Security is paramount in ecommerce, and it’s no different for WooCommerce stores. As cyber threats continue to evolve and intensify, implementing robust security measures is no longer optional – it’s a necessity. One of the most effective ways to protect your online store is through SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) technology.
SSL works by encrypting data transmitted between a user’s browser and the server, safeguarding sensitive information such as passwords and credit card details. This encryption ensures that the data remains unreadable to unauthorized parties even if intercepted.
Implementing SSL in your WooCommerce store protects customer data, boosts trust with visible security indicators, improves search engine rankings, and helps comply with data protection regulations like GDPR and PCI-DSS. These benefits contribute to a more secure shopping environment, potentially increasing conversion rates and reducing cart abandonment.
Neglecting SSL can lead to severe consequences, including data breaches that can significantly damage your income and reputation. This guide will walk you through the process of setting up SSL on your WooCommerce site, ensuring your store’s security and your customers’ peace of mind.
There are several ways to set up this core WooCommerce security measure, however, the safest and most secure option is to select a WooCommerce managed hosting provider that includes SSL in their hosting plans, like Pressable. This setup comes with a ton of benefits, not least of which is that it takes the onus off of you to keep your SSL certificate functional and up to date. Managed hosting providers keep these certificates valid so your site stays safe while you can focus on the bigger picture.
This naturally comes with some limitations – for example, managed providers typically have an established relationship with a specific certificate authority, and they may not support SSL certificates from other sources. However, these limits are typically there for a reason, and it’s worth looking into the provider to learn why they take that approach.
For example, at Pressable, we work with the Certificate Authority Let’s Encrypt. All of our SSL certificates come from them, and we enforce this because we trust the service, and believe our users can trust it, too. It’s free, automated, and backed by the Internet Security Research Group, a reputable organization that has continued to innovate ways to benefit the general public with free, useful security technology. We like all of that, and we also like making it easy for our customers to add SSL to their sites.
That said, it’s also possible to manually add SSL to your website. The rest of this article will take you through the long way around – however, we wholeheartedly recommend the managed-hosting shortcut.
Before starting the SSL installation process, you’ll need a registered domain name, access to your hosting account’s control panel, and administrative access to your WordPress dashboard. With these elements in place, you’re ready to secure your WooCommerce store with SSL.
The first step towards installing SSL in WordPress is to get an SSL certificate. How exactly you go about this will vary widely between Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) and hosting providers, so it’s best to check with yours first.
If your provider doesn’t bundle SSL certificates with their services, you’ll need to obtain one from a recognized certificate authority (CA). One of the most popular free options is Let’s Encrypt, which also backs the certificates offered by Pressable.
Either way, SSL certificates are categorized based on the level of validation they provide: domain validation (DV), organization validation (OV), and extended validation (EV).
Free certificates offer domain validation and the same level of encryption as paid alternatives, which is enough for most WooCommerce installations. However, they have a shorter lifespan of around 90 days. If you’re managing these yourself and want more of a hands-off setup, a paid certificate might be the way to go. Otherwise, a managed hosting provider will keep whatever SSL certificates you have up to date.
If your hosting provider or CDN doesn’t manage your SSL certificates for you, the next step after obtaining one is to install it. You can do this either manually or through a plugin.
For plugins, you have options like Really Simple SSL, which can manage SSL on your WooCommerce store for you. Since SSL certificates are a load-bearing pillar in your site’s security, never go for a plugin you haven’t thoroughly vetted and isn’t in active development.
With a plugin, you’re giving up your agency and locking yourself into the developer’s schedule. If it’s not a priority, you might fall behind on updates, which isn’t ideal for your site’s security.
Depending on the size and experience of the development team, you might also find yourself saddled with less expertise than you’d get with a managed hosting provider.
If you aren’t using managed hosting services, you can install one manually through your hosting control panel. While this option gives you more control than a plugin would, the obvious caveat here is that it’s riskier than getting an expert to help, and any errors could leave your site insecure – or worse, inaccessible.
