In an increasingly digital world, we&rsquo;re switching more and more of our daily lives over to the Internet. While this brave new world is exciting and convenient, it&rsquo;s not without its problems.&nbsp;
The issue of unsafe passwords has been around for a while. But have you ever thought about where and how to store them?
Most of us have several passwords, and we&rsquo;re encouraged to never duplicate them. Some people simply write them all down on a piece of paper &mdash; which is fraught with danger. But others store their passwords electronically.
As you&rsquo;re about to find out, not all electronic systems of password storage are <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/blog/10-things-you-need-to-do-to-keep-passwords-safe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">safe</a>. Here are five of the most dangerous ways to store your passwords.&nbsp;
But before we begin:
Avoid bad idea passwords and dangerous storage methods with TeamPassword. This advanced <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/blog/why-you-need-a-password-manager" target="_blank" rel="noopener">password manager</a> features a selection of security features, including password encryption and two-step verification. Sign up for a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" rel="follow">free trial</a> today.&nbsp;

<h2>1. Email</h2>
Have you ever emailed yourself a password to ensure you&rsquo;re never without it? Great idea, right? Actually, emailing yourself your passwords is a really bad idea, and here&rsquo;s why:
<ul>
<li>Emails are usually sent in plain text. Without encryption, your passwords are susceptible if your email account is ever compromised.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Unsafe passwords sent via email often pass through several systems and servers. There&rsquo;ll also be a copy in your sent folder. If someone else can access your email account, your passwords become vulnerable.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Some email platforms store data locally on a drive. If someone steals your computer, phone, or tablet, your passwords become vulnerable.</li>
</ul>
A really bad idea for passwords is to send them via email &mdash; either to yourself or someone else. <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/blog/have-i-been-hacked-how-to-know-for-sure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hackers </a>and scammers are more resourceful than ever, and they can often steal your information before you realize you&rsquo;ve been compromised.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s tempting to send a quick email to yourself containing unsafe passwords when you sign up for new online services. For the sake of an extra minute or two, don&rsquo;t give fraudsters easy access to your accounts. Use an encrypted email vault to safeguard all your passwords.&nbsp;
<h2>2. Online Documents</h2>
A lot of people like the convenience of saving crucial information using online document systems such as Google Docs. But this is a bad idea for passwords, as these systems are designed for text &mdash; not sensitive data.
Yes, a password might protect your online document manager from unauthorized access. But what happens if that password is compromised? Many document software platforms don&rsquo;t offer encryption, two-step verification, or even the most basic security measures.&nbsp;
If you use online documents regularly, you&rsquo;re probably accessing your account on a regular basis &mdash; across several devices. What happens if you step away for a moment to buy a coffee, speak to a friend, or use the bathroom?
A criminal can access an unattended online document platform in seconds. And if this happens, it doesn't take a lot of effort to steal your unsafe passwords.&nbsp;
<h2>3. Instant Messaging Service</h2>
Instant messaging services provide us with a convenient way of staying in touch with friends and family. WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Snapchat were designed for private online conversations &mdash; not for storing passwords.
People who store their passwords on these apps do so because they believe they&rsquo;re fully encrypted. While that&rsquo;s often the case, it&rsquo;s important to remember that instant messaging services are often left open and operating in the background.
Imagine someone picks up your phone while you&rsquo;re not paying attention. If you left your device unlocked, that person would be able to access your password in seconds.
It&rsquo;s always a bad idea when passwords are stored on instant messaging services. By nature, these apps are designed to operate in the background &mdash; alerting you when someone sends a message. And because they&rsquo;re open, anyone with the device in their hand might be able to steal your unprotected passwords.&nbsp;
Don&rsquo;t fall into the trap of utilizing bad ideas for password storage. Sign up for a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free trial</a> with TeamPassword, and give your unsafe passwords the protection they require.
<h2>4. Online Note-taker</h2>
Developers design online note-takers for everyday lists and reminders. While they&rsquo;re great for creating to-do and shopping lists, they&rsquo;re not so good for storing unsafe passwords.&nbsp;
An app such as Apple Notes is easy to use, accessible, and convenient. But it doesn&rsquo;t offer two-step authentication, encryption, or any sophisticated form of security.&nbsp;
If your computer or mobile device is unlocked, your saved passwords are vulnerable. In many cases, a criminal would simply need to open the app to gain access to your sensitive information.&nbsp;
OK, you might be extra vigilant when it comes to keeping your phone or computer locked. But hackers are resourceful, and they&rsquo;re very good at discovering unsafe passwords. Once they access your phone, any passwords stored in your note-taking app become vulnerable.&nbsp;
<h2>5. On a Non-Password-Protected Device</h2>
Of all the bad ideas for passwords, storing them on non-password-protected devices is about the worst. You might think that your tablet or laptop never leaves your side. But if your device is ever stolen, you&rsquo;ve given the criminals the easiest possible opportunity to access your saved passwords.&nbsp;
If you&rsquo;re determined to store passwords on a physical device &mdash; which is never a good idea &mdash; make sure the device password is a complex combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. And it should contain at least 12 characters.&nbsp;
<h2>Use TeamPassword for Extra Protection</h2>
Remembering and safely storing a dozen or more passwords isn&rsquo;t a simple task. By locking away all your passwords in a digital vault, you get maximum protection and easy access.&nbsp;
TeamPassword offers a range of <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/security" target="_blank" rel="noopener">security features</a> &mdash; designed to keep your passwords safe. Offering two-step authentication and encryption, this powerful protection system solves the problem of unsafe passwords with ease. Sign up for a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free trial</a> to see these exciting features for yourself.&nbsp;

Storing passwords inappropriately can leave you open to fraud and theft. Avoid these storage methods at all costs. | TeamPassword Blog

Storing passwords inappropriately can leave you open to fraud and theft. Avoid these storage methods at all costs. ...

