Importance of Web Security for Small Business
More than 150,000 small business websites could be infected at any moment.
There are estimates that there are 80,000 cyber-attacks per day. Many small and midsize businesses tend to think they’re not a target and, therefore, do not invest in web security. Due to the lack of protection of these systems, many of the successful attacks have been targeted at companies of this size. In fact, small business owners were victims in 43 percent of cyber attacks over the course of a year. In smaller companies, this can not only result in losses but possibly declare the end of a business. In fact, it’s been reported that 60% of small businesses close within six months of a cyber attack.
Hacked Websites and SEO
SEO is becoming more critical than ever before. According to a recent study, 74% of hacked websites are hacked for SEO reasons. The impact can be devastating because rankings can slip and the site can become blacklisted. Furthermore, every website without SSL (HTTPS) will be marked as insecure and receive an SEO penalty on Google. In addition to this, Google has focused a great deal of effort to fight spam and reduce the impact on users from hacked websites. In doing so they have removed more than 80% of compromised sites from their search results. Not having a website properly setup and secured can make it more difficult for your company to reach new customers.
Brand Reputation Loss and Decrease in Revenue
If your website lacks protection, not only will your business be a potential target, but your customers can become targets as well. This can range from gathering a customer’s personal information to infecting your website’s visitors with malicious software. The harsh reality is that once a website has been hacked, you not only lose, but your customer loses as well. This leads to a customer losing trust and ultimately results in reputational damage for the business and brand, therefore leading to a loss of revenue.
How Tembo Collective Can Help?
Cleaning up a hacked website is more expensive than protection and often results in having to hire a professional who is familiar with vulnerabilities and knowing the way of a hacker’s mind. The downtime of your site, the reputation of your business, and the loss of revenue are not worth the cost of forgoing measures to ensure your website is secure. Make your website a priority and protect your data for the benefit of your employees, your customers, and the long-term health of your business.
Contact our friends at Tembo Collective today for all your security needs.
