In today’s fast-paced digital space, investing in cybersecurity is crucial for all types of business models. Currently, there are legions of cybercriminals out there who keep coming up with sophisticated ways of hacking online servers and computers to steal data. Here are some of the reasons why you should invest in digital security.
Boosts SERP Rankings
It’s probably every webmaster’s dream to build and maintain a site that ranks highly on Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs). In other words, SEO is one of the key pillars of modern-day digital marketing strategies. In order to rank highly on a major search engine such as Google, you need to ensure your website visitors and customers get the best experiences.
Google is not likely to recommend content or products from untrusted sites because that could ruin their brand image. That is why one of the most crucial ranking factors for the search engine is checking whether a site has a HTTPS, which is responsible for encrypting usernames and sensitive information or customer data such as credit card numbers being processed on websites.
Internet users on a Chrome browser get a warning before accessing a site that doesn’t have a HTTPS security. Without this crucial encryption, potential online shoppers will be warned about the risk of taking any action or making a transaction on your site. There are several web hosting companies and third-party vendors online that offer SSL certificates for implementing HTTPS.
Protects Your Growing Data
As your business keeps growing, the amount of data you generate on a daily basis keeps increasing. Sensitive information such as marketing plans, customer details, and sales reports increase in volume exponentially.
Tech-savvy business owners resolve data storage issues by keeping their data in cloud systems in order to streamline operations. Although cloud storage service providers have developed their own layers of security to protect data, your business information exists online, and that means it can be exposed to cybercriminals or malicious internet users.
The susceptibility of the online information to hacking is more severe for organizations such as government institutions, banks, and fine corps. Therefore, it’s crucial to consider protecting all your online information by working with a credible IT consultancy firm that specializes in cybersecurity.
Prevents Downtime
When a company experiences a cyber-attack, normal business operations are brought to a halt to investigate the issue and prevent it from escalating. Working with a reputable company that provides credible digital security services can help you reduce the frequency of downtime significantly. Hari Ravichandran, the founder of Endurance International Group Holdings, is one of the brilliant minds working towards making the internet secure by fighting cybercrime.
If a hacker were to use a botnet attack to flood your servers with malicious internet traffic or infected systems, your operations would be paralyzed for days or even months. In fact, if the cyber-attack is severe, legitimate users can be denied access to your site. Established cybersecurity firms offer DDoS attack mitigation processes that will guarantee you reliable digital security. An exhaustive cybersecurity protocol set and robust firewalls are some of the best ways to protect your online store or business site.
Alternatively, you can rely on Content Delivery Networks, also called CDNs, to handle proxy servers. The CDNs can also improve the overall performance of your site and boost conversions by improving your SERP rankings.
Helps Win Customer’s Trust
It’s nearly impossible to succeed in a competitive online and offline business environment if your customers don’t trust your brand. In fact, if you’re not working on boosting conversion opportunities, then you’re leaving potential profits on the table. For example, online shoppers will probably only give you their credit card details if they’re sure about your online store’s security.
Moreover, internet users are much smarter now about data privacy and protection than ever before. Therefore, as a business owner, you can also leverage consumer privacy and cybersecurity as a key selling point. Start winning the trust of your customers by using a seal trust from a popular payment gateway or cybersecurity company to build customer trust and loyalty. For instance, using return shipping agreement seals and a PayPal verified logo can be a viable approach.
Stops Zero-Day Attacks
Before a business discovers any existing data security vulnerability, a cyber-criminal can use a zero-day attack as an exploit to hack the company’s systems. In fact, there is no real technique of protecting your data if you actually don’t know the kind of threat you’re potentially facing. Thankfully, by using machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), small and medium-sized businesses can prevent these zero-day attacks from causing serious data breaches.
Hackers have the capability of keeping up with the ever-growing technological advancements and use tech innovations to their advantage. Small business owners, especially those who are new to information technology, are less likely to appreciate the benefits of cybersecurity. Depending on your business model and specific business needs, you can protect your investment affordably by adopting an effective cybersecurity solution.
