They Nearly Lost 14,000 Followers! ??

Today I want you to imagine you’ve got your social media channels to a point where you rely on it to generate over 70% of your business, you have a following of over 14,000 people and without them your business would suffer. ??

You go to log in and it’s an absolute no go- someone has hacked your account, changed your password and now are using it to post malicious content! ??

Your followers are texting you saying “What’s happened to your account?” and there’s absolutely nothing you can do! ??

Well, this happened to a very good friend of mine last week, the only saving grace was the silly hackers had gained access to her account and done all of the above, but didn’t change her password- so we were able to get back in before it was too late!

The truth is this could happen to you, so this week I’m going to give you 3 simple tips to help you secure your social media accounts.

Your password shouldn’t just be your child’s name with a number 1 after it! ??

1. Use A Secure Password

We’re all guilty of using a password that we know we’ll never forget. Children’s names, dog’s names or even your first car are all popular. ??

These are passwords that are so easy to crack, yes even if you put a ! at the end of the password – that won’t fool them! ??

A strong password should contain a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.?

A good rule of thumb is to aim for at least 12 characters in total. Avoid using personal information that can be easily guessed or found on social media. For example, birthdates, names of family members, or places you’ve lived should be avoided. ?

You can use a secure password generator (give it a quick Google there are loads!) which will automatically create a complex, random combination of characters.?

These generators ensure that your password is as strong as possible, and the less predictable it is, the harder it is for anyone to crack.

P.S. Remember to use different passwords for each account. If one password is compromised, you don’t want the same one granting access to your other accounts.

2. Enable Two Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is like adding an extra lock to your door. ??

Even if someone figures out your password, they’ll need a second key to get in—usually a code sent to your phone, a token from an app, or even a code sent to your email address.

A great app is Duo Mobile – this generates a code every 30 seconds on your phone, without this it’s very hard for people to access your accounts. ??

It’s that extra line of defence that keeps your account safe, even if someone gets hold of your password. Most social media platforms and email services offer it, so it’s definitely worth turning on. ?

To set it up, just head to your account’s security settings and follow the steps. It’s quick, easy, and adds a whole lot more protection to your account!

3. Don’t Overlook Your Email Security

Your email is often the key to all your other online accounts. Most social media platforms let you reset your password through your email, so it’s super important to keep your email account as secure as your social media profiles. ??

If a hacker gets into your email, they can easily reset your passwords and take control of your other accounts. So, make sure you’re using a strong password for your email too.?

Also, never use the same password across different accounts, especially for your email—it just makes things way easier for hackers.

Please put 15 minutes aside this week to address all of the points above, it’s just as important (if not more so) than having a social media strategy!

Catch you next week! ??