The news is often filled with horror stories of how accounts are being hacked and identities or information stolen. In fact there’s not a week that goes by without one of my followers on Twitter suddenly sending bizarre direct tweets asking if I’ve seen ‘that’ photo or video of me (bet you’ve seen those too).
The frequency at which these events occur would suggest that despite being told to use strong passwords, people still aren’t listening.
I know what you’re thinking, these days you have to set up accounts for everything – social media, shopping, banks, job sites etc., it’s impossible to create new passwords and user IDs for everything.
Granted, it’s a bit of a pain, but would you rather be hacked? And let’s face it, if you’re using the same password (or a couple with only slight modifications), it won’t take the hackers long to get into your accounts – yes, that was meant to be plural; if they can hack one, what’s to stop them getting into them all?
Not wishing to state the obvious, but considering the number of instances of hacking there is each and every day I think I should, here are 3 very simple ways you can protect yourself.
1. Uniqueness
In an ideal world you would use a unique username and password for every account you set up.
Before you roll your eyes and think that’s impossible, why not set up a spreadsheet (password protected of course) to help you keep track of everything.
2. Protection
When it comes to dreaming up a hard to crack password, here are a few things to consider:
The longer the better – 16+ characters is ideal as it will seriously reduce the chances of hackers sussing it out
Variety – use a combination of letters, numbers, punctuation and symbols to add another level of complexity
Smartphone locks – most smartphone users will just go with the standard 4 digit pass code, but why not step it up a notch and use a complex one? For iPhone users go to ‘Settings’ then ‘General’, “Password Lock’ and switch off ‘Simple Passcode’ and opt for something a bit more complex
3. Log out
I’m almost embarrassed to include this one because it’s so obvious. And yet people still forget to log out of a site when they’ve finished doing what they’re doing.
OK, so none of that is earth-shatteringly new, but it pays to be reminded every now and then about how important your online security is.
Just think about how much information about you is stored online in your various accounts. Do you really want someone to get their hands on it?
Over to you
That’s enough from me, how about you? Do you have any other security tips you’d like to share?
What is the most important thing to get right when you start blogging?
Your blog site?
Sure, it needs to be attractive and engaging and easy to use, but that’s not it.
How about your niche?
Yes, that’s pretty important to make sure you attract the right kind of reader, but it’s not what I’m thinking about here.
OK, how about the way you layout your posts?
Again, a very important issue because if your posts aren’t reader friendly, no one’s going to read them. But, no that’s not what I was thinking about.
Give up?
OK, I was thinking about voice.
A lot of people get in touch with me to ask about that. They want to know how to write in an engaging way, what terms they should use and how they should phrase things.
My advice?
Stop trying to over think things.
The best way to write and engage with your readers is to write from the heart. No, I don’t mean Mills and Boon-esque, more like writing as though you were talking to friends.
Say what you want to say in your head and type it (that’s what I’m doing right now) then it will come across as though you’re having a conversation with someone.
And because it’s a conversation your vocabulary will be fairly simple, avoiding all that awful jargon you sometimes seen scattered liberally in blog posts. I mean, come on, do you really think the average reader understand it? It just leaves your post unreadable and, quite frankly, sounding pretentious.
Don’t forget that just because jargon is commonplace in your work life, it doesn’t mean it is in everyone else’s. Keeping it simple won’t dumb in down, it will make it accessible to all and that’s what you want, right?
After all, if someone is researching web design, SEO or ecommerce or some other such techie subject because they are in the market for it, they’re more likely to get in touch with someone who can clearly explain the benefits in plain English rather than one that goes into geek-techie-jargon overdrive.
That’s all I wanted to say really. When writing your next post remember:
Write as though you were having a conversation
Steer well clear of any jargon
If you have to use a technical term, explain it clearly
Lay your post out in short paragraphs and sentences so it’s easy to read
Well, you know what SEO is, right? It’s a way of optimising your website so that appears in the search results.
Negative SEO is a way getting your competitors websites penalised by Google by various means, including poor or downright bad links.
Since Google’s last updates (Panda and Penguin), the search engine has been placing more emphasis on the quality of links pointing to a website. So, in theory, it’s possible to get sites penalised by creating loads of ‘dodgy’ links.
Before you start having sleepless nights, here is a video my Matt Cutts to put your mind at rest.
Sally Ormond – Copywriter and MD at Briar Copywriting Ltd
Apart from the ones that email you claiming to love your blog only to offer a post that is completely unrelated from your niche (I was recently offered a post on parenting and childcare from an ‘avid’ reader of my blog…really?), some people just refuse to accept posts from other people.