Top 5 Dangerous Ways to Store Your Passwords

Marketing KPIs (key performance indicators) are critical for companies to measure campaign successes, what's working, and what's not.
As you will see in this article, it's essential to calculate several of these metrics because when used together they give each other context.
Does your marketing team <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/secure-password-sharing">share passwords</a> for social media platforms, marketing tools, software, and other applications? Sharing passwords via email, spreadsheets, messaging apps, and other unsecure methods could put your company, clients, and end-users at risk!
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Switch to TeamPassword, the affordable and robust password management solution for small businesses and startups. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> to try TeamPassword.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2>1 - Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)</h2>
Customer acquisition cost (CAC) measures what you spend to convert a single lead into a paying customer&mdash;sometimes compared alongside customer lifetime value (LTV).&nbsp;
CAC is one of the most important marketing metrics for startups because it tells you how much you need to spend to grow your customer base. Investors often consider CAC to determine a startup's burn rate and how that will affect cash flow.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>Customer Acquisition Cost Calculation</h3>
Customer Acquisition Cost = Sales and Marketing Expenses / Number of New Customers
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
You can calculate your CAC on a few levels:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Campaign level&mdash;individual marketing campaigns</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Medium level&mdash;social media, paid ads, email marketing, content marketing, custom-defined, etc.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Total marketing budget</li>
</ul>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Campaign Level CAC</h3>
Your CAC at the campaign level will help you determine how much you spent to acquire customers for a specific campaign. For example, an eCommerce store's Summer Sale that included paid ads, social media, and email marketing.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Medium Level CAC</h3>
Medium level CAC calculates how much you spend to acquire a new customer per medium. This calculation will help you determine where to focus your marketing efforts, like social media, paid ads, or email marketing, for example.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>Total Marketing Budget</h3>
Calculating your customer acquisition cost for your entire marketing budget will determine how much you're spending on marketing vs. the cost to acquire new customers.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h2>2 - Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)</h2>
Customer lifetime value (LTV) measures the total average revenue each customer will generate. Companies often measure LTV with CAC to understand the cost to acquire a new customer vs. the total value of that customer.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>Customer Lifetime Value Calculation</h3>
Calculating your LTV requires two steps. First, you need to calculate your lifetime value, then your LTV.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
Step one&mdash;calculating lifetime value:
Lifetime value = Average value of sales x number of transactions x retention period
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Step two&mdash;calculating LTV:
Customer lifetime value = lifetime value x profit margin
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
If your CAC is higher than your LTV, then effectively, you don't have a viable business model because you will never generate any profit.
Having said that, many startups operate at a CAC higher than their LTV early on to build a customer base. The idea is that once you acquire a certain number of customers, they'll invite other users, which will drive organic growth, and reduce your overall CAC over time.
Without a massive budget, this strategy is extremely risky and could bankrupt the company. It's better to manage your marketing budget with a CAC as low as possible while maximizing your LTV.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>How to Increase the LTV?</h3>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Communication builds rapport with customers and increases the likelihood that they'll spend more money.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Find ways to re-engage existing customers to get them to spend more.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Develop strategies to build brand loyalty so that customers are more likely to exceed your average LTV.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2>3 - Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)</h2>
Cost per acquisition (CPA) is often confused with customer acquisition cost. Where CAC measures the cost to acquire a customer, CPA measures for any acquisition that is not yet a customer&mdash;for example, leads, trial users, sign-ups, etc.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>Cost Per Acquisition Calculation</h3>
The CPA formula is the same as the CAC calculation.
Cost Per Acquisition = Sales and Marketing Expenses / Number of New Acquisitions
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h2>4 - Return on Investment (ROI)</h2>
Return on investment (ROI) measures the gross profit you generate from your marketing investment.
ROI is usually represented as a percentage that indicates the difference (margin) between revenue and expenses. The higher the percentage, the more profitable your return on investment.
When calculating returns specifically for marketing campaigns, companies sometimes refer to ROI as ROMI (Return on Marketing Investment).
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>Return on Investment Calculation</h3>
Return on investment = (sales growth - cost of investment) / cost of investment
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
Spreadsheet tip: If you're adding this formula to a spreadsheet, make sure you set the cell to percentage.
&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2>5 - Traffic-to-Lead Ratio</h2>
Traffic-to-lead ratio is the number of leads you acquire related to the source&mdash;organic, paid ads, email marketing, social media, etc.&nbsp;
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>Traffic-to-Lead Ratio Calculation</h3>
Traffic-to-Lead Ratio = Visitors / Leads
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
The lower your traffic-to-lead ratio, the more valuable the traffic source.
For example, you get 100 leads from Instagram and 50 leads from Pinterest during a month. You would assume Instagram is where you need focus, right?
But what if, to get those leads, you had to drive 10,000 visitors from Instagram and 1,000 from Pinterest?
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
Each traffic-to-lead ratio would look like this:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Instagram: 100:1&mdash;one lead for every 100 visitors&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Pinterest: 20:1&mdash;one lead for every 20 visitors</li>
</ul>
Pinterest traffic is more valuable in this scenario because you have to drive fewer visitors per lead.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Traffic-to-lead ratio can help understand several things about the leads you generate:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Determine the impact of layout or content changes</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Learn which are your best traffic sources</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">If you have an affiliate marketing campaign, you can tell which affiliate drives the most valuable traffic</li>
</ul>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2>6 - Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)</h2>
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) measures the revenue you generate for every dollar you spend, usually expressed as a ratio.
In most cases, you want your return to be higher than your spending. However, you might also consider your customer lifetime value. If you have a high LTV, then you can afford to lose a little on your ROAS because you know you'll see a return over time.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Return on Ad Spend Calculation</h3>
Return on Ad Spend = Revenue generated from ads / Money spent on ads
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
How do you protect your leads and customers? Does your team <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-safely-share-passwords-with-coworkers">share passwords</a> for email marketing software and lead generation tools? Protect your customers' data with an effective password management solution from TeamPassword. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a>.&nbsp;
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2>7 - Conversion Rate</h2>
Conversion rate is the number of customers who complete a specific action usually expressed as a percentage&mdash;like a sale, email signup, survey completion, etc. The higher your conversion rate, the better your content, sales funnel, and overall marketing efforts.
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is the practice of looking for ways to improve conversions by testing changes to the marketing strategy&mdash;also referred to as growth hacking.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Conversion Rate Calculation</h3>
Conversion Rate = (Number of conversions / total visitors) x 100
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h2>8 - Follower Growth</h2>
Follower growth expresses the gains or losses in social media followers. This metric can help social media managers and brands understand if their messaging and content resonates with their target market.
Follower growth is an essential social media metric because the higher your follower count, the greater your organic reach and the less you need to spend on ads&mdash;depending on the platform's algorithm restrictions, of course!
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Follower Growth Calculation</h3>
Social media managers generally measure follower growth monthly, quarterly, and annually expressed as a percentage.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Follower Growth = (Number of new followers / total followers) x 100
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Note: if you lose followers, you must express the number of new followers as a negative to get your net loss as a percentage.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2>9 - Organic Traffic</h2>
Organic traffic measures the number of visitors who find your website through search engine results. Organic traffic is significant because it costs the least to acquire.
You can create a blog post that costs a few hundred dollars to rank your website high in search engines, delivering "free" traffic for months, years, or even decades!
Brands are always looking to increase organic traffic through search engine optimization and blog content.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2>10 - Email Marketing: Open Rate &amp; Click-Through rate</h2>
There are two metrics email marketers measure (expressed as percentages):
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Open rate: how many people open your emails</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Click-through rate (CTR): how many people click email links</li>
</ul>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Open rate allows you to gauge the success of your email subject line and whether it resonates enough for people to open your email. This metric can also help to determine whether your emails are going to inboxes or straight to spam!
CTR tells you how successful your email content and CTAs were at getting people to click your links. If you have multiple links in an email, you can measure a separate CTR for each one to determine which content hyperlink was most effective.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Open Rate &amp; Click-Through rate Calculation</h3>
Open Rate = (Total emails opened / total emails delivered) x 100&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
Click-Through Rate = (Total link clicks / total emails delivered) x 100
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h2>Does Your Marketing Team Share Passwords?</h2>
Many marketing tools and social media platforms only allow a single login. In some cases, you pay per user, so teams share credentials to save monthly subscription costs.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword is a password management solution</a> for companies to share credentials with internal and external team members safely. Instead of <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/secure-password-sharing">sharing passwords</a>, you share access to your company's digital assets via TeamPassword.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Team members can use one of our browser extensions (Safari, Firefox, Chrome) or mobile app (iOS, Android) to log into accounts&mdash;meaning they never have to save or remember passwords because TeamPassword does it all for you!
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> to improve your company's password security and mitigate the potential for leaks and attacks.

