It’s amazing how much things have changed since we last chatted.

Remember when SSL used to be something only the tech-savvy folks dealt with? Now it’s practically a must-have for any online store especially if you’re running a WooCommerce shop.

Tired of fiddling with SSL settings? 😩 Let Pressable take care of it! They’ll keep your WooCommerce store safe and secure, so you can focus on what matters most – growing your business. Learn more about Pressable’s managed hosting

Table of Contents

Why WooCommerce Needs SSL

Let’s face it you’ve got customer data to protect and that’s where SSL comes in.

Think of it as a digital lock and key for your WooCommerce store.

It encrypts all the information passed between your store and your customers making it super hard for anyone else to snoop around.

Now you might be wondering why this is so crucial.

Well it’s about trust.

Customers are more likely to buy from a secure site one that has that little padlock icon next to the address bar in their browser.

And if you’re selling products online building trust is your number one goal.

But there’s more to it than that.

Search engines like Google give a boost to sites with SSL so you’ll get a better ranking in search results.

And let’s not forget about those pesky data protection regulations like GDPR and PCI-DSS.

They’re not going away anytime soon and SSL helps you tick those boxes.

The Easy Way to Set Up SSL

So how do you get this fancy SSL setup going for your WooCommerce store? Well there’s the long way and the short way.

The short way? Go with a managed hosting provider like Pressable.

They handle all the technical stuff for you so you can focus on running your business.

They’ll take care of the certificates renewals and everything in between.

It’s like having a tech-savvy friend on call 24/7.

Why Go Managed?

Now some folks might say “Hey I can do this myself!” And they’re probably right but think about it.

Do you really want to spend your time fiddling with settings troubleshooting issues and making sure your SSL certificate is up to date? I’d rather be sipping a coffee brainstorming new product ideas or spending time with my family.

Plus managed hosting providers have a ton of expertise so they can help you with everything from basic setup to more advanced security features.

They’re like your digital safety net catching any potential problems before they even happen.

If You Must Go Manual

Now I’m not saying managed hosting is the only way to go but if you’re determined to do it yourself here’s a rundown of what you’ll need:

A domain name: You’ll need a registered domain name to host your WooCommerce store.
A hosting account: You’ll need a hosting account that supports SSL.
Access to your control panel: You’ll need access to your hosting account’s control panel.
WordPress admin access: You’ll need administrative access to your WordPress dashboard.

Obtaining an SSL Certificate

First things first you’ll need an SSL certificate.

There are a bunch of options out there including free ones like Let’s Encrypt.

Now free certificates do a great job of securing your site but they have a shorter lifespan (usually around 90 days). If you want a longer lifespan and more hands-off management you can go with a paid certificate.

Your hosting provider might offer certificates as well.

Installing the SSL Certificate

Once you’ve got your certificate it’s time to install it.

You can do this manually through your hosting control panel or use a plugin.

If you choose a plugin do your research and make sure it’s well-maintained and reliable.

Remember you’re dealing with your site’s security so it’s not something you want to mess around with.

Configuring WordPress for HTTPS

After installing your certificate you need to tell WordPress that your site is now using HTTPS.

This involves changing your site URLs in the WordPress dashboard.

Fixing Mixed Content Errors

Now this is where things can get a little tricky.

You might encounter what’s called a “mixed content error.” This happens when your site is trying to load both secure (HTTPS) and non-secure (HTTP) content.

Think of it like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

It just doesn’t work.

To fix this you need to go through your site and replace any instances of “http://” with “https://”. You can use a plugin or your hosting control panel to help you out.

Just make sure you check your site thoroughly to catch any lingering HTTP content.

Common SSL Issues and How to Fix Them

Even if you think you’ve got everything set up correctly you might run into a few hiccups along the way.

Here are a few common SSL issues and how to resolve them:

“Too Many Redirects” Error

This happens when WordPress is confused about whether to use HTTPS or HTTP.

To fix it you need to tell WordPress that it’s running over HTTPS.

You can do this by editing your wp-config.php file and adding a line of code.

SSL Checkout Errors

This happens when your WooCommerce checkout page isn’t loading securely.

To fix it try these things:

Check your site’s URL settings. Make sure your URLs are set to HTTPS.
Enable SSL in your payment gateways. If you’re using payment gateways like PayPal or Stripe make sure SSL is enabled.
Check your server configuration. If your server is outdated it could be causing the problem.
Reach out to your hosting provider or a WordPress developer for help.

SSL Certificate Issues

Your SSL certificate might expire or have other problems.

This can happen when your certificate is not correctly installed or it is not supported by your hosting provider.

Here are some common SSL issues:

Invalid SSL Certificate: Your certificate might be expired revoked or issued by a Certificate Authority that is not trusted. You may need to re-install or renew your certificate.
SSL Certificate Errors: Your certificate might have errors that prevent it from working correctly. This might involve an incorrect configuration or errors in the certificate data.
SSL Certificate Not Found: This can occur if the certificate is missing is incorrectly configured or the web server is not pointing to the right location.

To fix these problems you’ll need to troubleshoot the certificate configuration potentially re-install or renew your certificate or consult with your hosting provider for support.

WooCommerce and SSL: A Match Made in Heaven

Let’s recap: SSL isn’t just a good idea for your WooCommerce store—it’s essential.

It protects your customers’ data builds trust and improves your search engine ranking.

While you can set it up yourself going with a managed hosting provider like Pressable makes life a whole lot easier and keeps your store safe and secure.

Remember a secure online store is a happy customer and a happy customer is a loyal customer.

So go ahead and secure your WooCommerce store with SSL and watch your business flourish.

Ultimate WooCommerce SSL Setup Guide