HTTP to HTTPS migration for WordPress sites is no longer optional; it’s essential for SEO, user trust, and security. But here’s the thing: mess up the migration and you could tank your search rankings overnight. Google treats HTTP and HTTPS as completely different sites, so this isn’t just a technical upgrade; it’s a full site migration in Google’s eyes.
Let’s walk through the process step by step to ensure you retain every bit of your hard-earned SEO juice while making the switch.
Why HTTPS Migration Matters for SEO
Google has been crystal clear about HTTPS being a ranking factor since 2014. But it’s not just about rankings:
- Trust signals: That green padlock builds user confidence
- Data protection: Essential for any site handling user data
- Browser warnings: Chrome and Firefox actively warn users about non-HTTPS sites
- HTTP/2 benefits: Faster loading requires HTTPS
- Third-party integrations: Many services now require HTTPS
The SEO impact is real: studies show that HTTPS sites can see a 2-5% ranking boost, while non-HTTPS sites are increasingly penalized in search results.
Pre-Migration SEO Audit and Preparation
Before touching anything, document your current SEO standing. This baseline will help you measure success and troubleshoot issues.
Document Current Performance
- Organic traffic (last 3 months from Google Analytics)
- Keyword rankings for top 20-30 terms
- Backlink profile (using Ahrefs, SEMrush, or free tools)
- Page load speeds (Google PageSpeed Insights)
- Current indexation status (site:yourdomain.com in Google)
Technical SEO Inventory
Create a spreadsheet with:
- All internal links pointing to HTTP URLs
- External backlinks (you’ll need to reach out for updates)
- Canonical tags currently in use
- XML sitemap URLs
- Social media profiles and business listings
Step-by-Step HTTPS Migration Process
Step 1: Get Your SSL Certificate
Most hosting providers offer free SSL certificates through Let’s Encrypt. If you’re on shared hosting:
- cPanel users: Look for “SSL/TLS” or “Let’s Encrypt”
- Managed WordPress hosts: Usually auto-enabled or one-click setup
- Custom setup: Purchase from providers like DigiCert or Comodo
Test your certificate before proceeding:
# Use SSL Labs’ free SSL test
https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest
Your goal is an A+ rating. Anything below A needs addressing before migration.
Step 2: Backup Everything
This cannot be overstated: back up your entire site.
- Database export (via phpMyAdmin or hosting panel)
- Complete file backup (all WordPress files)
- Document current settings (plugins, theme customizations)
Store backups offsite and test that you can restore from them.
Step 3: Update WordPress URLs
There are several methods, but here’s the safest approach for SEO:
Method 1: WordPress Admin (Safest)
- Go to Settings > General
- Update both “WordPress Address” and “Site Address” to HTTPS
- Save changes
Method 2: wp-config.php (For Advanced Users)
define(‘WP_HOME’,’https://yourdomain.com’);
define(‘WP_SITEURL’,’https://yourdomain.com’);
Method 3: Database Update (Last Resort) Only use this if other methods fail:
UPDATE wp_options SET option_value = replace(option_value, ‘http://yourdomain.com’, ‘https://yourdomain.com’) WHERE option_name = ‘home’;
UPDATE wp_options SET option_value = replace(option_value, ‘http://yourdomain.com’, ‘https://yourdomain.com’) WHERE option_name = ‘siteurl’;
Step 4: Update Internal Links and Content
WordPress won’t automatically update your content. You need to replace HTTP links in:
Using Search Replace DB Tool (Recommended):
http://yourdomain.com → https://yourdomain.com
Manual Plugin Method: Install “Better Search Replace” plugin:
- Search for: http://yourdomain.com
- Replace with: https://yourdomain.com
- Run on all tables (test first with dry run)
What to Update:
- Post content links
- Image URLs
- Custom field values
- Widget content
- Menu links
Step 5: Configure Server-Level Redirects
This is critical for SEO. You need 301 redirects from HTTP to HTTPS for every URL.