Marketing KPIs are critical for companies to measure successes. This article will explain top ten marketing KPIs essential for your team.

Marketing KPIs are critical for companies to measure successes. This article will explain the top ten marketing KPIs ...

Top 10 marketing KPIs for your team

Marketing KPIs are critical for companies to measure successes. This article will explain the top ten marketing KPIs essential for your team.

Top ten marketing KPIs for your team

Marketing is one of the biggest challenges for small businesses and startups. You have to manage limited resources while trying to grow and engage your customer base.
One of the biggest marketing questions small businesses face is how will I run my marketing?
Do you hire:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">An in-house marketing team or individual?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">A marketing contractor?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">A marketing agency?</li>
</ul>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
There's no one-size-fits-all approach to answering this marketing dilemma, but there are some pros and cons to weigh. This article will explore hiring a marketing contractor vs. in-house marketing vs. marketing agency and why you might consider one over another.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
No matter your choice, you'll need to share company or client passwords to give marketing teams access to social media, email marketing software, and other marketing tools.&nbsp;
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
TeamPassword is an affordable password manager for small businesses and startups to share credentials securely with team members&mdash;including contractors, agencies, and clients. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> today!
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h2>In-House Marketing</h2>
Small business owners and startup founders are often wary of hiring people full-time. If you hit hard times, it's easier to cut back on outsourced marketing than finding money to meet payroll&mdash;employees come with lots of risk and responsibility!
But an in-house marketing team or individual also brings consistency, reliability, control and makes decisions in the company's best interests rather than their own.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Pros of In-House Marketing</h3>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Speed and flexibility: An in-house marketing team can act faster with a higher degree of consistency than an agency or contractor. Full-time employees are also more likely to go that extra mile to ensure the company succeeds. This flexibility allows you to react quickly to market changes; critical in today's competitive landscape.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Long-term consistency: Consistency is key to building a marketing strategy with long-term goals&mdash;something you'll struggle to achieve with a contractor or agency. Contractors and agency staff come and go, which means you also have to consider the cost of communicating and reiterating your company's mission. An employee will generally stick around for five to ten years, which means you can have one person committed to meeting KPIs for your company's long-term success.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Security: We're living in an age where cybersecurity poses a massive risk to all companies globally. Contractors and agencies expose companies to <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/what-is-a-security-audit-and-does-my-business-need-one">security risks</a>. In contrast, owners have far more control over full-time employees so that they can minimize these risks.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Manage your password vulnerabilities with a secure password management solution from TeamPassword. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> to minimize your company's cybersecurity risks.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>Cons of In-House Marketing</h3>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Responsibility: Full-time employees come with a lot of responsibility! Aside from salary and benefits, you have to consider where they work, tools and equipment, training, what happens during leave (vacation, sick, parental, etc.), company culture, and other factors many business owners don't consider when hiring.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">You need a team: Marketing is a multifaceted industry with social media, copywriting, content creation, email, paid ads, keyword research, and even PR in small businesses. All of these disciplines are full-time jobs alone! Even for a small company, this is a lot of work for one person, so you'll likely have to outsource some work early on.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Slow to scale: Hiring full-time staff is a slow process, which can take months when you include the interview process and onboarding. These delays could impact how quickly your business can scale, especially during growth spikes.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h2>Marketing Agency</h2>
There is a lot of value in hiring a marketing agency, but there are also several downsides you need to consider.
While you don't have the responsibility of a full-time team member, marketing agencies often lock you into fixed-term contracts that aren't easy to terminate early if you're unhappy with the service.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>Pros of a Marketing Agency</h3>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Multifaceted talent: Marketing agencies come with diverse talent, strategies, and ideas. This multifaceted expertise can provide significant value for your company's marketing efforts. Marketing agencies are also in tune with trends, customer behavior, and other market-related conditions.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Team management: One of the challenges with full-time employees and contractors is that they require a degree of oversight. Marketing agencies manage their staff, so you never have to worry about employee leave, tools and equipment, training, etc. Your marketing campaigns continue 12 months a year without managing teams or people&mdash;freeing you to focus on other aspects of your business.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Scalable &amp; adaptable: Another significant benefit to hiring a marketing agency is that they can quickly scale and adapt as your company grows. Depending on your contract, you can also cut back during slow periods to reduce costs and manage cash flow.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Cons of In-House Marketing</h3>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Can lack consistency: With so many people working on your account, your campaigns' messaging, timing, and branding can lack consistency, especially in the first few months as you build an agency-company relationship. You also have no control over who works on your account or when the agency swaps staff&mdash;which could lead to inconsistencies or delays.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Billable hours: Marketing agencies generally charge by the hour, allocating your campaigns a set amount of time per week. While agencies are usually pretty efficient, this time allocation limits your ability to make fast changes or push that little extra when required.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Lack flexibility: Marketing often requires you to act fast to changes or opportunities as they present themselves, which can be challenging when working with an agency. You can't ask agency employees to work overtime to take advantage of opportunities or challenges. Additionally, changing a campaign usually requires you to go through a chain of communication at the marketing agency to get authorization or sign off on additional costs.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">High-security risk: While it's great to have a team of people working on your campaigns, marketing agencies significantly increase your security risk. You'll have little or no control over who has access to your company's digital assets or <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/solving-common-agency-problems-with-a-password-manager">how marketing agencies share passwords</a>.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
One way to mitigate this security risk is to use TeamPassword. Allocate a separate login for each person from the agency working on your account, and share your passwords through <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword's password manager</a>. Sharing credentials with agencies this way gives you more control and reduces your password vulnerabilities.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2>Marketing Contractor</h2>
A marketing contractor provides a good balance between agency and full-time employee. You get the intimacy of an employee-employer relationship without the responsibility of a full-time team member.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Pros of a Marketing Contractor</h3>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Experienced specialist: Marketing contractors come with a wealth of specialist experience. You can also hire different contractors to fulfill specific tasks and roles, so you get high-value expertise for all your marketing efforts.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Flexible contracts: Marketing contractors generally have flexible (often verbal) agreements that you can terminate without notice. You also don't have to worry about benefits, salaries, taxes, etc.</li>
</ul>
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<h3>Cons of a Marketing Contractor</h3>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Lack of skills: Most marketing contractors are specialists, which is great for specific tasks, but it could be a problem if you don't have the resources for multiple freelancers!</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Availability: Marketing contractors often have several clients, and unlike agencies, they don't have the staffing to manage their calendar, meaning they're only available during specific days or times.</li>
</ul>
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<h2>Cost Considerations for Types of Marketing</h2>
One thing we haven't mentioned in any of the pros and cons of marketing contractor vs. in-house marketing vs. marketing agency is cost. Cost is difficult to quantify because there are ways to save or overspend with all three options.&nbsp;
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<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What resources do you already have to complement in-house marketing (i.e., graphic designer, copywriter, content creators, developers)? If you already have a small team, adding a full-time marketing director might be more valuable and cost-effective than a contractor or agency.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">A marketing agency with a diverse team will give you the highest value with minimal cost if you only have a small budget. They'll also have add-ons and extras to help you scale.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">A US-based marketing contractor can be cost-effective if you only need them a few hours a week. But they usually charge more per hour than a full-time employee or agency. If you need a lot of marketing work, a marketing contractor might work out the most expensive option.</li>
</ul>
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<h2>Password Security for Internal &amp; External Teams</h2>
Most small businesses and startups hire a mix of in-house and outsourced team members. One of the challenges in this mixed environment is <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-safely-share-passwords-with-coworkers">sharing passwords with coworkers</a>.
Many small businesses use unsecure methods like email, chat, spreadsheets, or digital notes to share credentials. These unsecured sharing methods expose companies (including clients, employees, and users) to attacks.
We designed <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> to solve this password management problem for small businesses.
With affordable plans, easy onboarding, multiple ways to log in, and robust security, TeamPassword is the <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">best password manager</a> for small businesses managing internal and external teams.
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Here is a quick overview of our password manager:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Accessible everywhere: use our browser extensions (Firefox, Chrome, Safari) or mobile app (iOS, Android) to log into accounts.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Groups &amp; sharing: create groups to share credentials with various teams. Only provide access to those who need it and easily revoke access with a single click!</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Robust passwords: a built-in <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">password generator</a> lets you create unique, secure passwords for every account.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Two-factor authentication (2FA): each team member can set up 2FA using Google Authenticator to add an extra layer of security for their TeamPassword account.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Activity Logging &amp; Notifications: TeamPassword tracks every team member's activity, so you can keep track of movements and identify suspicious activity. You can also set up email notifications for instant alerts to your most sensitive data and accounts.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> and secure your company's assets with TeamPassword&mdash;no obligation and no credit card required!

