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.
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<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>
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<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.
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<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.

Password encryption is the number one component of password security. TeamPassword encrypts passwords with state-of-the-art technology to keep passwords safe.

Password encryption is the number one component of password security. TeamPassword encrypts passwords with state-of-the-art technology to keep ...

What is password encryption and how much is enough?

What is password encryption and how does it work?

Cloud computing has seen rapid adoption since 2020, with more people working remotely than ever before. One interesting study highlighted that <a href="https://www.snowsoftware.com/blog/how-new-normal-changing-cloud-usage-and-strategy">80% of IT leaders</a> had increased their overall cloud usage. However, while this technology has undoubtedly changed the way organizations operate for the greater good, this has come at a cost, with IT teams having far less control and access.

One issue many businesses are struggling with is weak passwords, and while most companies acknowledge that this is a security risk, only <a href="https://www.insightsforprofessionals.com/it/cloud/state-of-cloud-security-infographic">35% of companies</a> are concerned about the accidental exposure of credentials.

So, why should you pay close attention to password hygiene? Here are some reasons:

<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">&ldquo;123456&rdquo; and &ldquo;qwerty&rdquo; are still some of the most commonly used passwords worldwide and can be cracked in less than a second (<a href="https://cybernews.com/best-password-managers/most-common-passwords/">Cybernews</a>)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Around 31% of users update their passwords at least 1 &ndash; 2 times a year, while only 18.5% change theirs even if they&rsquo;re notified of any security issues (<a href="https://digitalguardian.com/blog/uncovering-password-habits-are-users-password-security-habits-improving-infographic">Digital Guardian</a>)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Three-quarters of Americans struggle to keep track of their credentials (<a href="https://storage.googleapis.com/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod/documents/PasswordCheckup-HarrisPoll-InfographicFINAL.pdf">Google</a>)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The FBI highlighted that $4.2 billion was lost in 2020 due to cybercrime, increasing the five-year total to $13.3 billion (<a href="https://www.ic3.gov/Media/PDF/AnnualReport/2020_IC3Report.pdf">The IC3</a>)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">61% of breaches involved credential data (<a href="https://www.verizon.com/business/resources/reports/2021-data-breach-investigations-report.pdfx">Verizon</a>)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">55% of IT security practitioners don&rsquo;t utilize 2FA in the workplace (<a href="https://dataprot.net/statistics/password-statistics/">Dataprot</a>)&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<h2>How do cybercriminals steal passwords?</h2>

Hackers are more motivated than ever and will do whatever it takes to get their hands on your money. <a href="https://www.verizon.com/business/resources/reports/2021-data-breach-investigations-report.pdfx">Verizon&rsquo;s 2021 Data Breach Investigations Report</a> shows that SMBs with less than 1,000 employees recorded 1,037 incidents and 93% of such breaches were financially motivated.&nbsp;

So, <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/five-most-common-password-attacks">what techniques do cybercriminals use</a> to compromise users&rsquo; passwords?&nbsp;

<h3>Social engineering</h3>
This involves threat actors preying on vulnerable employees and psychologically manipulating them into sharing confidential data. One of the most popular social engineering methods used by hackers is phishing.&nbsp;


<h3>Brute force attacks</h3>
From a hacker&rsquo;s perspective, brute force attacks are easy to launch and don&rsquo;t require a lot of effort. Criminals typically use trial and error tactics to decipher passwords or PINs through automated tools that test a large number of password combinations. These tools can crack weak passwords in a matter of minutes.


<h3>Dictionary attacks</h3>
Dictionary attacks &ndash; a type of brute force tactic &ndash; involve inputting commonly used words or phrases as a password, but they aren&rsquo;t strictly limited to a wordlist. Instead, they can also include names of people you know or a sports team you support. These are based on information easily found online through online profiles

However, this method isn&rsquo;t as successful against passwords containing numbers, symbols, and a mixture of lowercase and uppercase letters.&nbsp;


<h3>Credential stuffing attacks</h3>
Bad actors typically purchase lists of leaked usernames and passwords and feed these into a botnet, which attempts several logins across multiple websites in one attempt.&nbsp;

With more than <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2020/07/08/new-dark-web-audit-reveals-15-billion-stolen-logins-from-100000-breaches-passwords-hackers-cybercrime/">15 billion login credentials from 100,000 breaches</a> circulating on the dark web, it&rsquo;s not surprising that credential stuffing attacks have grown in popularity among cybercriminals. <a href="https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/05/20/financial-services-credential-stuffing/">Research from Help Net Security</a> detected some 193 billion credential stuffing attacks worldwide in 2020, with the financial services industry, in particular, suffering the most and reporting around 3.4 billion incidents &ndash; an increase of 45% YoY in the sector.
<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Secty%2B+course&amp;rlz=1C5CHFA_enGB975GB976&amp;ei=NGy0YpeFGNLqgQbx_afIBg&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiX78nA2MP4AhVSdcAKHfH-CWkQ4dUDCA4&amp;uact=5&amp;oq=Secty%2B+course&amp;gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAMyBAgAEA0yBAgAEA0yBAgAEA0yBAgAEA0yBAgAEA0yBAgAEA0yBAgAEA0yBggAEB4QDTIGCAAQHhANMgYIABAeEA06BwgAEEcQsAM6BggAEB4QFjoJCAAQHhDJAxAWOgUIABCSA0oECEEYAEoECEYYAFClCFjPC2DXDGgCcAF4AIAB3wGIAaIGkgEFMS4yLjKYAQCgAQHIAQjAAQE&amp;sclient=gws-wiz" rel="follow"><img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/daJiCLeTOe3gnOFxJXPw" alt="undefined" width="560" height="400" style="font-family: sans-serif;" /></a>
Image Credit: <a href="http://&lt;a href=&quot;https//www.freepik.com/vectors/safe-internet&quot;&gt;Safe internet vector created by jcomp - www.freepik.com&lt;/a&gt;" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">freepik.com</a>
<h2>How to enforce strong password hygiene</h2>
To protect your accounts and organization against cyberattacks, you and your employees need to practice good password hygiene. Consider adopting these tips below:&nbsp;

