In the digital age, human interactions have been slowly replaced with online substitutions. We’re so used to depending on computers to perform tasks on our behalf that attackers are increasingly exploiting this trust mechanism for malicious gain. We are living in an age of unprecedented connectivity and convenience. Our daily lives are entwined with technology, from online shopping to managing our finances, to discussing key documents and answering queries in the workplace.
Most social engineering scams search out their potential victims, often sending emails to known email addresses, sending chat messages to them or calling known phone numbers. The attackers take an active role in seeking out and making contact with their victims.
Search engine optimization is one of the most important aspects of any business’s online marketing strategy. A well-maintained SEO plan provides a low-cost, long-term stream of relevant traffic into a website. Conversely, bad SEO can be very damaging to a business. Poor visibility on search engines like Google hands revenue over to competitors, forces higher spend on PPC advertising, and can damage trust with potential customers searching for you online.
Search engine optimization (SEO) works with algorithms to ensure that the most relevant and most popular webpages show up first in an internet search. SEO makes sure that the best websites get the biggest boost. However, SEO has a lesser-known, evil twin called black hat SEO. This term refers to a common trick of cybercriminals. Black hat SEO is meant to circumvent algorithms, exploit weaknesses, and create fraudulent links.
Learning how to optimize your website can be a challenge. At one time, it was only about figuring out what Google wanted, which was largely keywords. Now, it’s much more complex. Google is focused on not only delivering high-quality, relevant search results, but also on protecting people from malware and unscrupulous websites. Not only that, a hack of your website by others can give Google false information that directly impacts your rankings.