Network Security in Digital Marketing: 5 Tips to Keep Your Marketers and Customers Safe
Your marketers are not cybersecurity experts, nor should you treat them as such. However, that doesn’t mean that cybersecurity is detached from digital marketing, or that your marketers shouldn’t understand the basics of online security for the sake of their privacy, your customers’ security, and your brand’s image. In fact, given the number of tools, devices, and accounts your marketers use on a daily basis for work purposes, it’s safe to say that your digital marketing department is filled with potential security weaknesses that hackers and scammers can try to exploit.
Of course, you can’t allow any sensitive data to end up in the wrong hands if you are to preserve your brand’s reputation, which is why you need to invest in everything from blog security to social media security and beyond. With that said, let’s take a closer look at the most effective ways to improve cybersecurity in digital marketing in order to keep your marketers and customers safe.
Monitor social media activity for security threats
Social media marketing is one of the biggest parts of any modern digital marketing strategy, but not many businesses stop to consider the potential security threats that it brings. The pursuit of social media visibility, awareness, and success in general can often cloud our judgement and lull us into a false sense of security, which is when we start missing potential warning signs.
In reality, there are many potential threats that may lie in wait in the social media realm, and your marketers need to be able to spot them. They also need to handle sensitive data with vigilance, meaning that they should check and then double-check all social media communication with customers for any signs of phishing or potential cyber-attacks. Make sure to educate your employees on proper user authentication on social media to avoid giving sensitive information to the wrong person, and help them internalize the methods for safe communication on social media in general.
Retain full control of your company’s network
No matter how much you educate your marketers on safe data handling and communication online, there is no guarantee that they won’t give our sensitive information inadvertently. Scammers and hackers are becoming more proficient in their trades every day, and one of your marketers might inadvertently download a malicious piece of software without ever realizing – and by then it can be too late.
To prevent a downright PR disaster that would ensue after a successful data breach, consider integrating a web monitoring tool into your organization and especially in your marketing department. This is one of those essential tools you can use to keep your employees safe by monitoring the network activity, restricting access to dubious websites, and reacting to potential security threats that your employees might have missed.
Combine software and hardware firewalls
company and your marketing department should be protected by a strong software firewall. Now, your cloud provider should give you a software solution that will address the specific needs of your marketing department in order to keep them safe online. That said, a software firewall is one side of the security coin.
The other important side is your firewall hardware solution that acts as a physical barrier between your network and the outside world, one that allows you to monitor all traffic, spot threats quickly, and is able to cover your entire network even when the system is down. Combining software and hardware firewalls is a great way to build a comprehensive security system that will keep your marketers and customers’ user accounts safe at all times.
Educate employees on email security
Another security loophole that your marketers need to be constantly aware of is email communication. Many a time, scammers and hackers will try to gain access to your system and extract sensitive information via malicious emails, and while you do need to integrate a tool that allows you to monitor email communication, you should also educate your employees on email security threats. Be sure to conduct a few workshops on email security where you will underline the best practices for avoiding scams and handling all data in a safe way.
Improve the security of all user accounts
Last but not least, you need to make sure that all customer data is safely stored on your servers, and that your marketers are doing everything it takes to keep the customers safe. When managing user accounts, make sure that none are compromised, which is you can usually see if the account has too many access requests and failed logins, sudden changes in account information, logins from unknown locations, and the like. This will ensure that the users on your site are protected, which will allow you to preserve your brand’s image and trust factors in the competitive online world.
Wrapping up
Digital marketing is the driving force behind long-term business growth, but it can also be your biggest weakness if you don’t invest in cybersecurity. By following these steps and integrating the right security measures, you will be able to safeguard your marketers and your customers in 2020 and beyond.
Author Bio:
Lauren is a regular Bizzmark Blog author that has many articles published with the main focus on clients who want their brands to grow in the fast-changing and demanding market. Her personal favorites are successes of small businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs. She goes through life with one strong moto – Kindness, always.