Example
Webflow automatically provisions and renews SSL certificates for all hosted sites, ensuring secure HTTPS connections without manual setup.
Chrome shows a 'Not Secure' warning on all HTTP pages and blocks form submissions on HTTP pages in some versions — contributing to an average 23% higher bounce rate on non-HTTPS sites, according to Google's HTTPS transparency data.
What it applies to
Every website. An SSL/TLS certificate is not optional — browsers actively warn users away from sites without one, and Google uses HTTPS as a search ranking signal.
How to get and install an SSL certificate
- On managed hosting (Webflow, Netlify, Vercel, WP Engine): SSL is provisioned automatically via Let's Encrypt. No action needed — HTTPS is active from the moment your custom domain is connected.
- On self-managed servers (VPS, dedicated): Install Certbot (the Let's Encrypt client) and run the automated certificate provisioning command. Set up auto-renewal via a cron job — Let's Encrypt certificates expire every 90 days.
- For higher validation (OV/EV): Purchase from a Certificate Authority (DigiCert, Sectigo) and complete the validation process — requires business verification documentation.
After installing SSL
- Set up 301 redirects from all HTTP URLs to HTTPS equivalents.
- Update internal links, sitemap URLs, and canonical tags to use HTTPS.
- Update Google Search Console with the HTTPS property version.
- Check for mixed content warnings (HTTPS pages loading HTTP resources) using Chrome DevTools → Console.
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