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Deployment

HTTPS for a Personal Blog — Certificate Setup and Migration

Obtain a certificate, configure your server, and migrate a personal blog to HTTPS.

CertOne2 min read

HTTPS protects traffic to your blog and supports modern browser and search practices. This guide covers issuance, server setup, and migration.

1. Why a blog needs HTTPS​

1. Security​

  • Protect user data
  • Prevent man-in-the-middle attacks
  • Support user confidence

2. SEO benefits​

  • HTTPS is a Google search signal
  • Support sound search optimization
  • Improve the browsing experience

3. Browser behavior​

  • Modern browser features often require secure contexts
  • Avoid insecure-connection warnings
  • Improve user experience

Request an SSL/TLS certificate​

1. Request through CertOne​

  1. Sign in to CertOne
  2. Create a certificate request
  3. Select the validation method
  4. Complete validation
  5. Download the certificate

2. Request from Let's Encrypt​

Use acme.sh or Certbot to request a free Let's Encrypt certificate.

3. Configure the server​

1. NGINX configuration​

server {
    listen 443 ssl http2;
    server_name blog.example.com;
    
    ssl_certificate /etc/nginx/ssl/fullchain.pem;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/nginx/ssl/privkey.pem;
    
    # Add the remaining site configuration here.
}

2. Apache configuration​

<VirtualHost *:443>
    ServerName blog.example.com
    SSLEngine on
    SSLCertificateFile /etc/apache2/ssl/cert.pem
    SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/apache2/ssl/private.key
    # Add the remaining site configuration here.
</VirtualHost>

Redirect HTTP requests to HTTPS​

1. NGINX redirects​

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name blog.example.com;
    return 301 https://$server_name$request_uri;
}

2. Apache redirects​

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName blog.example.com
    Redirect permanent / https://blog.example.com/
</VirtualHost>

Update content​

  • Change HTTP links to HTTPS
  • Update image, script, and other resource URLs
  • Check for mixed content

2. Update external references​

  • Update social media links
  • Update RSS feed links
  • Notify search engines

6. Verification and testing​

1. Check HTTPS access​

Visit https://blog.example.com and confirm it works.

2. Use a TLS testing tool​

Test the TLS configuration with SSL Labs.

3. Review SEO settings​

  • Submit an updated sitemap
  • Update Google Search Console
  • Check indexing status

Best practices​

1. Certificate management​

  • ✅ Enable automatic renewal
  • ✅ Set expiration reminders
  • ✅ Check certificate status regularly

2. Security configuration​

  • ✅ Enable HSTS
  • ✅ Configure security response headers
  • ✅ Use secure TLS protocols

Conclusion​

Configuring HTTPS protects blog traffic and supports sound website practices. Follow the issuance, server, and migration steps to complete the transition.