Style Magazine - Don't Put All Your Digital Eggs in One Basket
Surprisingly to me, we regularly still get asked if a website is necessary for business. Some business owners are happy to have social media as the main way for potential clients or customers to get in touch with them and see what they offer. Whilst we believe having social media is a bonus, we’ve always advised that having a website is best practice.
Why? One of the biggest reasons to have a business website is that you show up for potential clients or customers in a Google search. I know that Facebook does come up in a Google search, but Google will rank you against your competitor and
their website. If they’ve got one and you don’t, they will instantly rank above you.
Another reason why a website should be part of your business is digital security. Recently, one of our friends was misled into giving their mobile number to somebody they thought was a legitimate friend on Facebook. This then led to their business page being accessed and hacked via their personal Facebook page. This business owner lost their personal page, business page and group pages set up for their business.
Unfortunately for this business owner, they only had social media and no website which means that unless their clients/customers have a phone number to contact them, they have virtually disappeared.
This business owner is concerned that this action may have led to others being hacked. It was quite a simple scam where the hacker, masquerading as a legitimate friend, sent a Facebook message asking “Can I have your phone number?”. I too was sent the same message from a friend on Facebook Messenger. I automatically replied - “Don’t you have my phone number already?” Little did I know that this action probably saved me from having my account hacked.
I’ve been in this situation before where my business Facebook page was hacked, and it’s a terrible feeling. I felt violated and angry and left wondering why I’d allowed myself to let down my guard and have this happen. These feelings are completely natural but you shouldn’t beat yourself up if this happens to you.
We must be better prepared and more vigilant as these hackers will keep coming harder and more frequently. This situation was around two-factor authentication (2FA) linked to a mobile phone and a Facebook account. This is typically the way our passwords are being secured. On the technical side of the situation, the hack is called “spoofing”. Feel free to google the term and educate yourself about how these unscrupulous people are conducting themselves.
So it begs the question, how do we avoid or at least minimise this happening?
Firstly, never reply to a Facebook message if you are unsure. If you know you have given your friend your mobile number, do not resupply it via social media messaging platforms. Call or text the person via mobile phone and ask if they sent you a message on social media. This will either legitimise their request or alert them to some unsavoury behaviour that is being conducted on their account. They may have fallen victim to a hacker and are unaware.
Secondly, I would recommend using alternatives to social media messenger applications to communicate with people you know. It seems as though it is becoming more and more susceptible to malicious intent.
Finally...
Seek professional advice about your cyber security... Still not convinced you should have a website?Having a website doesn’t have to be an arduous task or an expensive one. There are so many platforms now that you can build a straightforward website on and still rank on Google. A website will increase your online visibility, allow you to channel your enquiries through a legitimate platform, improve your customer service and finally, a well-designed, well-performing website will potentially put you ahead of your competitors.
Need help with building a website for your business? Book a free 45-minute consultation with the best business coach in Toowoomba.
First published in Style magazine, August 2024:
https://issuu.com/armcustompublishing/docs/style_august_issuu_complete_v3/20