<h3>1. Encourage employees not to reuse passwords&nbsp;</h3>
In 2019, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2019/12/06/microsoft-finds-password-security-problem-affecting-44-million-users/">Microsoft&rsquo;s threat research team</a> analyzed a database that contained 3 billion breached login credentials and identified 44 million Microsoft users who had reused the same passwords.

Therefore, it&rsquo;s essential employees don&rsquo;t reuse the same password across multiple accounts &ndash; no matter how complex it is &ndash; because if one account is compromised, the rest are at risk too.&nbsp;


<h3>2. Create a unique password for every account</h3>
A crucial part of password hygiene is making sure you and your employees create a unique passcode for every account. Don&rsquo;t use words or phrases found in the dictionary or online, and avoid any sequences such as 123 or 2468.

Consider creating memorable passphrases that contain a minimum of 12 characters and a mixed combination of lowercase and uppercase letters, symbols, and numbers.&nbsp;

For instance, let&rsquo;s hypothetically say you&rsquo;re a Liverpool supporter and you watched your side thump Manchester United 5-0 at Old Trafford back in October 2021.&nbsp;

Something like &lsquo;Liverpool FC beat Manchester United at Old Trafford in October 2021&rsquo; could translate to lFc_Bmu@oTi1021.

Not only is this passphrase complex and more memorable, but it&rsquo;s also extremely difficult for bad actors to crack, which can significantly reduce the risk of a breach.&nbsp;

However, depending on the number of accounts you possess, manually updating every single password may not always be feasible, so it&rsquo;s worth using a <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">password generator tool</a> to protect your data.


<h3>3. Get into the habit of reviewing and updating passwords</h3>
Most security experts recommend <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-often-should-i-change-my-password?r=US&amp;IR=T">changing your password every few months</a>, particularly if your accounts have been compromised without you realizing it.

To achieve this, you need to develop a strong security culture. Make sure you provide regular security awareness training and educate your employees about password security. In doing so, they&rsquo;ll know what&rsquo;s expected of them, and you&rsquo;ll significantly reduce the likelihood of someone creating a weak password and exposing your business to bad actors.


<h3>4. Deploy multi-factor authentication (MFA)</h3>
Whatever industry you&rsquo;re in, multi-factor authentication is arguably one of the most important security tools out there, and it can better protect your passwords from cybercriminals.

MFA strengthens the login process by requesting users to provide three pieces of information. For instance, you may be asked to provide a password, an SMS code, and a photo of yourself to verify your identity.

Considering that most people reuse the same passwords, not only will MFA stop cybercriminals from accessing their accounts, but it&rsquo;ll significantly reduce the likelihood of a security breach.&nbsp;


<h3>5. Use a password manager</h3>
Let&rsquo;s face it: our memory isn&rsquo;t perfect. That&rsquo;s why most of us use memorable phrases or words as our passwords and make a note of them. Sadly, neither of these are good practice and can do more harm than good.

With employees already<a href="https://dataprot.net/statistics/password-statistics/"> spending around 12.6 minutes per week inputting or resetting passwords</a>, according to Ponemon Institute, simplifying password management is more important than ever for security and productivity, especially in the era of remote/hybrid work.

Here are a few reasons why you should adopt a password manager to strengthen your password hygiene:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password managers allow users to securely generate, manage and store complex passwords.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Login credentials are stored in an encrypted vault and adhere to the strongest encryption standards (AES 256-bit), meaning hackers won&rsquo;t be able to get through your defenses with brute-force techniques.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Some vendors provide dark web monitoring features that highlight whether your login details have been breached.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Final thoughts</h2>
Simply relying on employees to create unique and complex passwords isn&rsquo;t enough in today&rsquo;s cybersecurity world. Instead, IT leaders must educate and encourage the workforce to practice good password hygiene. By adopting the above five actions as part of your security strategy, you&rsquo;ll strengthen your defenses and ultimately prevent cybercriminals from gaining unauthorized access to your accounts.

From a security perspective, one weak password can weaken your defenses. Practice these good password hygiene tips to keep your team safe.

Despite much awareness, employees are still using easy-to-remember passwords, and to make matters worse, they’re also reusing them ...

5 Password Hygiene Tips to Stop Cybercriminals

Despite much awareness, employees are still using easy-to-remember passwords, and to make matters worse, they’re also reusing them across their personal and corporate accounts. Therefore, practicing good password hygiene is key in the fight against cybercriminals.

