Duplicate content: Canonical HTTP to HTTPS?

[SwitchBack]

Hello.
First, I will admit I'm a rookie self serve web guy who probably should have not even messed with going to https.
I don't have a checkout cart, it's a service business, so I probably should have not messed with it...

Here's the thing.
Most analysis sites say I have 90% duplicate content? Well that is kind of impossible so I brushed it off for a while... Until I started reading that your old http URL might be indexed as separate from https.

It seems there is no perfect system to making the change to https.
The forum comments on websites seem to have varied opinions on how and where.

Here is one such discussion:

can I leave off HTTP/HTTPS in a canonical tag? | Moz Q&A | Moz


I'm asking the group for a little advice on how to finalize the upgrade to https and be sure the duplicate content is removed or justified to the googlebot.

How can a rookie spot all potential duplicate content and correct the issue? I grow tired of worrying about the https. I sure wish the transfer was simplified...

My site is: Affordable towing Salt Lake Area | Tow Truck

I ran an analysis through a website called siteliner dot com and it showed an incredibly high number.

I'd love and appreciate advice and suggestions on who/where is the best place to establish the "true https" and eliminate any crawler misfires. . If I could know I've done it all correct, I could sleep and focus on website marketing and local improvments.

I'm just not sure I scored 100% on this transition.

Thank you for your comments

Peter

 

[Stefan Somborac]

Hi @SwitchBack

If you point your browser to the non-https version of your site Affordable towing Salt Lake Area | Tow Truck you'll find that you get forwarded to an https version, as desired.

Next, repeat that experiment a little deeper in the site. For example, go to the page FLAT TIRE - TIRE CHANGE. You'll get the https version, as requested.

BUT, point your browser at the non-https version of the same page, FLAT TIRE - TIRE CHANGE, and you'll find that you don't get forwarded. Instead, you get served the non-https version.

That explains all your duplicate content: you're serving the same pages over both http and https.

Did you implement SSL with a WordPress plugin? I would recommend no plugin. SSL can be easily and effectively implemented at the server level through cPanel (assuming you're on a typical Linux hosting package).

And here's an ending that you'll like to read: in my experience, your web host can help with cPanel configuration, quickly and with no charge.

 

[SwitchBack]

@Stefan Somborac

You are the man!

Thank you so much for your time to figure out the issue!

After spending time with tech support, they determined that I needed a .ht access file to force everything to https.

I found one and added that code.

Hopefully this fixed the issues as your experiment with my http web page does not repeat now...

If I could give out awards? You would get a trophy. Thanks again for your help.

Peter.

 

[Yan Gilbert]

I've seen that many times actually, where the home page http version forwards to https properly, but the inner pages don't. It's an incorrect technical setup but it gets overlooked because it seems to work properly when the home page gets checked.