Have You Been Hacked? How To Tell…

Website Security

Ideally we avoid any hacks by putting security and making sure we use valid plugins and keep them up-to-date. But as recent events show there are always a possibility of a hack you can not control.

The very first step you need to take is have a Security plug on you site and have it working correctly.

My favorite plugin for Security is iThemes. I have tested WordFence against IThemes Security and found that iThemes Security is the easier plugin with more bang for your buck with the free version. Plus it is easy to set up. You can find the free version in your website WordPress depository.

In this video WP Crafter shows you how to set up the iThemes Security plugin.

Backup Your Website

No need to lecture you on the need to back up you website…Adam from WPCrafter will do that in the video below.

Get more information on theUpdraftPlus Plugin and downloaded here or you will find it in the WordPress Depository.

Get Ready To Set-up UpDraftPlus

To use the UpDraft Plus you will need a place to store your backups. I use DropBox – which is very easy to set up and it is an easy option right in UpDraft Plus. And I use my Amazon S3 account as a central point for all my clients websites. The learning curve to set up an Amazon S3 account can be a little steep but the price for storage is well worth the effort. I am paying around $3 a month. Also I like how easy my files are to share, the S3 interface is very nice.

Been Hacked? Who To Hire

Despite my best efforts to keep a clients website from being hacked…it happened. The vulnerability was one I could not resolve so I had to hire some one to look and find the problem and fix it. My saving grace in these situations is Aamir Fiaz of BlogEngage.net. His communication is perfect and his work is impeccable! plus he is very fast.

Yes, you do have a little bit of work to do. Make it easy on yourself and follow the above resources. Don’t wait to get your WordPress Website Security In and Working.

Sheila Atwood

Photo Credit – Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

Here are 5 simple things you can do right now to get your WordPress website security basics done.

Clean up Users and Passwords

Go now and cleanup the users area.

1. Get rid of any User named admin – at one time it was pretty common to have admin the main user name for a WordPress website. In fact when you set up a hosting account it was created for you. Of course hackers have caught on to that one.

2. Get rid of any User that is not necessary to the day to day functions of your website. If you need to give permission for some one to access the site for a short period of time you can always do that; be sure to remove them as soon as they are finished.

3. Give Users a role that is suitable for what they will be doing in your website. Everybody does not need to be Administrators! You do not want someone else thinking they can click on anything above their access grade.

4. Go into Users from your dashboard, and edit all accounts now left in your Users Admin.

Look to see if the User Name and Nick Name are the same, if they are your account is vulnerable to hackers. Ideally when we set up new WordPress Accounts we create an admin name that has nothing to with our real names.

That is the ideal scene, but many of have not created the ideal scene in the past so WordPress has now made it easy to update your Nick Name. Do that!

If you find that you need or want to create a brand new admin instead this older post by WPBeginner will help you do that.

5. Give every User STRONG Password – You may have noticed that when you are creating new passwords for secure sites they are requiring strong passwords that BOTS can not hack. A strong password is your first defense against hackers, no matter where you are logging in.
You would be amazed at how may times my clients give access to accounts that have weak passwords.

It is always a good idea to use the password generated by WordPress. But if you prefer to create your own here is a formula that works!

a. Your password should be unique for every site.
b. Create a passwords that begins with symbols. For example @#&#. This makes it harder for BOTS to run your password.
c. Use letters at least one capital letter and one lower case.
d. Use at least one number in your password.
e. Never use words that can be found in the dictionary.

To help you keep track of your passwords use a tool like LastPass.

Now that you have completed those simple but very important tasks, it is time to delve into creating backups for your site and adding a security plugin.

A backup system and a good security plugin will give you the clout to handle the type of hacks that recently ran through many WordPress websites.

Take Action!

Sheila

P.S. Because the average WordPress site is owned by someone that is not active the WordPress Community of designers and developers, having a great security plugin and a backup of your site is your next line of defense against hackers. I know, because I had 5 websites that were hacked from inside an old hosting account I was using.

