their tech team. I also installed the Real Simple SSL WordPress plugin to redirect all pages from http:// to https. Alternatively, you can do this manually with your .htaccess file or ask your host to set it up for you.
- Validate SSL: You can verify that SSL is working by visiting this link.
- Other Options: If your host doesn’t support AutoSSL yet, Let’s Encrypt offers a free way to encrypt your site without buying an SSL certificate (but requires manual installation on some hosts).
Important Note: Always backup your site and database before making changes.
Let’s Encrypt and Website Palace (GoDaddy)
For Website Palace (GoDaddy) users, contact support for guidance on installing Let’s Encrypt manually if desired. I may not pursue this for my smaller sites due to the manual setup required.
Why Not Everyone Supports Let’s Encrypt?
Host companies prefer you purchase SSL certificates as it generates revenue. However, AutoSSL and Let’s Encrypt are becoming more widely available.
Free AutoSSL vs. Paid SSL Certificate
While I won’t delve into the technical differences here, understand that free options like AutoSSL and Let’s Encrypt are gaining traction among hosting providers.