No matter what you use your blog for, be it for personal or business use, there are risks involved. As a blogger then, you need to take steps to avoid these risks by taking some precautionary steps to avoid them.
Here are two of the more common risks involved with blogging, with some handy tips to help you reduce them.
Risk #1: Your blog content
Be careful what you say online. Sure, your blog is a useful place to share your opinions, but remember that it’s online for all to see. If you say anything that is scandalous, controversial, and perhaps even slanderous, you may be targeted by people who don’t like what you have to say. And if what you say is particularly harmful, you might also suffer at the hands of a hacker, receive negative media attention, and find yourself blocked from continuing by your blog provider. Your personal safety might also be at risk, especially if you can be easily identified.
Tip: Think before you write something down. While you want to be honest and true, you don’t want to attract a lot of negative attention. Verify any facts before compiling blog posts, and if you suspect what you are trying to say is harmful to others, consider the consequences before any posts go live. You might ask a trusted friend or family member to have a read through your post too, as that second opinion might just save your bacon!
Risk #2: Your finances
This works two-fold. For starters, if your blog contains a lot of personal information, such as anything related to your personal identity, then some nefarious person may have just what they need to open up credit using your name. And if you use your blog for business purposes, perhaps within the realms of ecommerce, you might also be hit by hackers able to steal both your financial information and that of your customers.
Tip 1: For starters, don’t post your personal information online. While you might use your name, you might still want to avoid using your postal address, and any other identifying features, such as clues located within photographs. Know too that If you have registered your own domain name, your personal information may be accessed online through the WHOIS service, so opt for domain privacy when registering.
Tip 2: Ensure your website is secure using the steps listed here. This is the best way to defeat the hackers, as while you may not think you are a target, you may be if a) your blog content is controversial, and b) you are using your blog for business purposes.
Tip 3: If you are using your blog to sell anything online, then you need to remember KYC (Know Your Customer) compliances. This is the process of identifying who your potential customers are, as you don’t want to be the subject of online fraud. To protect yourself and any customers who may have had their information stolen by a nefarious miscreant, consider using Jumio. Jumio replaces slow KYC processes, using cutting-edge solutions to ensure you stay compliant when operating your business.
Finally
Blogging can be both fun and financially profitable to you, but the reverse is true if you don’t take care. Follow our tips, and you should have a safer experience when operating online. Let us know your thoughts, and if you have any other advice for our readers, be sure to share your wisdom with us. Thanks for reading, and happy (safe) blogging!