With affordable plans, easy onboarding and robust security, TeamPassword is the best password manager for small businesses.

With affordable plans, easy onboarding, multiple ways to log in, and robust security, TeamPassword is the best password ...

Marketing Contractor vs. In-house marketing vs. Marketing Agency

With affordable plans, easy onboarding, multiple ways to log in, and robust security, TeamPassword is the best password manager for small businesses managing internal and external teams.

Marketing Contractor vs. Internal Marketing Team vs. Marketing Agency

With cyber threats on the rise, a robust cybersecurity strategy is essential to protect your company, employees, clients, and end-users. If you think cybersecurity strategies are only for large organizations or government agencies, think again.
Criminals are always looking for the low-hanging fruit. Small businesses often have poor or non-existent cybersecurity strategies, with staff whose knowledge doesn't extend past basic phishing attacks&mdash;which most email software filters anyway!
Every company must have a cybersecurity strategy, including solopreneurs and freelancers.&nbsp;
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A good cybersecurity strategy starts with securing your credentials with a password manager. TeamPassword is a password management solution for small businesses. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial today</a>!
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<h2>What is a Cybersecurity Strategy?</h2>
A cybersecurity strategy is a three to five-year plan detailing how a company will secure its assets and prevent attacks. Effective cybersecurity strategies are working guidelines, able to evolve and adapt to the ever-changing threat landscape.
A cybersecurity strategy is a preventative approach to cyberattacks with reactive measures for when incidents occur. The goal is to stay one step ahead of attackers, with a plan for all eventualities.
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<h2>How to Develop a Cybersecurity Strategy</h2>
Before you can implement a cybersecurity strategy, you have to take stock of your business and its vulnerabilities. Conducting a <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/blog/what-is-a-security-audit-and-does-my-business-need-one">security audit</a> is one way to establish your baseline from which to build an effective strategy.
<h3>Evaluate the Threat Landscape</h3>
If you're a small business developing a cybersecurity strategy yourself, you must understand the threat landscape concerning your business practices, including the types of vulnerabilities and attacks.
You may also research competitors to see what <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/category/data-breaches">breaches</a> occur at companies like yours. In addition, you'll want to understand cyber-threat trends&mdash;what kinds of attacks are criminals deploying most often?
Make a list of all possible cybersecurity threats in a spreadsheet and prioritize them based on your company's operations.
<h3>Implement a Framework for Cybersecurity Maturity</h3>
With an understanding of the threat landscape, you can begin to assess your company's cybersecurity maturity. The <a href="https://www.nist.gov/cyberframework">National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)</a> provides a framework and extensive training to help businesses manage cybersecurity risk.
Companies must assess all areas of the business, including technology, location/geography, employees, suppliers, and other vulnerabilities.
You can use the NIST framework to look ahead to the next three to five years to determine your goals and objectives for each category. It's critical to prioritize each category relevant to your business.
<h3>Improving Your Cybersecurity</h3>
It's time to identify the tools, training, and procedures required to meet your cybersecurity goals and objectives. Setting KPIs and budgeting resources will enable you to determine a realistic cybersecurity strategy for your business.
Depending on the size of your company, you may need to involve stakeholders from several departments.&nbsp;
<h3>Documenting Your Cybersecurity Strategy</h3>
You must document your cybersecurity strategy so that every team member is aware of key roles and responsibilities. Your cybersecurity strategy should include (this list is not exhaustive):
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Risk assessments</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Cybersecurity plans</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Policies</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Guidelines</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Procedures</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Training</li>
</ul>
Remember that a cybersecurity strategy will grow and evolve with technological and threat changes.
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<h2>Top 10 Cybersecurity Strategies for Small Businesses</h2>
Here are our top 10 cybersecurity strategies for small businesses. This list isn't exhaustive but gives small businesses a great starting point to build an effective cybersecurity strategy.
<h3>1 - Cybersecurity Training</h3>
Team members are your company's first line of defense. Even the most sophisticated cybersecurity technology is ineffective if you don't train and educate your team.
Most hackers breach small businesses through social engineering attacks targeting employees. Continuous training keeps team members up-to-date with the latest scams and tactics.
Cybersecurity training isn't a one-off event. Companies should host monthly or quarterly cybersecurity training to instill best practices. A cybersecurity Slack channel or Wiki is also effective in providing alerts and updates.
The most important thing to reiterate is that employees must never share their system or <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password manager</a> credentials, even with the CEO or IT head.
<h3>2 - Use a Password Manager</h3>
A password manager protects your company's credentials while preventing unauthorized access to shared accounts like marketing tools, social media platforms, accounting systems, or research tools, to name a few.
TeamPassword's password manager encrypts your passwords, so employees can't preview credentials to share them outside the app.
TeamPassword's <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/why-should-i-use-a-password-generator">built-in password generator</a> ensures you <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/colonial-pipeline-ransomware-attack-dont-reuse-passwords">never reuse credentials</a> or create weak passwords&mdash;which can result in credential stuffing and brute-force attacks.
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<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> to explore all of <a href="https://teampassword.com/security">TeamPassword's robust security features</a>.
<h3>3 - Create Access Levels</h3>
Part of your cybersecurity strategy must identify different access levels for employees, freelancers, clients, users, and contractors. Limiting access to data, software, and other systems is an effective way to minimize a breach fallout.
Companies should also recognize that some attacks happen due to internal bad actors&mdash;employees assisting or carrying out an attack.
In 2021, some hackers offered employees up to $1 million to install <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/resources-for-ransomware">ransomware</a> on their company network!
Creating access levels will also help when it comes to sharing credentials through your password manager. For example, in <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a>, you can create groups that align with your security access levels to share access with coworkers safely.
<h3>4 - Using VPNs and Firewalls</h3>
Installing firewalls between your office network and the internet prevents outsiders from accessing network data. For remote teams working from home (WFH), invest in similar firewalls for their home networks.&nbsp;
If any WFH team members work with sensitive data, consider installing an additional internet connection at their home used ONLY for your company.
If team members work from coffee shops, coworking spaces, and other public WiFi networks, they must <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/password-manager-and-vpn">use a VPN (virtual private network)</a>.&nbsp;
VPNs and firewalls won't stop all cybercriminals, but they definitely make breaching your network and devices more challenging&mdash;like adding multiple padlocks and locks to a steel door.
<h3>5 - Avoid Using Personal Devices</h3>
Where possible, employees must only use company-issued computers and devices for work. If employees need a company phone, they should not install social media applications, private email, and other personal applications.
Many companies allow employees to open company emails and messaging apps like Slack using their personal devices. If hackers breach your employee's device, they have access to your company's internal communications&mdash;a hazardous cybersecurity scenario.
An attacker can pose as the employee, sending emails and messages malicious links to breach further victims and company networks.
At the very least, employees must not share their devices with friends, family members, and children especially. Kids love to open apps and tapping links and buttons randomly. If a malicious email notification appears, they could innocently install malware on your device.
<h3>6 - Protect Against Viruses, Malware, Spyware, and Ransomware</h3>
Every device should have robust protection against viruses, malware, spyware, and ransomware. You can use your company's cybersecurity messaging channel to notify employees of software updates to ensure you're always getting the best protection.
<h3>7 - Updates &amp; Upgrades</h3>
One of the easiest ways to maintain secure software and hardware is by updating regularly. Product updates provide patches for vulnerabilities or to prevent the latest attacks.
There are countless examples of hackers exploiting product weaknesses to launch an attack. Without regular updates, hackers can exploit these vulnerabilities to breach your systems and networks.
<h3>8 - Securing Networks</h3>
There are many tools and procedures for securing company networks, but the first step is restricting your company's WiFi and internet access.&nbsp;
Install a separate internet connection for visitors, and use an authentication system for team members connecting to your company network.
<h3>9 - Data Backups</h3>
Data backups are critical to minimize the fallout from natural disasters, ransomware attacks, human error, and other catastrophic incidents. Companies should consider both on-site and off-site backups to safeguard against multiple eventualities.
A separate server could provide on-site backup for small businesses, while cloud storage could be an effective off-site solution.
<h3>10 - Secure Your Premises</h3>
Cybersecurity involves effectively protecting your physical assets as well as your digital assets. The most advanced cybersecurity is useless if someone can walk into your office and steal a server!
A company must secure its offices, including internal access to sensitive departments, servers, and other equipment. Your IT department and servers should be access controlled to prevent internal and external attacks.
<h3>Bonus Cybersecurity Strategy&mdash;Avoid Freeware!</h3>
Freeware is free software that often provides the same service and functionality as its premium counterparts.
There are two major freeware issues:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Freeware often contain ads or mine and sell your data to make money</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">It's not uncommon for criminals to use freeware to install malicious code</li>
</ol>
Ensure every software or application comes from an accredited organization with a good track record for privacy and security.
For example, <a href="https://teampassword.com/security">TeamPassword is a secure hosting provider</a> with multiple international accreditations. Our <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password manager</a> encrypts your passwords, so not even our employees or engineers can access your data!
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<h2>Protect Your Credentials With TeamPassword</h2>
Every cybersecurity strategy must provide effective password management processes and procedures.
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword is an affordable password management</a> solution for small businesses. Get robust password protection without enterprise software costs.

As an accredited secure hosting provider, you can rest assured TeamPassword gives you safe and reliable password protection.

<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> to test TeamPassword for your company's cybersecurity strategy.

with cyber threats on the rise online. Learn what are the !0 easiest and critical ways to protect your buisness data from neferious people.

