Whether you operate online, or simply promote your services there, your website contributes to your livelihood, and it really couldn’t be more important to stay on top of your security. Undertaking just a few routine checks and implementing a couple of fixes not only protects yourself from scams and malware, but also your customers. It’s also a good way of ensuring you don’t miss out on business from tech savvy customers who are mindful of the signs to look for in a safe and secure site.
1. Secure your site with an SSL certificate
This might just be one of the most important ways to protect your website. A couple of years ago Google’s Chrome update started flagging up websites and pages that don’t have an SSL (secure sockets layer). SSL is essentially a technology that ensures that all the data passing between a server and a browser (so this could be anything from a password to credit card details!) stays secure and not accessible to hackers.
As a website owner it’s your duty to make sure you keep your customers and employees details safe, but beyond this, not having it is enough to turn most visitors away. As well as a red error flag, users are actively warned away from the site with a pop-up advising them not share information.
Note: if your website in with Wix then the SSL is all included in your premium plan.
2. Update plugins and extensions
Remembering to update any plugins or extensions you have is also extremely important. Hackers specifically search for security vulnerabilities in old versions of plug ins, so this is a simple but important fix. Think of it like your phone; we all know the importance of downloading the latest operating system – this is a similar practice. This is vital if you have a WordPress website.
3. Use secure passwords and 2-Factor authentication where possible
It goes without saying, but sometimes that’s the problem! We all know the importance of using a secure password and a unique password for each log in, but it’s easy to forget unless it’s front of mind. Make it a priority to ensure all your passwords are original and use a mixture of lower case and upper case letters, numbers and other characters such as punctuation marks. Making a point of changing your passwords every so often is just as important (and whenever an employee leaves your company).
4. Consider using email captchas
Email captchas are a great way to sift through all the spam you receive through your site, and separate the genuine enquiries. But they’re also an ideal way to deter hackers, make online shopping more secure, as well as stopping spammy blog comments, which can put potential customers off. We cam add these captchas to your website forms to help block spam.
5. Ensure you’re using a secure hosting service
Making sure you have safe, secure hosting is one of the best things you can do for your business. Not only does it protect your site from hackers and malware attacks, but it also means your site is always being monitored, and any downtime is minimised. This protects you from any loss if revenue and will even help your search rankings. Again, if you use Wix then your secure hosting is all included in your premium Wix plan.
Investing just a bit of time and effort now could pay dividends in the future! For support with on-going website maintenance get in touch.
Comments