Exploring Cloudflare SSL for WordPress

Cloudflare, a leading Content Delivery Network (CDN) service provider, is now offering free SSL certificates for websites! These SSL certificates ensure that the communication between servers and clients is secure and private, especially for sensitive information like credit card details, passwords, and personal data. It’s important to note that SSL certificates are now ranking factors in Google’s search algorithm, making it imperative for website owners to adopt SSL.

What is SSL?

SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer, a type of encryption that secures data transmission between servers and clients. It functions to prevent data interception by hackers.

Setting Up Cloudflare SSL with WordPress

Here are some steps you can follow to set up Cloudflare SSL with WordPress:

Step 1: Creating a Cloudflare account

Create a Cloudflare account for your website and add it to the Cloudflare dashboard.

Step 2: Changing your nameservers

Update your domain registrar’s control panel with the nameservers provided by Cloudflare to act as a proxy between your site and visitors’ browsers.

Step 3: Installing the Cloudflare plugin

Install the official Cloudflare plugin on your WordPress dashboard to integrate your website with the Cloudflare CDN easily.

Step 4: Configuring plugin settings

Configure plugin settings by entering your email and API key, which you can obtain from your Cloudflare dashboard.

Step 5: Enabling SSL in Cloudflare

Enable SSL on the Cloudflare dashboard by selecting either “Full” or “Full (Strict)” depending on your requirements.

Step 6: Forcing HTTPS

Force HTTPS on your website by creating a page rule on the Cloudflare dashboard.

Step 7: Verifying SSL installation

Verify your SSL installation by checking your SSL rating on an SSL checker like SSL Labs.

With Cloudflare SSL and WordPress, you can enjoy benefits like faster page loading speeds, improved SEO rankings, and enhanced security. Follow these steps to integrate Cloudflare SSL with your WordPress website and boost its performance and security.