With cyber threats on the rise online. Learn what are the !0 easiest and critical ways to protect ...

10 Easy Cybersecurity Strategies For Small Businesses

With cyber threats on the rise online. Learn what are the !0 easiest and critical ways to protect your buisness data from neferious people.

Over the last decade, the gig economy boom has allowed professionals worldwide to switch to freelancing and build a network of international clients.&nbsp;
According to Upwork, 1 in 3 US workers engaged in freelance work during 2020. Some of the most successful freelancers earn hundreds of thousands of dollars per year through platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and Toptal.
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Does your company hire freelancers? How do you <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/should-i-share-data-with-freelancers">share passwords with freelancers</a>? TeamPassword is an affordable password management solution for small businesses, startups, and agencies to share credentials securely with team members and freelancers. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> today.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2>10 Successful Freelancers</h2>
Here are ten successful freelancers and what they do. These freelancers have earned their place as experts in their given field with excellent track records&mdash;many have worked with the biggest companies in the world!
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<h3>1. Scott Luscombe - Graphic Designer / Shopify Expert / Website Developer / Copywriter&nbsp; - Canada</h3>
Scott Luscombe is a freelance graphic designer, Shopify expert, website developer, and copywriter from Uxbridge, Canada. He holds a degree in Illustration from Sheridan College and a degree in Marketing from the University of Toronto.
Scott has been a freelancer for most of his professional career and has earned over $500k on Upwork. He has completed over 311 jobs and worked&nbsp;10,956 hours!&nbsp;
Scott's work includes graphic design and branding, illustration and icons, copywriting, website design and development, UX/UI, and printing and packaging. He also provides freelance coaching and consulting. Scott is a Top Rated Upwork Freelancer currently charging $99 per hour for various creative gigs.
Some of Scott's most notable work includes designs for Coca-Cola, the Canadian Cancer Society, Nickelodeon, and Wallet Ninja (to name a few).&nbsp;
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<h3>2. Kathy Edens - Marketing Consultant / Freelance Copywriter - United States</h3>
<a href="https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~016177d19f0624c1a7?viewMode=1">Kathy Edens is a Top Rated Upwork Freelancer</a> with over $300k platform earnings! Kathy has been self-employed as a marketing consultant and freelance copywriter for almost ten years from her home in Ohio, United States.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Professional Writing and Psychology from Oregon State University, which she says "...helps me understand how to reach your target audience with words."&nbsp;
Kathy has ghost-written several non-fiction books on various topics, including social entrepreneurship, healthcare, real estate investing, and the cannabis industry, to name a few.
Kathy also writes web content, sales pages, email marketing content, case studies, white papers, brochures, press releases, and more. Kathy's rates start at $86 per hour for her writing and marketing services.
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<h3>3. Koen van Oeveren - UX designer - Netherlands</h3>
Koen van Oeveren is a freelance UI &amp; UX designer from North Brabant, Netherlands, with almost ten years of experience. Koen works with several design agencies in the Netherlands, designing apps, websites, and eCommerce experiences for many international brands.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Koen holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Communication and Multimedia Design from Avans University in the Netherlands. Koen's <a href="https://www.koenvo.com/index.html">portfolio website Koenvo</a> was nominated for a <a href="https://www.awwwards.com/sites/koenvo-ui-ux-portfolio">2021 awwwards. Award</a>.
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<h3>4. Pascal Strasche - Product / UX designer - Germany</h3>
Pascal Strasche is a product and UX designer with more than ten years of design experience from Germany. He holds a Master of Arts in Interaction Design and a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design, both from HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts.
For almost a year over 2020/2021, Pascal worked as the sole product designer to design Con Cubo's SaaS tool that helps complex organizations visualize and manage teams. He's also worked with German steel giant XOM Materials to find product solutions to digitalize&nbsp;Germany's steel industry.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
In 2019, Pascal founded Product Design Resources, a growing archive of 800+ design resources, weekly updated for the design community.
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<h3>5. Paul Hunkin - Developer - New Zealand</h3>
Paul Hunkin is a freelance software consultant and developer from Tauranga, New Zealand, but currently living in Portugal.&nbsp;
Paul has over ten years of experience as a software developer with an impressive work history, including Google, NASA, InfoSys, and the Chinese aerospace industry leader COMAC.
He's worked with several early-stage startups designing everything from high-performance big-data systems to complex web applications to 3D rendering engines. He's also built a lot of the foundational code for independent games on Android.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
Paul is a Top Rated Upwork Freelancer with over $400k in platform earnings. His rates start at $120 per hour for software development. <a href="https://paulh.consulting/">Check out Paul's website</a> for more about his impressive portfolio and work history.
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<h3>6. Jana Galat - Writer / Brand Strategist - Canada</h3>
Jana Galat is a freelance copywriter and brand strategist from Ontario, Canada. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Management and Organizational Studies from King's University College and an Honors in Business Administration from Western University.