Digital marketing is a highly dynamic field where techniques and trends evolve quickly. As you build a digital marketing strategy that&rsquo;s comprehensive and effective, it&rsquo;s important to consider a range of tactics to discover what works for your brand.&nbsp;

After all, digital marketing has grown in importance in recent years, taking up <a href="https://www.gartner.com/en/marketing/research/annual-cmo-spend-survey-research" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">72% of marketing budgets today</a>. Here are some insider tips and techniques to take your digital marketing the extra mile. Remember that every company is unique, so be sure to tailor these ideas to your own brand&rsquo;s needs and audience.
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/GbZembBTQyxVSBPNFCAJ" alt="undefined" width="645" height="430" />
Source: <a href="https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/office-concept-illustration_6610842.htm#page=2&amp;position=5&amp;from_view=author" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Freepik</a>
<h1>11 tips to take your digital marketing strategy to the next level</h1>
Let&rsquo;s walk you through some of our favorite digital marketing strategies so you have some new tricks up your sleeve for this year&rsquo;s campaigns.&nbsp;

<h2>1. Aim for your content to be share-worthy</h2>
Never produce content just for the sake of it. Everything you make should pass the &ldquo;share-worthy&rdquo; test, so you&rsquo;re actually adding value for your potential customers.&nbsp;

Consider generating top-notch content such as in-depth blogs, podcasts, webinars, white papers, educational materials, and more. You might even team up with an expert to achieve higher quality in your digital materials. Ask yourself, &ldquo;Would I share this?&rdquo; If the answer is no, try to create something you would. If you won&rsquo;t, why would anyone else?
<h2>2. Leverage multi-channel campaigns</h2>
We live in the age of endless options &ndash; and digital marketing channels are no different. It&rsquo;s important to manage multi-channel campaigns since customers check several mediums before trusting a brand. Create campaigns that work across email, mobile, social media, paid search, direct mail, radio/TV, etc. in order to break through the noise of marketing today.

For example, you can work with email marketing companies to create a summer newsletter email campaign that is timed with a social media push, themed landing pages, and radio ads, in order to elevate the potential of your campaign.

You can integrate traditional marketing with digital and also complement your digital campaigns by sending flyers, catalogs, and other printed materials to your customers through direct mail. This is an extremely powerful combination. Print <a href="https://cash4toners.com/info/2019/02/10/why-print-matters/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">works</a>!

<h2>3. Hire a visuals guru</h2>

It only takes a second for potential customers to form an opinion about your website. Images and design play a key role in ensuring an enthusiastic first impression.

If you don't already have one, partner with a visuals guru (i.e. <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/first-5-marketing-roles-for-your-small-business-what-roles-do-you-need-to-hire" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">a graphics designer</a>) who can boost your images, infographics, web design, and <a href="https://www.webnode.com/blog/video-marketing-the-marketers-guide/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">video marketing</a> for all your assets.

<h2>4. Personalize at every opportunity&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>
With the <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/should-i-share-data-with-freelancers" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">customer data</a> available today, companies have a huge opportunity to target their content. It&rsquo;s vital to learn how to personalize certain types of content, offers, and recommendations according to your business&rsquo; audience. This way, you&rsquo;ll be able to personalize the journey for each unique segment of customers with greater success.

For example, you can edit your website so that it has several different landing pages for different segments, and then push these pages through unique social media posts.&nbsp;

<h2>5. Test all content in a mobile environment</h2>
Your digital marketing should be mobile-first, as the majority of users are connecting on their mobile devices. Be sure to check all content on a mobile testing platform and work with developers to get a high-performing site on mobile.&nbsp;

Pro tip: Get <a href="https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7496737?hl=en" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)</a> for your website in order to optimize for mobile browsing, speed up load time and increase your Google ranking. 
<h2>6. Optimize your buyer journey</h2>
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/d8Y1sW4xRiKX8FMGmWRU" alt="undefined" width="500" height="500" />
<a href="https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/journey-concept-illustration_10946454.htm#query=journey&amp;position=2&amp;from_view=search" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Source: Freepik</a>

Understanding the buyer's journey is also essential for long-term digital marketing. You should regularly be analyzing user behavior on your website through Google Analytics and tools like Crazy Eggs to understand how customers land on your shopping page.&nbsp;

With this behavioral data, you can optimize your digital marketing campaigns in order to create smoother flows to these pages. 
<h2>7. Don&rsquo;t forget about local SEO</h2>
The majority of digital marketers know how to improve SEO, but one area that&rsquo;s often overlooked is local SEO.

It&rsquo;s important to hook your local audiences with tailored keywords that use location words, events, and searches. Local SEO gets some of the best results, so be sure to incorporate it into your digital marketing strategy.

<h2>8. Go beyond SEO by tracking reach</h2>
As you listen to the customer and find out what&rsquo;s working, always track reach. This will give you a sense of what types of content and messaging are more powerful.&nbsp;

This will include reaching metrics such as engagements per month (viewed, liked, shared, downloads, open rates, etc.), 10 highest ranked content pieces by engagement and shares, month-over-month engagement metrics, etc.
<h2>9. Achieve tried-and-true customer service</h2>
There&rsquo;s no shortcut for cultivating great customer relationships through top service. Every interaction a customer has with your brand counts as &ldquo;service&rdquo; so be sure to consider how to support customers throughout their digital buyer experience. According to studies, <a href="https://123office.com/blog/millennial-statistics/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">about 75% of millennials</a> say they would pay more for a good customer experience. So take time to show these clients what makes you special when servicing them throughout their digital buyer journey.