Personally, I love to hear from people who want to write guest posts – that is assuming they actually offer something that is relevant to the subjects my blog covers.
To me guest bloggers offer a lot of pros:
They offer fresh content for my readers
Their posts offer a new way of looking at things
They enhance my blog with expertise that I may not have
They reduce my work load (very important)
They could bring in a whole batch of new readers to my blog
So, on the whole, there are a lot of good reasons why you should accept guest bloggers.
But as I mentioned earlier, not everyone shares my point of view.
The cons of guest bloggers
After reading my list of reasons why you should accept guest posts (I’m sure there are loads more, but they are the ones that stand out for me), it may be hard to think why anyone would be anti guest posts.
Some people are very precious about their blog, only wanting their voice to be heard through it, which I guess is fair enough.
Others believe that bringing in outside writers may turn-off their readership. Not really convinced on that one, after all surely a new perspective would be welcomed? I don’t think the odd guest post would put anyone off. After all how many novel readers out there only ever read books from one author? Most people like to try others out for size too.
Then of course there are those who think they may lose readers when publishing a guest blog because there’s a chance that their readers will prefer what the guest author has to say and they’ll jump ship. But surely your readers will remain loyal and thank you for introducing them to a new voice that they may also want to follow?
Finally, there’s always the concern over being offered content that’s just been scraped off another site, or an article that’s been spun. But you can get round that by using tools such as Copyscape and Plagiarism checker.
What do you think?
Despite the cons above, I still think guest bloggers are worth their weight in gold (the good ones that actually read your blog before offering a post). For me, the pros far outweigh any possible downsides.
But then I am just one little voice in a vast blogging sea.
What’s your take on this issue?
Are you for or against? Leave a comment below.
If you’re interested in writing a guest blog for me, email me for the FCB guidelines along with your idea.
Author: Sally Ormond, Copywriter and MD of Briar Copywriting Ltd
The following guest post was written by Lucy Harper. The author’s views are entirely her own and may not reflect the views of FreelanceCopywritersBlog.com. If you are interested in producing a Guest Post for this blog, please get in touch with your ideas.
Many small business owners, especially those whose businesses are primarily online, can find themselves existing in a bubble, far removed from the community around them. While your focus may be in reaching out through social media marketing to expand your global reach, don’t forget the consumers in your immediate surroundings. By tipping the scales a bit so they balance community and global focus, you can build your small business while benefiting your community. As you endeavour to do both, you’ll enjoy the opportunity to gain loyal customers and followers around the world and in your own backyard.
Incorporate Traditional Marketing Techniques. Although you can reach consumers in your community with social media marketing, traditional marketing methods can help you target those in the surrounding area. Leave no stone unturned by incorporating methods such as flyers, radio commercials on local stations, advertisements in your local newspapers and word-of-mouth marketing.
Participate in Community Exhibitions. Throughout the year, communities host all kinds of exhibitions, from those promoting small local businesses to theme-based expos, such as health and education exhibitions. Most of these are planned a year in advance, which allows you to plan your participation in advance, too. Bring marketing information to pass out to attendees, and spend the day meeting and talking with those present, as well as other vendors.
Attend Neighbourhood Festivals. Small neighbourhood festivals and gatherings can be a great place to promote your business if it fits the theme of the festival. Check with small town commerce centres and home-owner associations to see if your participation might be mutually beneficial. Rather than merely showing up to the festival and standing there the entire day, plan some activities or give demonstrations the community members would be interested in.
Become Involved in Community-Based Networking.Networking is essential for small businesses, but most owners limit their networking efforts to the Internet. Get to know other small-business owners in your community and find out how they extend their local reach by attending regular networking meetings. Research networking groups available, and see if you can attend a meeting to ensure the group is right for you.
Give Back to Your Community. As your business grows, it’s important to give back to the community. Choose a local organization or charity to be the recipient of your gifts, and then find out how you can best donate. Some organizations might prefer a donation of your time, whereas others will benefit from products, services or cash donations.
As you reach out to the community around you, you’ll find that your investment comes back to you in the form of loyal customers. In today’s technology-based world, small-business owners are often so focused on obtaining the global reach enjoyed by other businesses that they neglect to see the value in establishing a community connection. Balance your efforts to achieve both and benefit consumers in your surroundings. The efforts you put forth in reaching out can help you grow your business in ways you wouldn’t have been able to solely through Internet marketing.
I’ve seen ‘that’ photo or video of me (bet you’ve seen those too).