Apache (.htaccess method):
# Add to top of .htaccess file
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]
Nginx method:
server {
listen 80;
server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;
return 301 https://$server_name$request_uri;
}
Test the redirects:
# Use curl to verify 301 redirects
curl -I http://yourdomain.com
# Should return: HTTP/1.1 301 Moved Permanently
# Location: https://yourdomain.com/
Step 6: Update WordPress Configuration
Force HTTPS in WordPress:
// Add to wp-config.php
define(‘FORCE_SSL_ADMIN’, true);
if (isset($_SERVER[‘HTTP_X_FORWARDED_PROTO’]) && $_SERVER[‘HTTP_X_FORWARDED_PROTO’] === ‘https’) {
$_SERVER[‘HTTPS’] = ‘on’;
}
Update theme functions (if needed):
// In functions.php – force HTTPS for admin
add_action(‘init’, ‘force_ssl’);
function force_ssl(){
if(!is_ssl() && is_admin()){
wp_redirect(‘https://’ . $_SERVER[‘HTTP_HOST’] . $_SERVER[‘REQUEST_URI’], 301);
exit();
}
}
SEO-Specific Configuration
Update XML Sitemaps
For Yoast SEO users:
- Go to SEO > General > Features
- Toggle XML sitemaps off, then back on
- This regenerates sitemaps with HTTPS URLs
For other plugins: Check your SEO plugin’s settings to regenerate sitemaps.
Manual verification: Visit /sitemap.xml and ensure all URLs use HTTPS.
Update Canonical Tags
Most SEO plugins handle this automatically, but verify:
<!– Should appear in <head> of every page –>
<link rel=”canonical” href=”https://yourdomain.com/current-page/” />
Social Media and Open Graph
Update Open Graph tags:
<meta property=”og:url” content=”https://yourdomain.com/current-page/” />
<meta property=”og:image” content=”https://yourdomain.com/image.jpg” />
Google Search Console Setup
This is crucial for maintaining SEO visibility:
Add HTTPS Property
- Add a new property in Google Search Console
- Use HTTPS version: https://yourdomain.com
- Verify ownership (HTML file, DNS, or Google Analytics)
- Don’t delete the HTTP property yet
Submit New Sitemap
- Go to the Sitemaps section in the new HTTPS property
- Submit your HTTPS sitemap: https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
- Monitor for indexing issues
Set Preferred Domain
In the new HTTPS property:
- Go to Settings > Domain Settings
- Confirm HTTPS is set as preferred
Content Delivery Network (CDN) Updates
If you’re using a CDN:
Cloudflare users:
- Enable “Always Use HTTPS” in SSL/TLS settings
- Set SSL mode to “Full (strict)”
- Enable “Automatic HTTPS Rewrites”
Other CDNs: Update your CDN configuration to serve content over HTTPS and set up proper SSL certificates.
Plugin and Theme Compatibility
Common Plugin Issues
Caching plugins: Clear all caches and update settings:
- WP Rocket: Update base URL in settings
- W3 Total Cache: Clear all caches, verify CDN settings
- WP Super Cache: Delete cache files, update settings
Security plugins: May need to update firewall rules and security headers.
Social sharing plugins: Often, cache HTTP URLs and clear plugin caches.
Mixed Content Issues
Use browser developer tools to identify mixed content:
- Open the site in Chrome/Firefox
- Press F12 > Console tab
- Look for mixed content warnings
Common culprits:
- Hardcoded HTTP images in theme files
- Third-party widgets loading HTTP resources
- Custom CSS/JS files with HTTP URLs
Monitoring and Troubleshooting
Essential Monitoring Setup
| Metric | Tool | Check Frequency |
| Organic traffic | Google Analytics | Daily (first 2 weeks) |
| Keyword rankings | SEMrush/Ahrefs | Weekly |
| Crawl errors | Google Search Console | Daily |
| Site speed | Google PageSpeed | Weekly |
| SSL certificate status | SSL Labs | Monthly |
Common Issues and Fixes
“Not Secure” warnings:
- Mixed content issues (HTTP resources on HTTPS pages)
- Invalid SSL certificate
- Incomplete redirect setup
Traffic drops:
- Check for crawl errors in Search Console
- Verify all redirects are working (301, not 302)
- Ensure canonical tags point to HTTPS versions
Slow loading after migration:
- SSL handshake overhead (usually minimal)
- CDN configuration issues
- Plugin compatibility problems
Post-Migration SEO Tasks
Week 1: Immediate Actions
- Monitor Google Search Console for crawl errors
- Check the top 10 pages for proper HTTPS loading
- Verify Google Analytics is tracking HTTPS traffic
- Test contact forms and e-commerce functionality
Week 2-4: Ongoing Monitoring
- Track organic traffic trends in Analytics
- Monitor keyword rankings for any drops
- Check the backlink profile for HTTP references
- Update business listings (Google My Business, Yelp, etc.)