Have customer service in place for digital marketing channels to answer questions, provide personalized recommendations and tackle service challenges that come up on your<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/sharing-social-media-credentials-with-teammates" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank"> social media feeds</a>.
<h2>10. Don&rsquo;t be afraid of repurposing content</h2>
Having content to share on a daily basis can be exhausting for content creation teams. Don&rsquo;t forget to take stock of what content you&rsquo;ve already made. It&rsquo;s perfectly fine (and smart!) to repurpose content by resharing it or recycling it in a new way.&nbsp;

For example, a blog post that had good traffic in the past could be reimagined as an infographic, video, or podcast episode. Be efficient with your team&rsquo;s time by finding ways to re-engage customers with the same content. Luckily there are lots of tools out there that will help your team to make <a href="https://internettools.net/video-editing-tools/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">great-looking videos</a> and <a href="https://siteefy.com/ai-writers/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">generate quality content</a> with minimal effort.

<h2>11. Take advantage of automation</h2>
Finally, automation can be your closest ally as a digital marketer. Every year, there are more channels and metrics to handle. Wherever possible, find ways to automate processes, so you can free up time and focus your efforts. You might automate:

<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Social media post scheduling</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Email cart abandonment workflows</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chatbots for social and web support</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Push notifications for certain web actions (i.e. on the purchase page)</li>
</ul>

Through these automated steps, you can get rid of repetitive tasks, better allocate resources and ensure your teams are maximizing their time every day.&nbsp;

<h2>Bonus tip: Boost your digital marketing strategy with the right tools </h2>
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/7Fb7bVI4SIabYVK29j4d" alt="undefined" width="500" height="500" />
Source: <a href="https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/team-goals-concept-illustration_12704338.htm#query=target&amp;position=13&amp;from_view=author" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Freepik</a>
Finally, without the right tools, your digital marketing strategy may be impossible to manage. For every aspect of your strategy, ensure that you have the tools and technologies to support your team. This goes for top digital marketing tools (such as Sprout Social, Audiense, Ahrefs, Hotjar, etc.) as well as <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/9-best-tools-for-managing-freelancers" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">collaboration and management tools</a> such as Notion, Trello, Podio, and <a href="https://teampassword.com/">TeamPassword</a>.

With the ideal suite of tools, you can empower your team and start incorporating these digital marketing tips in no time!

Digital marketing is a highly dynamic field that is taking off! Over 72% of marketing budgets go to digital. Find out how to stay ahead.

Digital marketing is a highly dynamic field where techniques and trends evolve quickly. And it's taking off! Over ...

Improve Your Company's Digital Marketing with These Awesome Techniques

Digital marketing is a highly dynamic field where techniques and trends evolve quickly. And it's taking off! Over 72% of marketing budgets go to digital content. These tips will help your team get ahead.

There has been a dramatic increase in remote work in the past few years. While remote work has some exciting benefits, it can make the employees feel isolated. Most remote employees combine family and work responsibilities, so it's only natural that they may feel exhausted or lose motivation over time.&nbsp;

Remote team managers or employers of remote workers need to be aware of the effects of working remotely and ensure that their remote employees feel supported and valued for their numerous contributions to their organization.&nbsp;

Recent <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2020/11/16/new-research-says-remote-workers-want-more-appreciation-from-their-leaders-or-else/?sh=5608e04d5fa2">studies</a> have shown that when supervisors recognize employees for their effort, it helps motivate them to become more productive. Now that most companies and industries are at least embracing remote work in part, it is crucial to find ways to recognize your remote employees for their efforts.&nbsp;

Acknowledging remote workers can seem daunting at first, but it's pretty simple. This article discusses seven ways to recognize remote employees for their work.&nbsp;

<h2>Methods of Recognizing Your Remote Employees&nbsp;</h2>
<h3>Provide Them With Regular Feedback (Positive or Negative)</h3>
One of the ways you can engage your remote employees effectively and appreciate them is by communicating with them frequently. These conversations shouldn&rsquo;t just be weather chats. To recognize your remote workers effectively, you need to give them regular constructive feedback. Doing so gives the impression that their work matters and that their supervisor is invested in the work that they are doing.&nbsp; Regular communication also makes remote employees feel more secure, motivates them to be more productive, and improves any shortcomings noticed in their job performance.&nbsp;

When there is limited communication between you and your remote employees, they might be less productive or anxious. No matter what feedback you give your remote workers, comprehensive feedback will help them understand what value they're adding to the company and where they fit within it.&nbsp;
<h3>Call Them&nbsp;</h3>
Calling your remote employees during their work hours, on their phone or online, is an easy way of recognizing their good work. Place a call to them directly and thank them for their effort and service to the company. Do not make a habit of calling remote employees only when things go wrong or when you have more work to give them. Positive calls go a long way to improving morale.

Moreover, calling will show your remote employees that you value them as remote workers, promoting employee engagement in your company. Most remote workers understand how busy their managers and employers are, so the fact that you took time out to call will make them feel special and appreciated.
<h3>Create Professional Development Opportunities</h3>
Every employee (remote or otherwise) wants to grow professionally in their given field. When you provide an avenue for your remote employees to grow professionally, you acknowledge their worth in your company.&nbsp;

This proves to your remote workers that you want to see them succeed professionally and that you're invested in their professional growth. Your employees will benefit, but your company will be able to utilize their learning for the company&rsquo;s gain. It&rsquo;s a classic win-win situation.

Companies can create in-house training programs for their remote employees or choose from the various online certifications and courses that fit their remote workers and their roles in the company.

