Security Risks of Social Networks
Internet social networks are great places to meet and network with people sharing similar business interests. But MySpace, Second Life and similar Web 2.0 sites can also pose serious security threats to users and their companies.
Many businesses view social networking sites as a kind of online cocktail party -- a friendly, comfortable place where one can establish contacts, find buyers or sellers, and raise a personal or corporate profile. But the cocktail party metaphor isn't entirely accurate. In fact, users would be better served if they thought of social network services in the context of a loud glass house; a place with endless visibility and each occupant talking through a highly amplified bullhorn.
Since most people access social network sites from the comfort and privacy of their home or office, they can be lulled into a false sense of anonymity. Additionally, the lack of physical contact on social network site can lower users' natural defenses, leading individuals into disclosing information they would never think of revealing to a person they just met on a street -- or at a cocktail party.
Staying safe on a social networking service means recognizing these factors, and working knowledgeably within a set of simple guidelines.
Protecting Yourself and Your Business
- Be Discreet - Never type anything into a profile page, bulletin board, instant message or other type of online electronic form that would expose you to unwanted visitors or the possibility of identity theft or malicious threats. This includes personal and business names and addresses, phone numbers, job titles, birth dates, schedule details, daily routines and business or family information. It's far better to communicate in generalities than to reveal information that unscrupulous individuals may someday use against you.
- Be Skeptical - Social network sites are full of useful business information, as well as to substantial amounts of useless disinformation. Treat anything you see online -- stock tips, advance news, personnel gossip and so on -- with a high degree of skepticism. Some people will lie in order to boost their own agenda, while others will spout unsubstantiated rubbish out of stupidity or sheer ignorance.
- Be Thoughtful - Nobody likes a loudmouth, but the Internet has a curious way of releasing personal inhibitions. Never type anything online that can come back to bite you. This includes outrageous claims, slander, obscenity and insults. Be cool and professional, and always think twice before typing.
- Be Professional - If you're posting a picture or video to a social network site, make sure it presents you in the best possible light. Dress professionally and, above all, don't disrobe or wear a funny hat.
- Be Wary - People on the Internet are not always who they seem to be. The CEO you're chatting with in Denver may actually be a 14-year-old kid in Milwaukee -- or a prisoner in Romania. Until you can independently verify someone's identity -- using the same business tools that you would turn to to screen a new hire or confirm a prospective business partner -- never, ever reveal personal, business or financial information.
- Check Privacy Policies - All major social network services have specific privacy guidelines that are published on their Web sites. Take the time to read and understand these documents, since they include the types of information that they will reveal -- or sell -- to other parties (including spammers). If you don't like the terms, don't use the service.
Social network sites are potentially useful business tools, but only if you approach them with an adequate amount of caution and common sense.
How Social Networks can Boost your Business?
When we understand, that it is important to market with the social mediums, we are after two benefits, how to reach higher rankings with our Facebook page, for instance, and how the social media posts can increase the rankings of our website. When we have solved this problem, we have far better ways how to make money from home. Lets discuss about this.
1. The Social Media Market is Heavily Growing.
The social media has two benefits. It is a big market and it is growing strongly. The total visitor number is 6,2 billion and unique visitors 213 million. The market is strong, so the question is, how you can turn enough visitors to your social media page or to your website?
The secret is to know, what these visitors are looking for and how they do that. Did you know, that many visitors use the search function, actually 845 million searches were made, up 13,5 %! If SEO is familiar to you, you guess the opportunity.
The searchers search mainly people or brands. Yes, brands. The social media is also called a conversational media, i.e. an interactive one, which gives hints, how to use it to promote or to build a brand.
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2. How To Rank Better With Social Media Page?
If you wonder, how to make money from home with the social media, one answer is, that your page must rank well. It is a question about the links. Do you link from your home page? Use also your brand name in the post content.
The search engines give value to the crowd science, i.e. the more people like your page, the higher ranking it will get. Are your likes, follows and +1 in condition? Its about trust building. If Facebook is your only medium, this is even more important.
3. How Social Media Can Improve Your Website Rankings?
As we have seen how Google has changed its algorithms, the criteria which sets the rules how the ranked pages are ordered, it is clear, that the links from the social media have become more important. It is important that the landing page is easy to like, i.e. that the social media buttons are in place. It is crucial to call visitors to action, i.e. to share the thing, they just liked.
4. Define The Role Of The Social Media In The Sales Funnel.
As said, the social media is an interactive and discussing media and the different social media sites have different user profiles. If the social media is the first point in the sales funnel, what you have planned it to do?
Is it a teaser, which persuades readers to get more from the landing page? Does it communicate the same brand identity than the landing page and other sales funnel parts? Does it have a personal and human feeling, like some club has, so that it will encourage to participate?
5. If You Do It, Do It Properly.
The social media is not anymore a discussion forum, but a serious business medium. When you ponder ways how to make money from home, you can even end up to use only one social media and to learn to master it.
Remember, that the brand building is crucial with a planned brand strategy. Without it there is a danger, that all what you get is a content, which does not share any benefits to the visitors.