Month 2-3: Optimization
- Reach out to high-authority sites linking to HTTP versions
- Update social media profiles with HTTPS URLs
- Implement HTTP/2 server push if supported
- Consider HSTS headers for additional security
Advanced SEO Optimizations
HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS)
Add HSTS headers for additional security and SEO benefits:
# In .htaccess
Header always set Strict-Transport-Security “max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload”
Security Headers
Implement additional security headers that can boost SEO:
# Security headers in .htaccess
Header always set X-Content-Type-Options nosniff
Header always set X-Frame-Options DENY
Header always set X-XSS-Protection “1; mode=block”
Header always set Referrer-Policy “strict-origin-when-cross-origin”
Schema Markup Updates
Ensure your structured data uses HTTPS URLs:
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “Organization”,
“url”: “https://yourdomain.com”,
“logo”: “https://yourdomain.com/logo.png”
}
Measuring Migration Success
Key Metrics to Track
Traffic metrics (compare 30 days before vs. after):
- Organic sessions
- Organic conversion rate
- Bounce rate
- Average session duration
Technical metrics:
- Page load speed improvement
- SSL Labs rating (aim for A+)
- Google PageSpeed scores
- Core Web Vitals scores
SEO metrics:
- Keyword ranking positions
- Click-through rates from search results
- Indexed pages count
- Crawl error frequency
Success Benchmarks
Immediate (1-2 weeks):
- No significant traffic drops (>5%)
- All pages are loading properly over HTTPS
- No mixed content warnings
- Search Console showing HTTPS URLs being indexed
Short-term (1-3 months):
- Traffic recovered to pre-migration levels
- Potential 2-5% ranking boost
- Improved site speed scores
- Clean SSL Labs A+ rating
Long-term (3-6 months):
- Higher click-through rates from search results
- Better user engagement metrics
- Increased mobile usability scores
- Enhanced security and trust signals
Final Migration Checklist
Before going live with your HTTPS migration:
Technical checklist:
- [ ] SSL certificate installed and A+ rated
- [ ] All internal links updated to HTTPS
- [ ] 301 redirects from HTTP to HTTPS are working
- [ ] XML sitemaps updated with HTTPS URLs
- [ ] Canonical tags pointing to HTTPS versions
- [ ] Mixed content issues resolved
SEO checklist:
- [ ] Google Search Console HTTPS property added
- [ ] New sitemap submitted to Search Console
- [ ] Google Analytics updated for HTTPS tracking
- [ ] Social media profiles updated
- [ ] Business listings updated with HTTPS URLs
- [ ] Major backlinks requested to update to HTTPS
Monitoring setup:
- [ ] Traffic monitoring dashboard configured
- [ ] Keyword ranking tracking updated
- [ ] SSL monitoring alerts set up
- [ ] Crawl error monitoring active
Conclusion
Migrating from HTTP to HTTPS doesn’t have to be an SEO nightmare. With careful planning, proper implementation, and diligent monitoring, you can make the switch while preserving (and likely improving) your search rankings.
The key is treating this as a full site migration, not just a technical upgrade. Google sees HTTP and HTTPS as different sites, so you need to guide both search engines and users through the transition properly.
Take your time, test thoroughly, and don’t skip the monitoring phase. A successful HTTPS migration will pay dividends in improved rankings, user trust, and long-term SEO performance. Your future self will thank you for doing it right the first time.