Social media networks are among the most popular targets for cyber criminals.  The likes of LinkedIn and Facebook have experienced the disastrous effects a hack can have on a business.  You may think because you are not a fortune 500 company your business is safe, but it is not.  Hackers are simply interested in vulnerable accounts so that they can gain access to your followers and attempt to phish for personal info.

In order to keep your business data safe and secure from potential social media threats, it is crucial to start taking action right away.

Below are 10 tips for keeping you social media accounts as secure as possible.

Have strong passwords

Having a strong password is the first line of defense against a cyber-attack.  It should be a mix of symbols, numbers and capital/lowercase letters and should be changed at least once every three months. Never use personal information in your password and never use the same password for other accounts.

Check emails for suspicious login attempts

Twitter and Facebook are pretty good at detecting and alerting you when someone has tried to access your account. Most social media platforms will block these suspicious attempts to log in, and will immediately require that you update your password. They typically will notify you via email so keep an eye out and be sure to react promptly.

Never click on suspicious links

Always be wary of any links you receive on social media as well as any links you get via email from a social media network. If you find yourself on a website page, be extra careful and vigilant on any page that doesn’t seem right. Do not click on anything and close the browser right away. Try accessing the site directly by typing it into the address bar.

Customize your privacy settings

When you create a social media profile, you are automatically set up with default settings. The big issue with this is that they typically are the lowest security settings possible.  For this reason, you need to manually set up your accounts’ privacy settings in order to ensure it’s as secure as possible.

Use two-factor authentication

Requiring more than just your password to access your accounts is key. Two-factor authentication works by requiring two forms of verification.  Usually this is your password and a confirmation code received by text or email.  This added process really provides a much needed extra level of protection from intruders. This feature is offered on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Never link business and personal accounts

If you have these accounts linked together, it will be that much easier for intruders to do damage to both your business and your employees.  If they figure out one login, they will have access to multiple accounts. For this reason, it is key to have a separate password and username for each of your social media profiles. You should also put restrictions on who has administrator privileges.  This should be reserved only for those that require access to do their job. This will be helpful should you be the victim of a cyber-attack as you can determine where there are any vulnerabilities.

Be careful not to overshare

Posting about your company’s offsite retreat may seem like a great way for your audience to connect with your brand, but you are also letting any potential intruders know that your business will not be staffed.  This is just one way in which you can unintentionally compromise the security of your business. In order to help prevent this from occurring, your employees should be trained to have a security focused mentality.  Furthermore, all posts should be viewed by someone in your IT department before they are posted.

Protect your data and office

While most security is about trying to deter cyber attacks, your business can also fall prey to a break in. In order to protect that data on your business tablets or laptops, a security system should be installed.

Delete any accounts you don’t use

If you are not actively using a particular social media platform, delete it.  There is no reason to leave potentially sensitive information out there for hackers.

Security and safety online is a top priority for every business. Even as hackers are coming up with new and more sophisticated methods, the above mentioned strategies will help keep your social media accounts safe.