It is important now more than ever for businesses to protect their digital marketing channels. With the spread of the coronavirus and subsequent shelter-in-place measures, many brick-and-mortar transactions have come to a close. And while some cities are slowly opening up, it is clear that e-commerce is both the present and the future of business. This makes protecting an online account even more crucial for organisations around the world.

Protect Your Business Website

A business website is arguably the most important digital marketing collateral of any organisation. Because it is wholly owned by the organisation, it is easy to tweak the interface in a way that meets the needs of visiting clients.

Every business website that collects user data should have an SSL certificate. Unlike HTTP, SSL secures data transfer between the user’s browser and the organisation’s server. A website with SSL certificate installed shows HTTPS in the url. As your customers enter their data into a form on your business website, the installed SSL protection ensures the information is encrypted so it can’t be easily deciphered or read by third-parties with illegal access.

Going further, you should consider purchasing any domain name that is similar to your brand name. For instance, you can purchase 441.com in addition to four-four-one.com. This will protect your brand from typosquatting where illegal parties create a similar website to dupe your customers.

Meanwhile, you could be able take legal action against competitors who engage in cybersquatting by mimicking your brand. Trademarking your business can help you seek redress in this case.

Protect Your Computer Network

Your business’s computer network is where your employees share and collaborate with data. Making sure the network is safe and secure will keep sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands. To protect your computer network, make sure your Wi-Fi is protected with a strong password. Also, clearly define your policy on Bring-Your-Own-Device practices. Where you allow workers to work on their own devices, make sure they are utilising the right security software and practising double factor authentication during log ins.

More importantly, make cybersecurity a key aspect of your digital marketing strategy. Employ both intrusion detection and endpoint protection systems to predict and defend your business from cyberattacks. Your cybersecurity strategy should include data backup, multi-storage, and a disaster recovery plan.

Protect Your Social Media Presence

Social media is now a key cog in most organisations’ digital marketing strategies. Protecting your social media presence begins with having secure login practices. In addition to employing a strong password which you should change regularly, make sure to deploy double factor authentication.

Social media accounts should be managed and used by a dedicated staff or department. Freelance contributors in your marketing department, for instance, have no business having access to employee social security data. Creating an open access to unneeded data increases the potential points of attack on your business.

Also, regularly audit all the third-party apps you link to your social media accounts. While some digital marketing tools can be convenient, make sure you only give API access to trusted apps. The moment an app is considered at risk, discontinue its use and update your password or revoke the API token you used for it.

Protecting and shielding your social media accounts from unruly people is only the beginning. Just like typosquatting, it helps to work towards getting verified on social media. It is important to ensure your social media accounts are distinctive enough to help clients and fans recognise an imposter account.

Protect Your Brand Online

A regular online audit of your brand is important in keeping you in control of your narrative. You don’t want to always be reactive to illegal parties impersonating your business online. Whether it’s on social media or via domain name, make sure that you have tools that continuously look for online accounts that could potentially harm your brand.

While this could serve a security purpose, regular brand audits could help you identify potential pain points that your customers are talking about on the far side of the internet. You can immediately set about solving their problems or lead them to where they can find solutions, thereby boosting your digital marketing collateral.

Protect Your Staff

Human errors are the biggest threat to an organisation’s security. The human factor can be evident in weak passwords, carelessness with work devices, and accessing company data on public hotspots. Shielding your staff against any form of attack from third-parties, therefore, goes a long way to protect your physical as well as digital marketing collateral.

In building a culture of cybersecurity in the workplace, remember to upskill workers with relevant security courses. Employ a uniform data security protocol across all devices. Where BYOD policies exist, institute a mobile device management principle that allows you to secure or erase stolen laptops and other mobile devices.

Conclusion

Digital marketing collateral are the most important tools in an organisation’s marketing arsenal. Securing them can be the difference between protecting your business and losing credibility online. It is important to institute policies that address network security and also encourages staff to be more conscious of the activities of cybercriminals.