<h3>Stimulate Peer-to-Peer Recognition</h3>
Another great way to recognize your remote employees is to encourage peer-to-peer recognition. This method helps to boost employee engagement and builds a solid and healthy camaraderie among your employees.&nbsp;

You can acknowledge your remote employees' accomplishments by putting them on the company's group messaging platform. This will encourage other employees to recognize them. Being acknowledged by colleagues helps boost team morale.&nbsp;

Another great tactic is peer-to-peer collaboration. Have employees share their work often with each other for edits and reviews. Working together on projects, even if it's just to look things over, will help employees better understand what other people are working on and, more importantly, make them feel more involved in the company. This strategy will recognize employees that are doing well and encourage others to take notice of their colleagues&rsquo; contributions. Often, this leads to employees acknowledging one another themselves.&nbsp;

Stimulating peer-to-peer recognition helps supervisors ensure that the quality of work is high and can increase overall workplace chemistry.&nbsp;

<h3>Surprise Them With a Break</h3>
Most remote employees juggle work and family, leaving little to no time to care for themselves. Most remote workers work for longer hours than their on-site counterparts, and <a href="https://hbr.org/2017/11/a-study-of-1100-employees-found-that-remote-workers-feel-shunned-and-left-out">studies</a> have shown that they are more likely to feel lonely.&nbsp;

Therefore, if you have remote employees that work tirelessly and don't take breaks often, you can surprise them with a break. Tell them to take a day or two off to recharge and connect with their family and friends. Giving them this free time will make them feel happy and ensure that they are more energetic and productive when they return to work.&nbsp;

Short of a bonus or raise, giving remote employees time away from work is the most tangible way to recognize their hard work and contribution to the company.
<h3>Praise Remote Employees Publicly&nbsp;</h3>
Remote employees, like all employees, want to feel appreciated and valued by their employers. However, it can be challenging to praise remote employees publicly since they aren't in the office.&nbsp;

Nevertheless, you can use communication technology that would allow you to reach out to your remote employees easily. Many companies utilize messaging platforms like Slack and Discord for their remote teams.&nbsp;

If your company has one of these platforms, you can use it to express appreciation for a job well done by simply acknowledging the individual(s) who made it happen. Doing this will make your remote employees feel like an essential part of your company.&nbsp;

Recognizing your employees' achievements on social media platforms can help boost their confidence in the workspace. They can share the post on their page so that their family and friends can see that their work is valued. This increases their commitment to the team and can also grow your company&rsquo;s social media following. Start by welcoming new employees to the company publicly, then regularly post messages acknowledging jobs well done. Whether it's content creation, big sales deals, customer service excellence, or a development project - all jobs have value and should be celebrated!
<h3>Provide More Flexibility&nbsp;</h3>
The reason why most people love remote work is the freedom it affords them to work from anywhere. Do not force your remote workers to keep the same hours allocated to on-site employees.&nbsp;

Instead, try to be more flexible with their work hours and allow them to choose when they would be most effective. Your ability to provide more flexibility for your remote worker will convey to them that you appreciate and trust their choice.
<h2>Consistency is essential to effective employee acknowledgment</h2>
Creating an <a href="https://blog.bonus.ly/organizational-culture-definition">organizational culture</a> that acknowledges and recognizes the achievements of your remote employees isn&rsquo;t just &ldquo;best practice&rdquo;; it&rsquo;s critical. Employees are more likely to stay and grow in the company when they are recognized for their efforts.&nbsp;

Consistency and continuity are critical. An acknowledgment calendar that ensures equitable recognition across the team is one option, but other ways are less formal. What&rsquo;s important is that every employee knows what they need to do to receive praise and see those celebrations regularly. This will improve morale and helps incentivize employees to perform at their best.&nbsp;

Another suggestion is to include employees in the process. Encourage employees to nominate their peers or provide opportunities to vote on awards. Structure this carefully to not alienate a smaller team or sub-section of your workforce through the democratic process. While receiving recognition from peers is a powerful force, the opposite can be equally devastating.&nbsp;

Finally, the acknowledgment you provide has to be authentic. There are no participation trophies in business. Have clear goals or standards for employees to meet and use these in the praise that you give. That way, the objectives are reinforced, and the employee knows how they&rsquo;ve contributed to the bigger picture.

Acknowledging remote workers helps them feel like part of the team. Here are 7 ways you can recognize your remote employees today!

There has been a dramatic increase in remote work in the past few years. While remote work has ...

7 Ways to Acknowledge Remote Employees

There has been a dramatic increase in remote work in the past few years. While remote work has some exciting benefits, it can make the employees feel isolated. Acknowledging remote workers helps them feel like part of the team. This can seem daunting at first, but it's pretty simple. This article discusses seven ways to recognize remote employees for their work.

