If you have decided to start a blog, you must learn how you can best stay safe online, especially if you are going to be on the road while running it. It is all well and good to have a website, but there are many risks that you are taking by doing so. Depending on what kind of blog you run and how you decide to grow it, you may be putting yourself at risk of being hacked, data breaches, identity theft, malicious attacks, and more. It is therefore vital that you understand the basics of being safe online and how you can protect yourself. You will likely become a successful blogger, which means your blog will turn into an asset. As your blog grows, so do your online risks.
To help you on your journey, here are some top tips to help you stay safe online as a blogger.
Be careful with who you connect with
Being a blogger means you are going to be connecting with a variety of people around the world. This might be other bloggers so you can help support each other, as well as your target audience or a community that you create. Some people like to stay anonymous when they blog, and that is okay. Make sure you are careful with who you talk to online and how much you tell them about yourself. You should also make sure you utilize secure channels to speak to people, especially if you are talking on a more personal level. If you are wondering what is secret conversation on Messenger since they discreetly rolled out this feature, then it is something you should research as it would be a great tool for you to use to speak more securely to people.
Password management
This might seem simple, but it is very important to practice properly. It is easy to get content with passwords or even laziness, but this is a huge mistake and will cost you and your blog. You should regularly update your password and make sure it is complex and filled with different letters, special characters, and numbers. Make sure you safely store your passwords and do not let anyone else have access to them.
Install reliable software
You should have software on your laptop or computer, your phone, and any other devices that you use for your blog. This includes antivirus and antimalware software at the very least. You can then upgrade these if you wish, as they all offer special features to keep you well-protected.
Only download plugins and apps you trust
When you have a blog, it will likely be hosted on a platform like WordPress or Squarespace. While these sites are great, they offer you the opportunity to install plugins and apps for a variety of benefits to your site, for example, to optimize images or add products to your site. These are typically external, third-party sites. Make sure you do your due diligence and only install reliable ones.
Having a blog is a great challenge. Make sure you protect yourself by following these top tips.
