Starting a blog is a really wonderful way of indulging your passions, whatever they might be, and of connecting with others who share similar interests. There are numerous tools, platforms, and hosting services out there today which cater to bloggers. Among these, WordPress stands out as offering a fantastic balance between functionality and usability, but it is far from the only option out there.
However, while starting a blog is something that anyone can do these days, there is a lot more to it than simply writing the content. As your blog grows in size, so will the challenges you face in maintaining it. As the number of users that you have registered begins to climb, you will be responsible for ensuring that their data is secure.
For those who don’t have prior experience in implementing security for a blog or website, this can be very challenging! Fortunately, with a few pointers, it is a relatively easy thing to do.
Secure Your Login
WordPress is one of the most widely used blogging platforms in the world, and every WordPress administrator starts off with the default login username of admin. This is something that every hacker and malicious actor also knows. Changing the default username is a sensible step towards improving your security, but it is your password that really matters.
A secure password should use a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols as well. You can further secure your login by installing a plugin that requires a captcha or use a 2-factor authentication.
Educate Your Users
It is a good idea to include a small guide on your blog that informs your users of the best security practices to follow. This should go beyond the usual obvious tips, and really emphasize to your users the importance of taking measures to enhance their privacy and protect their data. For example, any users who browse your blog primarily through their cellphone should be aware of the amount of tracking that goes on.
While this tracking doesn’t apply to your blog, by making people aware of the wider issue, you are increasing the chances that they will take extra steps to ensure their login to your blog, and other services are secure.
Regularly Back Up
This is absolutely essential for any blog owner. You should be making daily remote backups of your blog, says Local Brand Advisor online, so that you can be certain that, if something does go wrong, you can restore your blog to a healthy state. Most platforms and web hosts will provide the option of automatically backing up, although they might charge you for the privilege.
SSL Certificate
If your hosting package doesn’t offer an SSL certificate by default, this should be one of the very first issues that you address. Not only will having an SSL certificate in place make your site more secure by encrypting its communications with its users, it will also enhance your SEO! Google loves SSL and https, so take full advantage of it.
If you run a blog, you have an obligation to your users to keep it secure. Just as you would hope that any website or service you use is protecting your data and privacy, you should take steps to make sure that you are doing the same for your users.
