Upgrading to an SSL? Review Our Checklist First

SSL for security of your website is a great idea.  SSL certificates are fairly inexpensive and can promote more trust in your website.  However, if you are upgrading to an SSL you will want to make sure you do a few things.

Pay-Per-Click Updates

• Update Ad URLs – Even if you do proper 301 redirects, you probably should go ahead and update your HTTP to HTTPS on all ads. It is relatively easy to do via bulk updates. Why process a redirect if you can simply have the direct link?
• Test Ads – Test your ads to make sure it still works just in case something in the bulk update went wrong.
• Update Remarketing Visitors Lists – Your remarketing ads are based on a list of site visitors. When you first setup a campaign, you can set which visitors to track.  If you are tracking only HTTP visitors, then any new HTTPS visitors will not be added to the remarketing list.  A quick update will prevent your remarketing list from dwindling from several thousand to zero.  See the screenshot as an example of what not to do for remarketing.

Website Updates

• Give Notice – Make sure your developers notify marketing of any changes to URLs. Your team needs to communicate and make sure everyone knows that a new SSL is being applied.
• 301 Redirects – Set a redirect so that all old HTTP traffic is forwarded to HTTPS.
• Site Map – Create a new site map and upload to Google (this goes for both your XML and HTML site maps).
• Links – Update all links, graphics and code.
• Test – Test all forms, logins, and anything dynamic. SSL redirects and other items can cause issues, so it is best to test.

Marketing Updates

• Print – If you have any print materials, update the URL on the next run. Your HTTP to HTTPS redirect should help with any temporary traffic.
• Test – Test, test and test again! It goes without saying, but you need to test after the final SSL is live.

Do you have any other tips?  Let us know in the comments.