Cybersecurity is complicated. After only a few minutes of looking into it, you&rsquo;re inundated with &ldquo;You need to download this&rdquo; or &ldquo;definitely don&rsquo;t do that.&rdquo; Everyone, from your colleague two cubicles down to the unsolicited emailer, has opinions about cybersecurity, and many are just trying to sell you something. There&rsquo;s a lot of information flying around about password managers, but not all of it is true. Today we are going to dispel five common myths and misconceptions!&nbsp;
<h2>Myth: Password managers don&rsquo;t increase security; they just make it faster to get access to your passwords.</h2>
Password managers indeed save you time. Once you&rsquo;re in the groove of using your password manager, you&rsquo;ll be shaving off minutes every day that used to be spent logging in and sharing passwords, but a password manager does a lot more than that.
The average team on Team Password has 147 passwords to manage! Without a password manager, teams would need to remember and keep track of all of those by memory or with a lot of organized notes, which is quite the task, so to make it easier, teams end up falling back on the same old 2-3 passwords.
With a password manager, you can easily create long, unique, secure passwords for every tool you use. Every person on your team can access all your strong passwords by logging into one account.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Also, since you&rsquo;re not manually putting passwords in, you no longer have to worry about typing in a password in public! You won&rsquo;t have to worry about who&rsquo;s looking over your shoulder wherever you are working.
<h2>Myth: It isn&rsquo;t secure to store all of your login information in a single password manager.</h2>
Everything you store with TeamPassword is encrypted. Even the people who run TeamPassword can&rsquo;t see your passwords, so if someone were to hack our information, yours still wouldn&rsquo;t be visible.&nbsp;
Because it&rsquo;s common for team members to need access to many tools, most teams keep all passwords in one location. Otherwise, teams may resort to saving passwords in a <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/password-manager-or-excel" title="Password Manager or Excel" rel="follow">spreadsheet</a>, which aggregates all of your credentials in one spot and limits the access inside an organization.
Also, a lost or stolen master password isn&rsquo;t the end of the world, either! Each team member will only be allowed to use the passwords they require so that no other passwords will be compromised. We will enable you to use your work email to authenticate with Google Sign-In, making it easier to use a super long, complicated password for your TeamPassword while still having the convenience of one-click sign-in.
<h2>Misconception: When choosing a password manager, you should look for one that masks passwords.&nbsp;</h2>
Most password managers have the masking password feature. The intention of <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/masked-passwords-dont-work" title="Masking Passwords Doesn't Work The Way You Think" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">masking passwords</a> is to share a password without allowing others to see what the password is. It may seem convenient, but it&rsquo;s pretty useless.&nbsp;
Although it may keep someone looking over your shoulder to see what your password is, it doesn&rsquo;t keep users from figuring out the password. All you would need to do is copy and paste into a text file or run a javascript function to crack the code. 
<h2>Misconception: It&rsquo;s more added steps to use a password manager.</h2>
Although getting set up on a password manager takes time, it&rsquo;ll save you lots of time in the long run. You won&rsquo;t need to depend on copying and pasting or remembering passwords because your logins would be stored on your password manager and only one click away from being accessible.&nbsp;
At TeamPassword, we have an importer where your team can quickly transfer logins to your dashboard, saving time in getting started. 
<h2>Myth: The password manager in my browser is good enough.</h2>
Your browser&rsquo;s built-in password manager is suitable for singular use but isn&rsquo;t practical for a team. <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/cybersecurity-for-small-businesses" title="Cybersecurity for Small Businesses" rel="follow">Companies that need to share</a> passwords won&rsquo;t find them helpful because you cannot share logins with your built-in password manager.&nbsp;
Luckily for you, TeamPassword can amp up your company&rsquo;s password security and efficiency. Sign up for a <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/?utm_source=jungledisk&amp;utm_medium=blog_post">free 14-day trial here.</a>

Everyone, from your colleague two cubicles down to the unsolicited emailer, has opinions about cyber security, and many are just trying to sell you something. There’s a lot of information flying around about password managers, but not all of it is true. Today we are going to dispel five common myths and misconceptions!

Everyone, from your colleague two cubicles down to the unsolicited emailer, has opinions about cybersecurity, and many are ...

5 myths and misconceptions about password managers

Everyone, from your colleague two cubicles down to the unsolicited emailer, has opinions about cybersecurity, and many are just trying to sell you something. There’s a lot of information flying around about password managers, but not all of it is true. Today we are going to dispel five common myths and misconceptions!

5 Myths and Misconceptions About Password Managers

<blockquote>
"Does TeamPassword mask passwords so that users can't see the password itself?"&nbsp;
</blockquote>
We get this question a lot. And the short answer is: No, we don't.&nbsp;
And here's why: it doesn't work. At least not the way you think.
Masked or Hidden passwords give the illusion of security without any real security benefit.
Here are a few ways a user can get around it.
<ol>
<li>
If the sign-in form has a Show Password box or the eye icon, the user can reveal the password once entered.
</li>
<li>
Even if the password manager automatically logs the user into the website when they click the credential, the user can turn on their browser's "Offer to save this password" feature and capture the ostensibly hidden password. Then, they can <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-view-saved-passwords-on-chrome#:~:text=and%20edit%20passwords-,To%20view%20a%20password,-%2C%20click%20the%20eye">view the password</a> in the browser's password manager with a few clicks.
</li>
<li>
Inspect the code and manually reveal the password.
</li>
</ol>
This is true for 1Password, LastPass, Bitwarden, and anyone else that offers the ability to hide passwords within their vault. Once a password leaves our environment (i.e. enters a sign-up form to login), we can't control it.
Other password managers advertise password masking as a feature; some even charge more for it. Their pitch is that by masking the password, users can use a password but won't be able to see what the password actually is, and therefore the password and the login are protected from unauthorized use. The truth of the matter lies somewhere in between.&nbsp;
<h2>What does masking passwords do?</h2>
Masking does visually block the password so that users can't immediately see what it is. This is useful to prevent someone from looking over your shoulder and seeing what the password says. But it doesn't stop a user from finding out what that password is. 
<h2>Why doesn't masking passwords work?</h2>
There are simple ways a knowledgeable user, or a user with half-decent web search skills, can uncover a masked password. In some cases, users can copy and paste the masked password into a text file to do the trick. Or, users can run a javascript function. There are many ways to reveal masked passwords, many of which can be found through a simple web search.
So what does this mean? It's simple; masked passwords are no safer than unmasked passwords from users that want to know what they are.
<h2>How can you keep passwords safe?</h2>
At TeamPassword, we do mask passwords as the default view so that users and non-users can't immediately see the password. That makes sense. But any user can unmask the password and see what it is.
However, <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" rel="follow">TeamPassword</a> doesn't believe in selling a false sense of security. Instead, we think it's better to maintain good password hygiene by resetting passwords regularly. That's the best way to keep your passwords safe.
Don't want a team member to access a login? Don't share it with them. Want to know who has used which login? Check the activity log. Don't want a team member who has left the company to access accounts they had access to? Change the passwords on those accounts after they leave.&nbsp;
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" title="TeamPassword Free Trial Sign-UP" rel="follow">Password management</a> is critical to keep you, your business, employees, and customers safe from <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/five-most-common-password-attacks" title="5 Most Common Password Attacks" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">cyberattacks</a>, especially&nbsp;if you have a <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/remote-workforce-3-cybersecurity-things-to-remember" title="Remote Workforce 3 Cybersecurity Things to Remember" rel="follow">remote workforce</a>.
Masked passwords may make you feel safe, but that false sense of security may make you vulnerable because you are less likely to practice good password hygiene.&nbsp;
Don't be suckered into paying more for a feature that doesn't work. Check the logs, update your passwords, and be sensible about who has access to what. 
Don't know how? Ask us; <a href="mailto:support@teampassword.com" rel="follow">TeamPassword</a> is happy to help!

