Social Media Attacks: How To Keep Your Business Safe.

We chatted in June about cyber attacks and the threat that these can bring to a business. We also spoke about social media and the influence that it has in our day-to-day, and how we need to be careful about what we say online.

Cyber attacks don’t only take place through viruses or hacking. They can also appear as social media slandering – whether it be through cyber bullying, cyber stalking or disgruntled ex-employees. Social media has made it easy for people to put bad reviews, negative comments, derogatory images or rude and slanderous messages on your company page. This is usually done by dissatisfied customers or ex-employees.

It can take years to build up a respected reputation in your industry and with your customers, but just one comment to destroy that. With a lot of our marketing and business taking place online through social media, it is critical to have rules and regulations in place to avoid online attacks as much as possible.

Here are a few tips on how you can protect your company from negative online commentary:

• • A Good Employee Contract:

    Before an employee starts with your company, you should ensure that there is a social media policy in place that protects the company from any online slander during and after an employee’s contract. It should also specify any rules and regulations for the employee to adhere to whilst in your employ, such as what to say and not say on their personal profiles as well as how to talk and respond to clients on the company page and what procedures to follow for various tasks on social media.

  • Page Admins:

    The biggest issue when it comes to employees resigning is when an employee has set up a Facebook page on behalf of the company and hasn’t added anyone else on the team as an admin. When this employee leaves the company, they take the page with them which could result in disaster. Always ensure that you or another trusted employee or owner have been added as an admin when an employee resigns and that you remove that person immediately following their resignation.

  • Secure Logins:

    For all online social platforms or private company logins, ensure that you create a secure login with passwords that cannot be easily hacked. It’s also a good idea to change your passwords every few months, and especially after a disgruntled employee has resigned.

  • Privacy Settings:

    When you set up a Facebook page for your company or on behalf of a client, make sure that you change the default privacy settings to suit your company. For example, you could make it that people can’t post to your page, to avoid any negative comments on your page.

  • Brand Voice:

    When it comes to your brand, consistency is key. Choose your voice and stick to it across all platforms. One bad comment or post could lead to negative feedback or online attacks, which you want to avoid. If you remain consistent, people will know what to expect of you and will never be taken off guard by something you post.

Here are a few more ideas to take into consideration when it comes to social media and your employees.
In the event of any social media attacks, you will need to have insurance against feedback that results from this – be it through other staff members or clients. Get in touch with us today to talk more about social media insurance and protecting your business from any unwanted social backlash.