Never Lose Traffic: Your 101 Guide to HTTPS Redirects

Meet the internet's most secure connection: HTTPS

HTTPS stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. When you visit a webpage, you can see either HTTP or HTTPS at the very start of its domain name. In the most simple terms, it is a tool that connects a browser to a website.  But that browser connection can either be secured or unsafe, depending on whether its HTTP or HTTPS!

HTTP connections are not encrypted, this means your visitor's information can be viewed by anyone. On the other hand, HTTPS uses SSL certificates to encrypt connections, protecting your visitors.

 This added layer of security has made HTTPS a standard requirement for websites. Sites using non-secure HTTP connections are not favored in Google search engines, and certain browsers will even ask users to exit HTTP pages. 

Here is a quick infographic that breaks down the difference between HTTP  and HTTPS connections:

As you can see, HTTPS has become an industry standard for good reason. To keep a website working right, it must have HTTPS. 

Now, you fully understand what the 'HTTPS' in 'HTTPS Redirect' means. But what does redirect mean? Let's break it down.

What is a web redirect? 

A web redirect, or just redirect, is a simple tool that takes visitors going to page A and automatically brings them to page B. You may have noticed that sometimes you enter a domain in your browser, and automatically, you are brought to a new web page. That is a redirect at work. 

There are 3 types of redirects: 

• Permanent redirect (301): This tells search engines: "we have permanently moved this webpage from here to there"
• Temporary redirect (302): This tells search engines: "we are just temporarily moving traffic from here to there. It could be because we are running a campaign, testing something..."
• Framed redirects: These redirects are used to hide the actual destination URL from the user. The domain that the user typed in will not change, but the content they see will be different.

Redirects are commonly used throughout the web. However, for reasons we will dive into in the next section, traditional web redirect services can fail. Suddenly, potential visitors find themselves stuck with a warning message and cannot reach the website they wanted to visit. This is where HTTPS redirects come in: they secure every single connection and ensure everyone reaches their destination.

Putting it all together: HTTPS redirects in a nutshell

At its most basic, an HTTPS redirect works the same way a traditional redirect does. It takes a user from website A to website B.  However, unlike traditional web forwards, it uses the power of HTTPS to guarantee connections every single time. 

While traditional redirect services only cover HTTP traffic, a modern HTTPS redirect covers both HTTP and HTTPS traffic. This ensures that 100% of visitors reach an encrypted, trusted version of your site—regardless of the link they clicked. 

Diving deeper: understanding the difference between traditional redirects and HTTPS redirect

Traditional redirects are only guaranteed to work when a user types a domain that starts with HTTP. If a user enters a domain that uses HTTPS, it is possible that they may encounter warnings or errors. To avoid this error, organizations using traditional web forwards have to purchase additional SSL certificates to keep their old links working.

HTTPS Redirects, on the other hand, offer a modern, secure solution. They automatically handle both HTTP and HTTPS traffic. That's because even if there is no SSL certificate for the old link, the redirect service will automatically issue it, ensuring a seamless, secure redirect experience for your users—no browser warnings, no technical hassle.

What happens if I don't have HTTPS set up on my old redirect links ?

Modern browsers like Chrome, Safari, and Firefox treat non-secure HTTP links as potential threats.

That means if someone tries to visit your site using an old HTTP link, or an HTTPS link without an SSL certificate, they may run into "This site can’t be reached" errors or"Not Secure" browser warnings

This is an example of what a user might see when visiting an HTTP website, or an HTTPS site without a valid SSL certifiate.

The damage that warnings like that can do to your website is immense! Traditional web redirect services are not built to secure and handle traffic. However, if you are dead-set on using traditional web redirects, there is a solution to fix these browser warning issues. However, the solution is not easy to implement, and frankly, quite pricey!

The cost of maintain HTTPS on old redirect links

As companies grow, many organizations will have several old versions of their websites floating around. These could come from old campaigns, legacy brands, pop-up events... The bad news is that every day thousands of people might try to access these old versions of your site through:

• Old links posted on social media
• Typos when entering your domain name
• Forwaded social media messages
• Old browser bookmarks
• Printed materials
• Old redirect chains
• Third-party websites
• And many more!

This is especially problematic for businesses with multiple domains (e.g. .com, .net, country-specific TLDs), resellers managing large portfolios or site owners going through a rebrand or having to redirect large numbers of old URLs. 

If you are using traditional web forwarding services, you need to ensure each of these links has a working SSL certficate. No SSL certificate = no traffic going to your website.

This means you have to:

• Identify every single source of legacy traffic
• Pay for SSL certificates for each type of legacy link
• Purchase additional hosting for these old domains
• Manually ensure both are up to date and functional

As you can see, until recently, the solution was not affordable or built for scale. 

These legacy links can attract significant traffic: old social media posts, bookmarks, printed materials—they’re all still out there driving traffic to your website. You could continue to pay for hosting and SSL cerficates for every old link. Or you could simply set up an HTTPS redirect.