Masking your credentials prevents onlookers from seeing them, but malicious users can still reveal that information which leaves vulnerable.

"Masked" passwords don't work, at least not the way you think. Masking your credentials prevents onlookers from seeing ...

"Masked" Passwords Don't Work the Way You Think

"Masked" passwords don't work, at least not the way you think. Masking your credentials prevents onlookers from seeing them, but malicious users can still reveal that information - leaving you vulnerable.

<h2>A New Employment Landscape</h2>
Let&rsquo;s face it; COVID-19 has permanently changed the world that we live in and how we work.&nbsp;
One of the most significant impacts has been a restructuring of the traditional &ldquo;office.&rdquo; In Findstack&rsquo;s &ldquo;The Ultimate List of Remote Work Statistics for 2022&rdquo; (Feb. 3, 2022), Jack Steward notes that during the pandemic, just under 60% of the US workforce worked remotely (<a href="https://www.northone.com/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">NorthOne</a>) and that 16% of companies are now 100% remote (<a href="https://resources.owllabs.com/state-of-remote-work/2020" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Owl Labs</a>).
Steward&rsquo;s data suggests that COVID-19 isn&rsquo;t all to blame. Younger generations have different work preferences. The uptick in remote work began as early as 2017, and 69% of millennials polled in a CBRE study said they would prefer a remote work option to other more traditional benefits.
Whatever the cause, governments are taking action. Globally, legislation is being passed to protect remote workers. In Ireland, a European tech hub, legislation has been introduced that will require employers to have a formal remote work policy. While other countries, including Argentina, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Portugal, Russia, Spain, and Turkey, have already made temporary COVID-19 measures related to remote work permanent.&nbsp;
Remote work isn&rsquo;t just a trend - it&rsquo;s the future. In an Upwork survey cited by Steward, managers predicted that by 2028 73% of all departments will have remote workers. For businesses, waiting isn&rsquo;t an option. They must prepare for the remote work reality now.
<h2>Why Employees Want to Work Remotely</h2>
Some companies are pushing for a full return to in-person attendance at the office but are meeting fierce resistance from employees. In Findstack&rsquo;s list of remote work statistics, the number one reason people gave for wanting to work remotely was &ldquo;work-life balance.&rdquo; The desire is so strong that 99% of people surveyed by Buffer said that if given a choice, they would choose to work remotely in some capacity for the rest of their lives.&nbsp;
<h3>Flexibility</h3>
There are many reasons why employees are drawn to remote work. In his Forbes article &ldquo;These Will Be Fast-Growing Trends in 2022&rdquo; (Dec. 19, 2021), Jack Kelly highlights that employees are drawn to remote work because it enables them to choose where they live and when they work. This flexibility is attractive to parents, digital nomads, and others that require it. In general, workers are now more willing to try new careers that fit their lifestyle rather than fit their lifestyle around a career.
<h3>Financial Gain</h3>
There&rsquo;s a financial component as well. According to Findstack, working remotely can save the average worker $7,000 per year on transportation, food, and childcare. In contrast, they are earning $4,000 more than their in-office colleagues. A net difference of $11,000!
Better work-life balance, career flexibility, and strong financial incentives are powerful forces for employers to fight against. So don&rsquo;t fight against remote work; embrace it.
<h2>Why Businesses Should Embrace Remote Work</h2>
Companies that embrace remote work can reap significant rewards beyond making their employees happier. A recent study by Stanford suggests remote workers earn $2,000 more in profit for companies than their in-office colleagues due to their increased productivity and minutes worked.
Employees are and will continue to be on the move. Brian Kropp and Emily Rose McRae, in their Harvard Business Review article &ldquo;11 Trends that Will Shape Work in 2022 and Beyond&rdquo; (Jan. 13, 2022), suggest that employee turnover will continue to rise. New attitudes and expectations about work and careers, coupled with less social pressure to stay, mean more employees are reentering the job market. With many employers offering remote options, it is becoming more difficult for businesses to hold onto their high-end talent. This is why, in an IWG study cited by Steward, 64% of recruiters said that being able to pitch a work-from-home policy helps them find high-quality talent.
Employees are looking for flexibility. Businesses prepared to offer remote work options stand to gain valuable talent in this new market. Those that don&rsquo;t will lose out.
<h2>What Risks Does Remote Work Present</h2>
There are many benefits to remote work, but every opportunity comes with risks. Employers are wary of turning the dial completely, and for good reasons. Beyond logistical considerations, remote work can make a business more vulnerable to cyberattacks and negatively impact productivity. 
<h3>Remote Work Can Be Less Secure</h3>
Having workers work remotely opens businesses of all sizes to certain security risks. It is far easier to protect sensitive data when employees are in the office using an employer-issued device on their employer&rsquo;s server.
In her blog article &ldquo;Most Common Remote Work Security Risks in 2021&rdquo; (July 22, 2021) for Heimdal Security, Biana Soare lists several significant risks, including the increased use of unsafe Wi-Fi networks, the use of personal devices for work, and unencrypted file sharing.
One area of particular concern, according to Soare, is passwords. Weak passwords, frequently used passwords, and repeat passwords make even secure environments vulnerable. At the same time, their use in unsecure environments can be catastrophic.&nbsp;