Jana has extensive experience writing landing pages, email campaigns, social media ads, and print materials and says, "I am obsessed with creating copy that sells..."
After several years of professional work experience, Jana went freelance in 2019 and has quickly built a reputation as a <a href="https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~01bfa17a48301876dd">Top Rated Upwork Freelancer</a> with over $70k in platform earnings. Jana's rates start at $100 per hour for copywriting and brand consulting.
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<h3>7. Kate H. - Logo Designer / Branding Expert - United States</h3>
Kate is a freelance professional logo designer and branding expert from Maryland, United States. Kate&nbsp;ran her own green wedding brand which she sold to mywedding.com in 2014, allowing her to focus on helping small&nbsp;businesses figure out what they want (and who they are) and translate that into design.
She holds a Master's degree in Environmental Management from Yale School of The Environment, and a J.D. in environmental law from Pace Law School.&nbsp;
Kate's skillset includes redesigning and updating material to make it easier to understand, building a consistent brand from a simple starting point like a logo, and creating unique logos that guarantee results.
Kate is a Top Rated Upwork Freelancer, and her rates start at $225 per hour. You can find out more about Kate on her <a href="https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~013ce73876c1c18126" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Upwork profile</a>.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>8. Marcos Rezende - UX designer - Canada</h3>
Marcos Rezende is a UX Designer from Ontario, Canada, with more than 13 years of experience. Marcos has worked in over 30 industry sectors for multinational organizations in the United States, Canada, Germany, and Brazil.&nbsp;
Some of Marcos' notable projects include apps for Ontario's COVID-19 dashboard, Urban Master Planning collaboration platform, and Reaction (kid's e-learning app), to name a few.&nbsp;
Marcos loves sharing his industry expertise with aspiring UX designers and regularly writes for the popular UX publication Career Foundry. Total recognizes Marcos as part of its "Top 3%" of global freelancer talent&mdash;a title given to elite freelancers in their given field.
We don't have access to Marcos' rates, but the best UX designers on Upwork earn upwards of $100 per hour. As a Toptal Top 3% freelancer, Marcos likely charges $200-$300 per hour.
<a href="https://www.marcosrezende.com/">Marcos Rezende's website</a> was nominated for the prestigious <a href="https://www.awwwards.com/sites/ux-portfolio-marcos-rezende">awwwards.</a> in 2021.
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<h3>9. Tanya Litvinova - UX/UI Designer - United States</h3>
Tanya Litvinova is a freelance UX/UI designer from New York City, United States. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Advertising Design / Communication Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Tanya specializes in product, mobile, and web design as well as user experience flow, research, and validation.
"I have a passion to make the complex simple, shape behavior, design, plan, and strategize. Aiming for the best user experience, all the while balancing the needs of business and technology to create engaging, habit-forming digital products."
Tanya has worked with Fortune 100 &amp; Fortune 500 companies and successfully delivered business-transforming data-driven analytics, responsive BI dashboards, enterprise web apps, and management systems. Some of Tanya's notable clients include KOCH Industries, BlackRock Financial, BCG Group, and FireEye, to name a few.
<a href="https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~0165035041b26e96df">Tanya is a Top Rated Upwork Freelancer</a> with more than $200k platform earnings. Her current rate starts at $162.50 per hour.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>10. Guangming Lang - Data Scientist - United States</h3>
Guangming Lang is a freelance data scientist from Michigan, United States. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from New College of Florida and a Master of Science in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan. Guangming has also completed several Coursera courses in data science and machine learning.
Guangming has been a freelancer since 2013 and has worked across several industries, including fintech, trading, medicine, biotech, advertising, and HR.&nbsp;
Guangming is a Top Rated Upwork Freelancer with over $400k in platform earnings. He's completed 216 jobs on Upwork totaling 3,805 hours! Guangming's current rates start at $200 per hour.
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<h2>Secure Freelancer Workflows With TeamPassword</h2>
No matter how talented or reputable the freelancers and contractors you hire, your company must use secure workflows to protect your digital assets.
Freelancers often need access to shared accounts and tools. Using a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password manager</a> is the first step to securing these accounts and platforms. You can also use a password manager to share credentials with employees, clients, and other stakeholders to ensure you never expose raw passwords via email, spreadsheets, chat apps, and other non-secure methods.
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> lets you create groups to share access with only those who need it. When they're done, revoke access with a single click. No need to change passwords every time someone leaves the team.
If you do need to change a password, TeamPassword's built-in <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">password generator</a> lets you create secure passwords between 12-32 characters using numbers, letters (uppercase/lowercase), and symbols.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
Ready to onboard clients and freelancers securely with TeamPassword's robust <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password management solution</a>? <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a free trial</a> to secure your company's digital assets today!

