Small Business Digital Policy Guide

Small Business Digital Policy Guide  By Judith Bitterli

With the rapid changes in hardware, how we make connections, how we access content and how we interact with technology, there’s never been a more exciting time for business.

The advent of social media, mobile devices and the accompanying tools are benefitting us in ways unimaginable a decade ago. As smartphones and tablets have integrated fully into our home and business lives, the pace, scope and capacity of work has increased - but so has the potential for problems.

Social media, too, has changed the landscape, largely for the better, but there are important issues to consider as we become ever more accessible and interconnected.

It may feel as if you need to expand or incorporate an IT team, even if until recently your company has been managing the transition to digital with little or no internal support. But considering the average cybercrime incident cost $8.9 million in 2012 - according to the Ponemon Institute Cost of Cyber Crime report - and experts say attacks, particularly using viruses, worms and malware, are increasing, it’s integral to a healthy business to have the understanding, policies and infrastructure in place to meet these threats.

But with some essential safety advice and tips for managing things such as social presence, your business can make the most of emerging technologies.