Increasing Online Safety: Essential Tips for Influencers
Want to protect yourself while growing your online business?
It’s super exciting to be an influencer and reach millions of people online with your content. But there’s one thing nobody’s talking about that you should…
Online influence comes with significant safety risks. Stalkers, doxxers, trolls and cybercriminals all pose a threat to influencers and the people we care about. The problem is only growing every year.
The good news is that with the right safety protocols in place, you can absolutely protect yourself AND still do great things online.
What you’ll learn:
- Why Online Safety For Influencers is Important
- The Top Online Threats Influencers Face
- 6x Best Safety Tips For Influencers
- How To Keep Your Location Private
Why Online Safety For Influencers is Important
The influencer marketing industry has been on a tear. We’re now looking at a $24 billion industry that shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.
The problem is that as the space grows so does the risk.
Every time you post something on social, you’re essentially putting yourself out there for the world to see. Millions of people can potentially view it. Most are genuine fans and followers who love your content.
But some aren’t.
Studies show that over 70% of influencers have been the victim of online harassment or toxic commentary. Think that’s bad? Imagine the potential physical safety implications that go along with a public profile.
The harsh reality is that influencers have a different set of challenges than the average person. You’re running a business where YOU are the product. As such, your face, name and personal details become publicly available information.
Add to that the fact that you’re putting yourself out there regularly with content and engagement and you have a recipe for disaster if you’re not careful.
The smart content creators out there have taken their safety seriously.
The Top Online Threats Influencers Face
Before we dive into our safety tips for influencers, let’s get clear on what you’re up against out there in the wild west of the internet.
Doxxing is when your personal information is posted online by an unknown party without your consent. Home address, cell number, spouse and family names are all fair game for doxxers. Around 4% of American adults have been doxxed at some point. If you’re a public figure like an influencer, that risk multiplies several times over.
Cyberstalking is online surveillance of your activity on a near obsessive level. Stalkers can monitor everything from your posts, comments and followers to what platforms you use to analyze for potential location clues.
Account hijacking is when your social accounts are compromised by an unknown third party. This typically results in the deletion of past content, scams against your followers and financial theft.
Impersonation scams involve someone creating fake accounts that steal your name and content to scam followers or otherwise damage your reputation.
Terrifying stuff, right? Well, not if you know how to protect yourself…
6x Best Safety Tips For Influencers
We’ve gathered up the exact strategies that work to keep influencers safe online.
Never Share Your Real Address
This one is the non-negotiable number one rule for influencers online. Your home address should NEVER be posted anywhere on the internet, ever. Period.
This sounds like common sense, right? But so many influencers make the rookie mistake of using their home address for business registration or return labels on merchandise.
Major error.
Instead, get yourself a virtual mailbox. These services will give you a physical street address that isn’t linked to your actual address. They then forward your mail, so you can receive packages, accept PR boxes, manage business mail and stay private all at once. Check out iPostal1 reviews for an honest look at how other creators stay safe with their addresses while managing business mail and merchandise return labels.
With a virtual address, you can:
- Safely receive PR packages and returns
- Register your business under a P.O. Box that isn’t your house
- Use a return address on merchandise that isn’t your actual home
- Maintain professionalism with brand partners
Enable 2FA Authentication On All Platforms
This should be like brushing your teeth twice a day, but it still baffles me how many influencers skip this basic security step.
Two-factor authentication adds a second level of security on all your accounts. Even if a bad actor gets your password, they won’t be able to access your account without that second verification code.
Set up 2FA on everything. Your email, social media accounts, your payments processor, content creation accounts, etc.
Whenever possible, use an authenticator app rather than SMS verification. Text messages can be intercepted through a SIM swapping attack.
Scrub Location Data From Your Content
Every photo you take has metadata with it. This includes GPS coordinates of where the photo was taken down to the specific latitude and longitude.
Make it a policy to strip the metadata from every image before posting.
Beyond metadata, be conscious of the information you’re sharing in your content itself. Street signs, business signs, landmarks and even the view out your window can all clue people into where you live and work.
Create Separate Business Identities
Smart influencers keep their personal and business identities separate.
How?
- By using a stage or brand name for their public persona
- Setting up a business LLC
- Keeping a separate bank account for business income
- Using the business name on contracts rather than the personal name
By doing this, you create legal protection for yourself and make it harder for bad actors to link your online presence to your offline life.
Monitor Your Digital Footprint
It’s important to know what personal information about you exists out there online. Set up Google Alerts for your name and your brand name.
Do regular searches for yourself across different platforms. Make sure to also check image search to see if your photos are being used elsewhere.
If you find personal information about yourself that you don’t want to be public, take action to get it removed immediately. Contact the website or platform directly to make the request.
Build A Trusted Inner Circle
Not everyone needs to know everything about you. Be clear and intentional about your boundaries with what you share.
Your family and closest friends will need to understand that it’s important to maintain confidentiality about where you are, where you live and your schedule. Make sure they know the what, when and where of what they can and can’t post about you.
The same is true of your business team. Set up clear information sharing policies and use encrypted communications where possible.
How To Keep Your Location Private
Physical safety is just as important as protecting yourself online.
Never film in real-time the places you go regularly. Social posts from the gym or coffee shop should be done after you’ve left. Preferably several hours after.
Mix up your routines. If people know exactly where you’ll be at a certain time each week, you’re a much easier target.
Invest in your home security. Great locks, cameras and alarm systems aren’t paranoid security measures for influencers. They’re very practical steps that the smartest creators have taken.
Meet brand partners in public locations until you establish trust.
Wrapping It Up
Online safety for influencers isn’t optional. It’s a necessity for serious content creators building a sustainable career online.
The threats are real. Online harassment, doxxing, stalking, account hijacking and impersonation scams can all take down your career and ruin your life if you’re not prepared.
The good news is that with some smart safety precautions, you can still do great things online while protecting the people and places you care about.
To quickly recap:
- Get a virtual mailbox to protect your real address
- Enable 2FA two-factor authentication on all accounts
- Strip location data from your content
- Separate business from personal identities
- Regularly monitor your digital footprint
- Build a trusted inner circle with whom you can share information.
Go set up some of those safety tips for influencers above right now. Your future self will thank you for taking action today instead of waiting until it’s too late.
