In todays internet HTTPS is no longer a choice but a required standard. Browsers mark HTTP sites as not secure, search engines rank HTTPS sites higher and users are reluctant to enter data on unprotected resources. If your site still runs on HTTP, migration is not a task to postpone.
Preparation Phase
Before starting migration you need to complete a full site inventory. This means listing all pages, internal links, external resources, images and other elements. Special tools help scan the site and detect potential mixed content issues in advance.
Also preserve the current state. A complete backup and traffic documentation are needed for later comparison. The best time for migration is during low load periods such as weekends or nights so any disruptions affect fewer users.
Installing the SSL Certificate
An SSL certificate is the foundation of HTTPS and choosing the right one is the first critical step. For small sites free Let's Encrypt is enough, while ecommerce and financial sites benefit from extended validation certificates.
After installation verify the certificate works correctly. Online tools assess strength, chain and configuration. The ideal result is an A or A plus grade. If the grade is lower, server settings need updating such as disabling old TLS versions.
Configuring Redirects
The main technical element of the transition is a permanent redirect from HTTP to HTTPS. It is implemented through a 301 redirect which is critical for SEO because it tells the search engine that the page address has completely changed. Using 302 is not appropriate as it leads to rank loss.
Solving Mixed Content Issues
Mixed content occurs when HTTP resources load inside an HTTPS page and it is the most common migration problem. Browsers do not treat such pages as fully secure and show a warning. All images, scripts, styles and other resources must load over HTTPS.
Working with Search Engines
After successful migration add the new HTTPS version to the search console and update the sitemap. This is the fastest way to communicate the changes. Also check robots.txt and canonical tags, all of them should point to the HTTPS address.
Sayt.uz Practice
Among our clients a properly executed HTTPS migration shows an average 18 percent increase in organic traffic. Conversely incorrect migration can cause up to 23 percent traffic loss and most often this is tied to redirect configuration mistakes. At Sayt.uz SSL installation starts from 0 sums via automatic Let's Encrypt, and extended certificates are available from 380 thousand sums. A full migration service starts from 240 thousand sums.