I forgot to mention it when I switched it on recently, but this site is now HTTPS enabled. That should mean that in browsers like Chrome you see a nice green “Secure” label to the left of the URL.

What did I need to do to get this to work?

Not a great deal really. My host, Virtual Names, has enabled Let’s Encrypt the free open certificate authority. That involved a quick email to my host and within minutes they had moved me across to an appropriate server.

Then I added the WordPress plugin Really Simple SSL which took no real set-up.

The final stage is to change the Site URL and WordPress URL in the WordPress settings, and away you go.

Well it was that straightforward for me anyway.

(OK – I realise that I don’t actually have much on this site that really requires SSL. The most interaction you’re going to have with the site is leaving a comment. But nonetheless, HTTPS URLS are becoming more important, and most of the web is going that way.)