Here are ten successful freelancers and what they do. These freelancers have earned their place as experts in their given field.

Here are ten successful freelancers and what they do. These freelancers have earned their place as experts in ...

10 extremely successful freelancers and what they do

Here are ten successful freelancers and what they do. These freelancers have earned their place as experts in their given field with excellent track records—many have worked with the biggest companies in the world!

Password encryption is essential to store user credentials stored in a database securely. Without password encryption, anyone accessing a user database on a company's servers (including hackers) could easily view any stored passwords.
Even a strong 32-character password created using a <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">secure password generator</a> is useless without password-encryption! If someone can read your password on a server, they can use it simply by copy/pasting it&mdash;no matter how long or complicated the password might be!
Encryption scrambles your password before saving it on the server. So, if someone hacks the server, instead of finding password123, they find a random series of letters and numbers.
In this article, we're going to explore the world of password encryption, why <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/tips-and-tricks-to-create-a-strong-password">strong passwords matter</a>, and how you can practice better password management!
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> is the password management solution for small businesses! Create, store, and share login credentials safely with employees, contractors, and clients. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> today!
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;[Table of Contents]
<ul>
<li><a href="#understandingpasswordencryption" rel="follow">Understanding Password Encryption</a></li>
<li><a href="#howdoespasswordencryptionwork" rel="follow">How Does Password Encryption Work?</a></li>
<li><a href="#5commonpasswordencryptionmethods" rel="follow">5 Common Password Encryption Methods</a></li>
<li><a href="#whystrongpasswordsmatter" rel="follow">Why Strong Passwords Matter</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="understandingpasswordencryption">Understanding Password Encryption</h2>
To explain password encryption effectively, we must first grasp the language. Several terms might be unfamiliar, so here is a quick intro to password encryption terminology.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Key: Used to lock and unlock passwords using a random string of bits. You get private and public keys that crypt and decrypt data differently, but we won't get too deep in the weeds with keys!</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Bits: A logical state with one of two possible values, including 1/0, true/false, yes/no, or on/off as typical examples.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Block (block cipher): A deterministic algorithm operating on fixed-length groups of bits, called blocks.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hash function: The algorithm that uses the key to create password encryption and decryption. A hash function is essentially a piece of code that runs every time someone saves a password or logs into an application.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hash: A random series of numbers and letters representing your password. The hash function uses your hash instead of the raw password for authentication.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Salt: Additional letters and numbers appended to the hash</li>
</ul>
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<h2 id="howdoespasswordencryptionwork">How Does Password Encryption Work?</h2>
When you save a new password, a hash function creates a hash version and saves that on the server.&nbsp;
Every time you log in using your password, the hash function recreates the hash to see if it matches what's stored. If the hashes match, the algorithm passes the authentication and logs you in.&nbsp;
For example:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Original password: Pa$$w0rd123</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hashed password: 6AF1CE202340​FE71BDB914AD5357​E33A6982A63B</li>
</ul>
While this might seem secure, simple hashed passwords aren't hack-proof.
The hash function only creates a unique hash for each password, not each user. So, if multiple users have the password, Pa$$w0rd123, the hash will be exactly the same.
To overcome this encryption vulnerability, engineers salt passwords so each hash is unique, even if the passwords are identical.
<h3>How Salt Works</h3>
A salt appends a unique value of 8 bytes (16 characters) to the password before the hash function creates a hash. This way, even identical passwords are unique before the hash function.
For example:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Two identical passwords: Pa$$w0rd123</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Salt value one: E1F53135E559C253</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Salt value two: 84B03D034B409D4E</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password one before hash: Pa$$w0rd123E1F53135E559C253</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password two before hash: Pa$$w0rd12384B03D034B409D4E</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password one hashed value (SHA256): 72AE25495A7981​C40622D49F9A52E4F15​65C90F048F59027BD9​C8C8900D5C3D8</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password two hashed value (SHA256): B4B6603ABC670​967E99C7E7F1389E40​CD16E78AD38EB1468E​C2AA1E62B8BED3A</li>
</ul>
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<h2 id="5commonpasswordencryptionmethods">5 Common Password Encryption Methods</h2>
<h3>1. Data Encryption Standard (DES)</h3>
While applications no longer use Data Encryption Standard (DES), it's important to mention this password encryption method because of its history and influence on more secure modern standards.
IBM developed DES as a 56-bit encryption technology in the early 1970s. The NSA adopted and improved DES before it was approved worldwide as the encryption standard.
However, since the late 70s, hackers have been able to break DES encrypted passwords. In 1999, ethical hackers managed to break a DES key in under 24 hours.&nbsp;
To make DES more secure, engineers created Triple DES and later Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), which we still use today.
<h3>2. Triple DES</h3>
Triple DES uses three 56-bit keys (blocks) to create 168-bit encryption (some security experts argue that Triple DES is only 112 bits strong). Although Triple-DES is slowly being phased out, many financial institutions still use it to encrypt ATM PINs.
<h3>3. Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)</h3>
