When it comes to digital marketing, many of us are guilty of forgetting the importance of cybersecurity. Given that we operate heavily on social media, our websites, and over email, securing our resources and data should be one of our number one priorities.
Needless to say, viruses and hacks are very real threats with damaging consequences. Both the tangible and intangible costs of a successful cyber attack can potentially destroy a business – companies may even incur a staggering $3.86 million as a result of a data breach.
In the face of this troubling reality, what do digital marketers need to do to protect their data and resources? Moreover, given the far-reaching effect of the GDPR – Europe’s comprehensive data protection law – what do you need to do to stay within the law?
Continue reading to understand the importance of cybersecurity for digital marketing and what you can do to prevent easily preventable cyber attacks.
Manage WordPress updates – if you’re on a WordPress site
Many marketers encourage their clients to host their site on WordPress, one of the most formidable website hosting platforms.
While there’s nothing to worry about if you’re using the most updated themes, plugins, and other core components, you run the risk of being hacked if you fail to update your WordPress tools. While automatic updates are a good way to go, especially considering its convenience and its ability to repel most cyber attacks, you can manually download updates and keep track of the changes being made, as well.
Secure your CRM platform
If you’re running a fully fledged business, one of the most important aspects of operations would be to store and manage customer data, especially for marketing purposes. This is where CRM platforms come into play. The danger, here, is that this type of software also holds stores of confidential customer data; a treasure chest for malicious hackers.
In light of this, strong passwords alone won’t be enough to protect customer information. You will also need to undertake staff training on managing these platforms, limit admin access to only a few employees, and maybe even utilise some kind of tracking and monitoring software when your CRM platform is being accessed.
In addition to this, ensure that all employees use company laptops or computers as far as possible. This will allow you to manage security software and curtail access to sensitive data more effectively.
Take greater care with your email marketing
It’s not a question that you engage heavily in email marketing tactics. As digital marketers, this is our bread and butter. Emails, however, are vulnerable to external attack, especially if you’re not taking the right precautions.
The importance of cybersecurity in this aspect of marketing cannot be understated. With the increasing number of phishing scams threatening email security, you need to go out of your way to make sure your emails appear trustworthy.
It only takes one compromised email to completely damage your digital marketing efforts, even on other platforms, like social media. It can even lead to a blocked IP address or result in all your emails being sent directly to users’ spam folders.
Secure your social media accounts
It’s no surprise that social media represents one of the most sensitive areas of security for digital marketers. You only have to think about the potential damage a hacker could do to your social media profiles before you run to the warm embrace of internet security solutions.
The need for effective cybersecurity platforms is compounded by the fact that many of us have our payment data on Facebook and Instagram for the purpose of social media advertising. Make sure you’re following the right safety procedures to secure your platform, and once again, limit access only to those who need it.
The importance of cybersecurity is almost tangible – don’t let it slip through your fingers
To sum it all up, the right cybersecurity practices can either make or break your company.
If you’ve gotten away unscathed all this time, don’t take that for granted – many organisations are brought to their knees before they realise the importance of cybersecurity.
At Hype Insight, our marketing activity is backed by the most up-to-date security measures. Find out more about our services here or contact us today for more information!