Web security - Presented to the Shelbyville Rotary November 2014

YOUR WEBSITE IS THE CENTER OF YOUR

MARKETING

Safety Tips

WARNING SIGNS

WARNING SIGNS

• Unrequested downloads

• Questionable search results or redirects

• Your emails start bouncing

• Unwelcome links in footer

• Dramatic changes in traffic ( up and down)

BRUTE FORCE ATTACKS

• Objective to hijack your site

• Multiple log in attempts

• Side effect: Slow or crash servers

PROTECTION AGAINST BRUTE FORCE

• Passwords!!!!!

– 6 characters or longer

– Letters (upper and lower), numbers and

symbols

– Avoid simple words, consider mnemonics

– Manage user accounts

– Update often

UPGRADE YOUR SOFTWARE

86% of Wordpress users have

out of date versions

ROUTINE MAINTENANCE

• Operating Systems

• Themes and Plugins

• Delete unused and out of date web tools

STOP HACKERS EARLY

• Spam blocking programs - Akismet

• Change admin user name

• Limit login attempts

• Limit login IP access

– Wordfence plugin

– Hosting company can block at the server

PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS WITH BACKUPS

GOOD HABITS

• Never access site via WiFi Hotspot

• Password protect phone and email

• Use different passwords

• Learn to recognize phishing attempts

• Install anti virus software on all computers

HIRE SOMEONE TO:

• Check server logs

• Construct a Firewalls

• Monitor key files

• Monitor file changes

SERVER OPTION

• Shared

• Dedicated

• Virtual

• Managed

WHAT YOU MEASURE, MATTERS

Lorraine Ball | Roundpeg

YOUR WEBSITE IS THE CENTER

WHAT SHOULD YOU MEASURE?

Visits | Views | Conversion

VISITS

If you build it, will the come?

METRIC: SESSIONS (VISITS)

• Objective: More visits than a year ago

METRIC: VISITS

• Where do visitors come from? Where Does Traffic Come From?

Organic Search Direct Referral Social Email

ACTION : TARGET EACH SOURCE

• Increase

– Direct traffic with off line activity

– Organic traffic with content

– Referrals with directory listings and cross

promotion

– Social traffic with activity

– Create or expand your email list

– Consider paid advertising when all else

fails

VIEWS (INTEREST)

People come, now what?

METRIC: VIEW

• Objective: At least two pages per visit

• Common mistakes

– Too many choices

– Slow load speed

– Non-responsive design

– Poor navigation

METRIC : INTEREST

• What attracts people

– Landing pagesPage % of Traffic

/ (Home Page) 38%

/2009/11/do-whole-house-humidifiers-work/ 9%

/2013/11/why-does-my-furnace-smell/ 7%

/contact-us/ 7%

/about-us/customer-feedback-form/ 6%

/electrician/ 5%

/2013/01/hvac-tax-credits-2013/ 3%

COMMON MISTAKE: INTEREST

• Common Mistakes

– Old, thin or unoriginal content

– No path to other content

– No clear call to action

ACTION: CREATE CLEAR PATH

ACTION: CREATE A CLEAR PATH

QUESTIONS?

STAY IN TOUCH

Lorraine Ball.

[email protected] | @lorraineball

www.roundpeg.biz

Facebook.com/roundpegindy