Online Marketing Tips – Describe your links and double check the links and addresses you get
Internet security is an issue, just look at Facebook and all the shoe tags you get sent from people that got in to your account or a friends account. One of the best online marketing tips I can give as a music consultant is actually three fold.
1. Describe the link for others.
2. Check the link to make sure it is era
3. Double check what you are really allowing when you add an application or a third party program to your website, Facebook, twitter or whatever else.
Being hacked sucks, but there are a few simple rules to follow to reduce the chances of being hacked and having your account taken over.
First off, when you are sending out links, whether on a social media site, your blog or in an email, explain and describe the link. As an independent musician, you are need to explain what you are sending, since online threats are growing daily and the viruses and scam sites grow in larger numbers every day. Not to mention, many people are getting these scam links from other musicians.
Tell someone that the link is a blog, a video or a song sample. Tell them where it is taking you. Now twitter will shrink the URL, but if you give a short description, it will instill a little more security for the apprehensive clickers. For your blogs or places where you have the ability to either put the full link or a shortened link, I like TinyURL.com, because you can shorten it, but also give it a shorter more personalized title, for example……
http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-artists-guide-to-success/id407244128?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
That is the link to my book on iTunes and a long damn link.
But if I tell people…Here is the link to my iBook version of The Artist’s Guide: http://tinyurl.com/lorensbook
Most will feel pretty safe and know that it is me and a link that I am sending.
Second, check the link to make sure you are on the right page. Ever get a message that sends you to tvvitter.com? it is a scam site and it fishes for you to sign in again. Many just think they have to log in again and do not realize, now you have given access to your twitter account to a scamming party. If you are ever prompted to log back in or a page comes up that doesn’t read exactly as the URL should, avoid it!!!!!
These are the little tricks that allow people access to your information and allow them to scam, spam and use your accounts. it has happened to many of us and it is each of our responsibilities to look at what we are logging in to or clicking through too.
Third, Watch out for the games, applications and services you add to your website. Check the terms and conditions as well as what you are allowing them to do. Some of these apps are scam and spamming things that you have clicked to allow to use your account to post things that you may not want posted.
For Facebook go to the upper right corner
Click on Account Settings
Then Click on Apps
Then click on each app for their app settings.
You might be surprised at what you are allowing third party people to do.
Point is….. Give the description of what you are sending people so they know that what they are opening is coming from you. Make your password strong and keep that password strength in the green so it is harder to hack in to. lastly, change your passwords every so often for the best security. All of this may not stop your accounts, your social media or your website from being hacked, but you lessen the chances a great deal.
L
Loren Weisman is an accomplished music producer, author and music consultant. He is the author of “The Artist’s Guide to Success in the Music Business”, a book to help independent artists, musicians, bands, labels and managers achieve self sufficient and sustainable success. For more info on Loren and music consulting services, visit: http://www.lorenweisman.com