HTTPS redirect: the simple solution that covers all your traffic

When looking to set up a solution, many organizations first consider free web redirect services. However, as we have seen, these cannot cover HTTPS connections on their own, and they are usually not built for scale. 

On the other hand, many orgnaizations dont have the budget or manpower to upkeep hosting and certificates for several legacy links. But at the same time, they cannot afford to lose that valuable traffic coming from old URLs. 

HTTPS redirect solves this issue. In addition to guaranteeing HTTPS versions of your website, it will also handle SSL certificates automatically, helping your organization save on costs and man-hours. 

An HTTPS Redirect service is an affordable add-on that will:

• Automatically installs SSL certificates for your domain.
• Redirects all visitors using HTTPS, regardless of the link they used
• Supports all standard redirection types (301, 302, framed)
• Improves SEO, browser compatibility, and visitor trust

We know many organizations are looking for a reliable and affordable HTTPS redirect solution—one that just works, without the hassle. That’s why we built our service with real-world needs in mind, combining ease of use with powerful features that prioritize performance, compatibility, and trust.

Get to know our HTTPS redirect service: top features

 1. Automatic SSL Certificate Issuance
When you activate the service, we automatically issue a trusted SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt. This process takes around 15 minutes and requires no manual configuration.

 2. Automatic SSL Renewal Every 90 Days
All certificates are renewed automatically, ensuring no expired certificates and no manual upkeep. This hands-free system means your domain remains secure year-round—even if you forget it’s running.

 3. Full Support for 301, 302 & Framed Redirects
Choose the type of redirect that suits your business needs:

 4. Bulk Activation & Deactivation
 Use our bulk activation tool to apply HTTPS Redirects across hundreds of domains at once  This feature is Ideal for domain resellers, agencies managing multiple clients, and enterprises with brand variants (e.g. mybrand.com, mybrand.fr, mybrand.io)

 5. Subscription Status & SSL Monitoring
The built-in subscription dashboard lets you check SSL status and validity, monitor redirect type and behavior, track expiration dates for peace of mind

 6. Seamless DNS Integration
HTTPS Redirect works natively within our DNS settings. No third-party plugins, servers, or technical headaches. You can enable it from your dashboard and let us handle the rest.

Let's get technical: how SSL and HTTPS redirect really work together

As we previously explained, SSL certificates are digital files that secure the connection between your website and its visitors by encrypting the data in transit. SSL certificates are a part of HTTPS connections. These certificates are what give HTTPS its 'S'.  But SSL certificates alone cannot guide traffic to your website.

If you already have an SSL certificate for your main domain, it's only part of the equation. SSL certificates secure your website, HTTPS redirects secures all incoming traffic to your website.

Here is how it work step-by-step: 

• Once an HTTPS redirect is activated , the system automatically provisions a free SSL certificate for your domain using LetsEncrypt and ZeroSSL as Certificate Authority.
• To validate domain ownership, a hidden verification file is placed on your server—no input required from you.
• LetsEncrypt and ZeroSSL then checks for this file and, once verified, the certificate is issued and installed.
• From that point on, all incoming requests are permanently redirected to the HTTPS version of your site using standard redirect types (301, 302, or framed, depending on your setup).
• The system also monitors certificate expiration and automatically renews it every 90 days, ensuring uninterrupted security with no ongoing maintenance.

Four ways HTTPS redirects are used in the real world

• Active legacy domains:

"People kept clicking our old domains.”

Alex noticed traffic coming from legacy URLs—old product names, past campaigns, even typo domains. Some showed security warnings.
With HTTPS Redirect, all those domains now point securely to the main site.

• Rebranding or moving domains

“We rebranded—and lost search traffic.”

Miguel switched to a new domain, but forgot the SEO impact. Old links were triggering errors and rankings dropped.
HTTPS Redirect fixed it fast—redirecting everything securely to the new site.

• Promotional campaigns

“Great campaign domain—terrible first impression.”

Lisa launched a promo using a new domain, but browser warnings scared people off.
HTTPS Redirect made it secure in minutes, so visitors now land safely and stay.

• Quick hosting and security 

 “We needed a simple, secure redirect—fast.”

Dan bought a domain for an event but didn’t want the hassle of hosting or SSL setup.
HTTPS Redirect let him point the domain securely in just a few clicks. 

Do any of these cases sound familiar? if so, it might be time to add HTTPS redirects to your domains!

Set up your own HTTPS redirects today!

Today, browsers expect HTTPS by default. Users can bounce from your website, lose trust in your brand, or both. Not having a solid redirect service isn’t just outdated—it’s risky. Whether you're managing one domain or hundreds, HTTPS redirects give you an easy, affordable way to keep every visitor on the secure path.

Secure your website's traffic today with our HTTPS Redirect service.