WordPress now powers over 1/3rd of the top 10 million sites on the web.

Because WordPress is an open source platform everything we ever wanted was just around the corner…now I see the web and WordPress moving in directions I have never imagined. I know there are some advantages to downloading and using the WordPress.org self hosted platform. In fact, that has always been my recommendation until now.

The WordPress.com platform for personal use or for a small business is a very viable choice, especially for personal websites and business websites. There is soooo much built into your website platform and like loads of new plugins, not to mention that the learning curve is much lower. It is a perfect jumping off point for beginners and beats the heck out of WIX, Weebly and SquareSpace.

Recently, I joined a Local WordPress Yahoo Group. Fortunately the group is run by and supported by some really fabulous WordPress officanos. It is there that I have learned just how far the WordPress.com platform has come and why I now recommend it.

Okay! I still use self hosted WordPress.org for my sites and sites I build for clients…but it is not for everyone. WordPress.com is a nice jumping off point and you can build some really beautiful sites for business and for your eCom store. Then when you have some experience under your belt you can always move over to the self hosted version. You may be surprised to find you will stick around for a long while.

P.S. By the way, you will love this really well done WordPress Stats Infographic at HostingTribunal.com it is easy to read, full of great stats and resources.

Last night I met with our local WordPress Meetup group which ranges from novices to some of the experts I have known for years. The websites each member was working on were as different as our abilities; from Military Awards to Downloadable Meditations.

What Is WordPress? – The Video Version

One of my favorite ways of learning and teaching WordPress is through WP101.com. Although WordPress is very easy to learn and very easy to use, video learning makes it a dream.

So take it away WP101…

Infographic Explaining “What is WordPress”

Who Uses WordPress?

The volume of WordPress websites is growing fast…30% of all websites are on WordPress. Some of the WordPress websites surprise me. Just this year the Official White House website moved WordPress. On the other end of the spectrum, we have The New Yorker and the Rolling Stones using WordPress. 

Interested in seeing more? WP Beginner has compiled a really fun list of famous WordPress websites.

Learning WordPress

Want to learn WordPress? – The simple choice is my number 1 suggestion: join WP101.com for easy video learning at it’s best. Save yourself time and confusion! Searching YouTube for answers can become overwhelming and confusing, like really fast.

Didn’t they do a great job explaining WordPress in the video above?

Join WordPress Meetup near you.

Too busy for all that jazz…or feeling too technically challenged? then you fall into the same category as our clients…you want someone else to know WordPress and build your website.

In that case, call us we can get you online.

Sheila

P.S. Now that you know what WordPress is I am sure you can see that it is for you too.

Using different hosting solutions has made me feel that way more than once. Managing websites for clients often means going way behind the scene to straighten out problems. Which may mean working directly with the hosting provider.

Hostgator

We first started out with Hostgator but found their service was not reliable once they became a subsidiary of Endurance International Group. Almost overnight service went downhill and we found that our websites were loading slower and slower.

BlueHost

We have also used BlueHost who eventually came under the Endurance Internation Group. Recently I did some work for a client that is still using BlueHost. When I contacted support through the chatbox it went really fast and the gentleman was helpful, he found the problem quickly and had us back up and running.

Big plus point – BlueHost now offers free SSL Certificates(it activates the padlock and the https protocol and allows secure connections from a web server to a browser). Our client was able to update to a secure site all on his own just by following the instructions that BlueHost sent him. This could be a good option for your too.

Site5

There is no doubt that my worst experience has been with Site5. When one of our theme providers suggested Site5 as a great option we moved our own sites and our contracted customers over. At first, it was a great experience, great communication, fast service and backend interface.

Then all of the sudden, you could not contact them by phone or email. Plus all of the logins and passwords were changed without notice…hell is putting the experience mildly.

a2Hosting the Viable Solution

The solution to our woes just happened to come in time. We built a website for a client that was already on a2Hosting. When I checked a2 out they had rave reviews and they were quick to help me with any questions I had, all their answers were clear and concise. (Besides I love their logo.)