The exact process varies between control panels, but here’s how to do it through cPanel:
With the SSL certificate in place, you need to change your site URLs from HTTP to the more secure HTTPS.
In WordPress, you can do this by going to Settings > General and changing the first parts of the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) from http:// to https:// as shown below:
Next, you’ll need to configure things so the other links within your site load as the HTTPS version on their own. You can do this manually by changing your server configuration or editing your wp-config.php file.
If you’re on an Apache server, add the following code to your site’s .htaccess file:
RewriteEngine on
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} !^www\. [NC]
RewriteRule (.*) https://www.your_site.com%{REQUEST_URI} [R=301,L]
If you’re on an NGINX server, add the following code to the nginx.conf file:
server {
listen 80;
server_name example.com www.example.com;
return 301 https://example.com$request_uri;
}
As mentioned above, you can also do this by editing your wp-config.php. Just add the code “define (‘FORCE_SSL_ADMIN’, true);” to the file.
You can also redirect to HTTPS using plugins like Really Simple SSL or Better Search Replace. Really Simple SSL is the more popular and comprehensive tool, whereas Better Search Replace is mostly just useful for updating links in the database.
The final step of the process is the easiest one. Just visit your site and click on the relevant icon on the left of the address bar – it might be an image of a padlock or slider – and expand the information about your connection and security. The example below is from Firefox on pressable.com:
There are also free online SSL checkers that can help you with verification.
While setting up SSL for your WooCommerce store is generally straightforward, some common issues can arise. This section will guide you through the most frequent SSL-related problems and provide practical solutions to resolve them quickly and effectively.
Mixed content errors occur when a WooCommerce site loads both secure (HTTPS) and non-secure (HTTP) content simultaneously. These issues typically arise after installing an SSL certificate without properly updating all URLs within the site.
The problematic URLs can be challenging to locate manually, as they may be embedded deep within your site’s files, including links to stored media. This makes the process of identifying and correcting mixed content errors time-consuming and prone to oversight.
To fix mixed content errors, find any instances of http:// across your site and replace them with or redirect them to https://. You can use the URL redirection methods detailed in step 3 of the SSL setup process above to speed this up.
SSL certificate issues are problems that can occur with the digital certificates used to establish secure HTTPS connections for websites. These issues can trigger browser warnings, block access to your site, or prevent secure transactions.
Here are some common SSL certificate issues and how to resolve them:
The “too many redirects” error in WooCommerce often occurs when WordPress incorrectly enforces SSL/HTTPS for the admin area. This issue can prevent access to your site’s backend and disrupt normal operations.
To resolve this problem, edit your wp-config.php file and add the line:
$_SERVER['HTTPS'] = 'on';This tells WordPress it’s running over HTTPS, which is particularly useful when using a reverse proxy like Nginx.
If you’re using a CDN like Cloudflare, review your configuration to ensure page rules are set to use HTTPS and enable Strict SSL enforcement. This forces WordPress to recognize the secure connection, preventing redirect loops.
If the issue persists, consult your hosting provider or a WordPress developer.
Even with an SSL certificate installed, WooCommerce checkout or cart pages may sometimes fail to load securely. This issue can compromise transaction security and customer trust.
To deal with this issue, try the following:
If your server configuration is outdated, WooCommerce payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe may encounter SSL connection errors. These errors can disrupt transactions and erode customer trust.
To address payment SSL errors:
SSL certificates help WooCommerce stores provide data protection, increase consumer trust, and improve search rankings. They secure customer information and ensure safe checkout experiences, addressing key security concerns for online businesses.
Pressable simplifies SSL implementation by including a free certificate with every WordPress website on its platform. This feature requires no additional configuration, making secure site setup straightforward for store owners. Pressable also offers comprehensive security measures, including firewall protection, daily backups, and WordPress hack recovery services.
By choosing Pressable for WooCommerce hosting, you’re ensuring SSL protection and benefiting from a suite of security features designed to keep your online store safe and performing well. These measures create a secure environment for your business and customers, allowing you to focus on growing your ecommerce venture.
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