In today’s fast-paced digital world, the security and control of your online assets are more critical than ever. Imagine waking up one day to find that all your accounts have been deleted by the marketing agency you trusted. This is a nightmare scenario for many service business owners and a very real incident that happened to one of our clients. This unfortunate situation underscores the necessity of safeguarding your digital presence against such potentially catastrophic events. Below, we dive into strategies to help protect your business from losing control over its online assets.

Understanding Account Ownership

The very first step in safeguarding your online assets is understanding account ownership. Many business owners mistakenly assume they own their accounts simply because they fund them. However, without verifying the ownership status, you might discover, too late, that the marketing agency owns these accounts. Tools like “Do You Own It?” can help you confirm ownership and ensure that all your critical assets are under your control. This simple verification can prevent devastating outcomes should a disagreement with your marketing agency arise.

Setting the Right Credentials

After ensuring you own your accounts, it’s vital to set the appropriate access levels for those assisting you with management. You should retain ownership access, while agencies should only have managerial access, enabling them to perform necessary tasks without the ability to delete or irreversibly alter accounts. This protective measure ensures that even if relations sour, your business can continue as usual.

Getting Copies of All Creatives

Alongside account controls, retaining copies of all your creative assets is essential. Whether dealing with marketing agencies, videographers, or social media managers, ensure you have access to all creative content files. Save these files directly via email or store them in a shared Google Drive. Having the original files on hand allows you to quickly recover from any loss of access and maintain continuity in your marketing efforts.

Backing Up Your Business Systems

Backing up is a practical way to safeguard not just your marketing assets but all digital aspects of your business operations. Regularly create and store backups of your CRM, website, and other business-critical systems. With platforms like WordPress, tools such as All-in-One WP Migration let you download a backup of your entire site, ensuring you can restore it if ever compromised. Likewise, exporting data from CRM platforms maintains your operational efficiency in worst-case scenarios.

Empower Yourself Through Knowledge

The foundation of a resilient business strategy is your knowledge of your operations. Relying too heavily on external sources like marketing agencies can put you at risk. By mastering lead generation and marketing tools, you ensure that your business is never at the mercy of external parties. Programs like Local Service Mastery empower business owners by equipping them with the skills needed to independently drive their marketing success.

This proactive approach not only shields your business but also amplifies your ability to grow and adapt in a competitive marketplace. Learning the ropes doesn’t mean you have to execute everything alone; it means you are informed enough to make strategic decisions and guide your team—and business—to success.

In conclusion, always act with vigilance and foresight, protecting what you’ve built requires effort and informed decisions. Implement these strategies not only to guard against potential pitfalls but to establish a foundation for sustainable growth. If you have experienced or know of other strategies to shield your business from external risks, share them. Together, we can navigate these waters more successfully.