AES is the new encryption standard&mdash;trusted by the United States Government and many other prominent organizations globally. At 128 bits, AES is sufficiently secure, but most organizations prefer heavy-duty 256-bit encryption.
At <a href="https://teampassword.com/security">TeamPassword</a>, we use 256-bit encryption to store passwords, ensuring the highest levels of security for our clients. We're also a <a href="https://teampassword.com/security">secure hosting provider</a> holding multiple security accreditations.
Hackers can only break an AES encrypted password through a brute-force attack&mdash;trying password combinations to find the right one.
To counter brute-force attacks, applications will lock an account after a certain number of attempts or use tools like Google's reCAPTURE.
<h3>4. Blowfish</h3>
American cryptographer, Bruce Schneier, designed Blowfish in 1993 as an antidote to the weak DES encryption. Blowfish uses a 64-bit block and variable key length of 32 to 448 bits.
Although Blowfish is more robust than its DES predecessor, the 64-bit block is still vulnerable to attacks, most commonly birthday attacks&mdash;a cryptographic attack that exploits the mathematics behind the algorithm.
To solve Blowfish vulnerabilities, engineers created Twofish in 1998 (128-bit blocks with 256-bit keys) and Threefish in 2008 (256, 516, 1024-bit blocks with 256, 516, 1024-bit keys).
<h3>5. Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA)</h3>
RSA is one of the oldest and widely used to transfer data securely. The encryption works with two keys, two large prime numbers, and an additional auxiliary value.
Due to the complicated encrypting and decrypting process, there is no known method for breaking RSA encryption.&nbsp;
Although widely used for transferring data, RSA is slow and not suitable for password encryption.
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<h2 id="whystrongpasswordsmatter">Why Strong Passwords Matter</h2>
Password encryption can only prevent criminals from viewing saved credentials stored on a server&mdash;but cannot prevent hackers from guessing weak/commonly used passwords. If you <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/colonial-pipeline-ransomware-attack-dont-reuse-passwords">reuse the same password for multiple accounts</a>, this also puts you at risk!
Encryption is most effective when users create robust, unique passwords for every account. For example, a random 32-character password with letters, numbers, and special characters hashed and salted is near impossible to guess or decode, even using a computer!
In another scenario, let's assume you have a strong 32-character password, but you use it for every account. If hackers manage to steal that password, they have access to every account using the same credentials! Your strong password is effectively useless.
<h3>Improving Your Password Management</h3>
Now that you understand password encryption and the associated vulnerabilities, you can see why strong passwords are essential.
Effective password management is crucial to protect yourself against cyberattacks or in the highly likely event of a data breach where hackers steal your credentials.
Criminals are after the low-hanging fruit&mdash;people who use weak passwords!
5 tips for creating stronger passwords:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Create strong passwords for every account. The easiest way to do this is using a password generator. <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">TeamPassword has a free password generator</a> anyone can use to create passwords from 12-32 characters using uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters. We recommend creating passwords as long as the application will allow.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Never create passwords shorter than eight characters, with 12 being our recommended minimum.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Never reuse the same password for multiple accounts.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Never create passwords with your name, family member's names, or pet's names. With social media, this information is freely available. Criminals can add those names to algorithms for brute-force attacks.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Don't store passwords in digital notepads or spreadsheets. We recommend using a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password manager like TeamPassword</a> to create and store your credentials.</li>
</ol>
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<h2>Why You Need a Password Manager like TeamPassword</h2>
We have so many accounts these days; it's almost impossible to create unique, memorable, secure passwords for each one. A password manager solves this problem.
Instead of remembering the credentials for every account, you only need to memorize the one to log into your password manager.&nbsp;
TeamPassword keeps all of your credentials safely stored and encrypted, so you never have to memorize a password again. Instead of entering your credentials, you use one of TeamPassword's browser extensions (Chrome, Firefox, and Safari) to log into accounts.
<h3>Built for Teams</h3>
TeamPassword's best feature is its ability to share credentials with team members securely. Instead of sharing passwords, you provide access through TeamPassword.&nbsp;
Employees <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">use TeamPassword</a> to log in, meaning you never share raw passwords&mdash;no more worrying about unauthorized access or sharing.
You can create groups in TeamPassword to share access with employees, clients, contractors, and freelancers. When someone no longer needs access, remove them from the group with a single click. No need to change passwords every time someone leaves a project!
<h3>Built-In Password Generator</h3>
TeamPassword features a built-in secure password manager so you can create robust passwords for every account. TeamPassword also ensures you never reuse the same credentials so that you won't fall victim to credential stuffing attacks!
With a built-in password generator, you can change passwords regularly, and TeamPassword will update the new credentials for all users!
<h3>Monitor Login Activity</h3>
TeamPassword's activity log keeps track of every action across all of your accounts&mdash;logins, password changes, new team members, sharing access, and more.
You can also set up email notifications for all TeamPassword actions so that you can react fast to any suspicious activity.
<h3>Get Your Free TeamPassword Trial</h3>
Password encryption is not enough to protect your business from password vulnerabilities! You need a robust password manager like TeamPassword to create, store, and share credentials securely.
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<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> and let TeamPassword secure your company's digital assets.

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