At the same time, we were looking for the best way to add SSL Certificates to all sites we manage; Vola´ a2Hosting was the answer.

This has been a very fortunate marriage:

• Excellent service by phone, email and support tickets
• Free SSL certificates and great paid options
• 6% faster loading time for websites
• Backend interface that is easy to understand and navigate
• One-click WordPress setup
• Backup options you can purchase
• Great pricing options that save you money

You will be happy with a2 as your WordPress hosting provider. They are perfect for small businesses and for any person providing services for small business websites.

Helping you find a WordPress Hosting solution that is easy and works hard for you is what we do.

To websites that are more than a pretty face,

Sheila

P.S. Need help getting your WordPress Hosting solution and setting up your WordPress site? Call us!

Do I need to have a photo on my blog site?

The answer is “YES!”  And… it’s one of the first branding strategies you can use to boost your online presence.

I’ve never been an “On Stage” kind of gal.  I’ve never quite understood the need to put oneself in public view.  I’m very comfortable behind the scenes just doing my thing… quietly. However, circumstances have always forced me to step up to the plate and put my mug out there.

For years, I designed for the craft and gift industries. I authored over 80 instructional craft books.  And yes…. my photo was in each and every copy. Thousands and thousands of copies have been distributed throughout the world. My name and face were part of the “promotion strategy.”

“Fortune”… not “Fame”… is my preference. However… in some businesses… the two go together hand in hand. The online presence game requires more than just your name, it requires your face.

How To Put Two and Two Together For Personal Branding

Your name alone is not enough to get folks to remember who you are. Seeing your face on your blog… along with your name… gives you brand identity. When folks see your name… they need to be able to attach your face to it.   So… your photo on your blog is vital. Folks bond with you better when they can see who you are.

Autumn of ItsAlwaysAutumn.com gives us the perfect example of personal branding. Autumn uses her own avatar for her about section and she is the model for some of her clothing. Love it!

The reason I put a photo on my opt-in pages is that I want my readers to identify with me immediately. My name is just not enough. Besides… it helps them remember me when they get their first e-mail. If they can connect a face with a name… they are more likely to open up the e-mail.

I notice that the sales page text has become more simplified.  Often, there is no graphic header. The absence of a header graphic seems to convert better than one that is all fancy. However… your photo still needs to be on the page. Folks what to see who they are buying from. A photo gives the reader a certain level of confidence that you’re real.

Another great example of personal branding is Dave Tomisto of Milagros in Orem, Utah shows us that he is the proud chef behind his unique Mexican cuisine.

Do I Have To Be In The Movies For An Online Presence?

The first video I made was terrifying. I stuttered and stammered. Sheila, who is my videographer, had to stop filming every two minutes so we could start over. As a matter of fact… I still get terrified and I still stammer and stutter. And, we still stop and start over, and over again.

Well… all I can say is… it’s worked great for me. In another niche… I have 28 videos with 250,000 uploads. The videos have served me well. They have provided hundreds of backlinks to my site.

Nicole Stoddard of LuckyDog Recreation jumps in and puts her personal stamp on this video. Not only do you get a taste of the fabulous park playgrounds, you get to see the person behind those projects. Great job Nicole.

The point is… yes, you must at least put your photo on your blog, your opt-in pages and sales pages if you want to get your personal branding up and running. Especially if you are the face of your business.

Video…. Well… that’s up to you… but if your niche requires it… by all means… step up to the plate and smile big.

Til later,

Kathryn Griffiths

P.S. For strong brand building for your online presence… make sure you use a real photo. Avoid using your dog, cat, baby photo or one of those silly gravitars.

P.P.S. You want to make your branding building look professional, using a professional photographer is the way to go! Your the professional in your business, let that professionalism shine.