Social media has changed the way we view the world, especially businesses. It can also help us unwind after a long day, but social media isn’t always a safe place.
Cyber-scammers and identity thieves are on social media, so it’s extremely important to take precautions before stepping into the digital world. A big part of what we do in Social Media Marketing is to help keep you safe. Here are three ways to steer clear of scammers and keep your company safe on social media.
Privacy Settings
You lock the doors to your house to keep out intruders, why not do the same for your social media? Check your business account settings to make sure your telephone number and email address are hidden from the public site. Default settings aren’t always safe as they give strangers more knowledge about you and your business than you’d like.
It might be time to dig a little deeper into each platform’s settings. New privacy settings are updated from time to time. If you’re not frequently checking, you may be missing the chance to lock down your digital security.
Knowledge is Power
With all the new technology, social media allows you to share your life with the people you care about … along with everyone else as well. Be sure to not post about travel plans when you’re away from your business. It is easy to share information about where you live without typing anything. Your images and posts can be tagged with your location, if you haven’t changed your privacy setting. Try to share as little as possible with the digital world. They don’t need to know personal addresses, phone numbers, or even your goldfish’s name.
Always Think Twice
Scammers love to impersonate others, especially your closest friends. Be sure to avoid those duplicate friend requests. If it’s a friend you know, reach out to them, make them aware their social identity is being used, and then report the imposter.
Be careful when adding new friends as well. Take some time to review their friend’s list to see if this is someone you might know. If someone sends you a message, be hesitant to respond. Take caution with each message and post, especially if it has links and doesn’t sound like something your friend would post.
By taking these steps to stay alert and adopting a few of these smart practices, you’ll be able to share your story with the world with a little more ease. One of the many services we provide is Social Media Marketing, which includes helping keep you safe from potential scammers.
At Richardson Professional Solutions (RPS), we help you make more time in your business by providing back-office solutions such as bookkeeping, marketing, or project management. This, in turn, provides small business owners the flexibility to do the things that matter most to them like building their business, continuing their education, traveling, or spending time with family.
