Here are several ways you can effectively protect your website and online reputation.

Your personal brand’s website is your calling card to attract loyal followers, and an unexpected cyber attack can cost you both time and money.

What types of activity are you currently monitoring from the back end? With the right tools and knowledge, your brand can increase its security levels and help prevent an attack.

To avoid becoming the next victim of this online crime, it’s time to take a fresh look at your website and discover what’s a potential threat and what’s not.

Here are several ways you can effectively protect your website and online reputation.

1. Find out what your host provider offers.

It is important that you have access to a long history of logs. Find out what your current provider offers and maybe even pay for an upgrade. If you are running on a shared hosting package then this is especially critical to know.

2. Don’t forget to do regular full backups.

Your website may not be automatically backed up by your hosting company. Instead you need to purchase or use free backup tools in order to save your valuable content, images and installations. Do this at least once a month as plugins and themes are upgraded on a regular basis.

3. Create a plan of action for you and/or your team.

In the case of any security breaches, it’s good practice to have a well outlined strategy in place with all of the right contacts such as a web developer. This will provide clarity and minimize any mistakes.

4. Check in daily during the work week.

Log into your website and keep a lookout for any messages from security plugins, spam activity, updates, ect. If anything is outdated or there are too many spam comments and referrals, this may be a good time to upgrade your security.

Avoiding an attack by a cyber criminal can be reduced or eliminated with the right checks and balances in place. If your brand finds out that something has been compromised, you should contact your web developer and host provider right away. It’s better to seek expert advice to assess the situation and fix any technical issues that may be opening you up for a breach.