Guide
Keeping your website secure
Nobody is targeting your plumbing business personally. What happens is automated. Software scans millions of websites looking for old, unpatched ones, and a neglected site is an easy target regardless of how small the business is.
The certificate is the minimum
If your address shows as not secure in the browser, people leave, and Google notices. A certificate is standard now and should never be an extra charge.
Check yours by loading your site and looking for the padlock beside the address.
Updates are the real defence
Most hacked small business sites were running software that was months or years out of date. The gap between an update being released and a site being attacked can be days.
Someone has to be doing those updates. If nobody is named, nobody is doing it.
Backups decide how bad a bad day gets
With a recent backup, a hacked or broken site is a few hours of annoyance. Without one, it can mean rebuilding from scratch and losing everything you have written.
Ask how often backups run and how quickly a site can be restored. Vague answers mean no backups.
Protect the enquiries too
Customer names, numbers and messages are personal data and you have a duty to look after them. Keep them somewhere proper rather than only in a shared inbox, and do not leave them on an old laptop.
Forms should have spam protection so your inbox stays usable and junk does not bury a real enquiry.
What we do
Security, updates, certificates, backups and monitoring are part of the monthly fee. If something breaks, it is our problem to fix, not a job you have to chase.
Common questions
Why would anyone hack a small trade website?
They are not after you specifically. Automated tools look for outdated sites to use for spam or redirects, and small sites are the easiest to find.
How do I know if my site has been hacked?
Common signs are strange pages appearing, warnings in search results, or your site redirecting somewhere else. Get it checked quickly if you see any of those.
Where to go next
Want us to sort this for you?
We build the site for free and look after the hosting, the updates and the local SEO for €59.99 a month on a 12 month minimum. Have a chat with us and see if it suits.
More guides like this
- What Pages a Trade Website NeedsA simple page structure that covers search, trust and getting the call.
- How to Write a Service Page That ConvertsThe order you say things in matters as much as what you say.
- Why Your Website Is Slow on MobileMost of your visitors are on a phone, often on patchy signal. Speed is a sales issue.