This is why, in a survey by OpenVPN, 54% of IT professionals considered remote workers a greater security risk than traditional workers.
<h3>Remote Work Can Impact Workflow</h3>
Remote workers face several new hurdles to do their jobs. Many have to navigate time zones and find accessing the tools and information they need challenging. Findstack&rsquo;s list of remote work statistics states that 17% of workers cited &ldquo;the lack of communication and collaboration&rdquo; as the most significant challenge associated with remote work.&nbsp;
Employees in the modern workplace can&rsquo;t just meet at the water cooler or drop into an office when they need an answer to a question or access to information. While modern means of communication are convenient, delays waiting for a response can negatively impact productivity.&nbsp;
<h2>How Businesses Can Prepare for Remote Work</h2>
Businesses that want to take advantage of this new reality need to develop remote work policies that foster a creative and flexible work environment, establish robust cybersecurity protocols, and provide their employees with the resources they need to succeed.&nbsp;
<h3>Personnel</h3>
Businesses need to maintain regular contact with their employees and set aside time for teammates to interact unrelated to work. Employers should also encourage employees to work set hours and schedule their time to prevent overworking and employee burnout.&nbsp;
<h3>Cybersecurity</h3>
Businesses should train their employees on proper cybersecurity measures to address cybersecurity concerns. And, if possible, provide remote workers with company-owned devices pre-installed with cybersecurity software.&nbsp;
Businesses should also insist that all workers use a companywide password manager to improve security and productivity. Password managers encrypt user passwords and store them in one place, eliminating the need for vulnerable spreadsheets or unsafe sharing practices. Multi-factor authentication and secure single-sign-on (SSO) further enhance login security. The latter allows IT admins to adjust permissions to control access.
<h3>Tools and Information</h3>
Finally, it is the responsibility of employers to make sure that their remote workers have access to the tools and information that they need to do their job. In her Forbes article &ldquo;5 Common Problems Plaguing Remote Workers And What to do About Them,&rdquo; Alina Clark recommends that employers invest in and maintain a collection of software tools for employees that can be accessed remotely.
<h2>TeamPassword Makes Remote Work Simple and Secure</h2>
TeamPassword is a password manager perfectly suited for remote work. The <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" rel="follow">TeamPassword platform</a> allows users to create both private and shared logins that are locally encrypted and host-proof. Once created, logins can easily be shared on teams or with the entire organization.&nbsp;
<h3>Easy Access</h3>
Unlike a spreadsheet or localized databases, <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" rel="follow">TeamPassword</a> is accessible from any device. Employees can access TeamPassword from mobile, regardless of their operating system, desktop app, or browser extensions. In seconds, users can log in and access the passwords they need - when they need them. This ease-of-access means team members stay in the flow without unnecessary interruption.
<h3>Secure</h3>
Employees can access the tools they need, when they need them, while keeping your business safe. TeamPassword&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/pricing" rel="follow">all-inclusive plans</a> come fully equipped with a <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/password-generator" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">robust password generator</a>, <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/password-manager-with-2fa" title="Password Manager with 2fa" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">2-step verification</a>, and Google <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/what-is-sso" title="What is SSO?" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">SSO</a>. These security screens, our frequent vulnerability sweeps and backend fraud detection protect your business no matter where your employees are working.
TeamPassword&rsquo;s blend of accessibility and security makes it the most remote work-friendly password manager on the market. Don&rsquo;t believe me? Try it for yourself for <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" rel="follow">for 14-days - free!</a>.&nbsp;
<h2>Remote Work Is Here to Stay</h2>
Waiting for remote work to go away isn&rsquo;t just ill-advised; it would be downright foolhardy. The research is clear; remote work is here to stay. Prepare for the future of your business and begin developing a remote work plan today. And remember, there are tools out there, like TeamPassword, that can help.

The employment landscape has changed, remote work is here to stay. Businesses that accept this reality and plan accordingly can prosper.

The employment landscape has changed dramatically in just a few years. Employees are demanding remote work options, and ...

Remote Work Isn’t Just a Trend - It’s the Future

The employment landscape has changed dramatically in just a few years. Employees are demanding remote work options, and governments are beginning to enact remote work legislation. It’s now on businesses to respond. There are risks to consider, but companies can reap the rewards by allowing remote work if they plan correctly. And they’d better do it because remote work isn’t just a trend - it’s the future.

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.
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<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>.
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<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.
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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!

See the best way to come up with a new username. We break down types of usernames and give you the best username ideas out there.

See the best way to come up with a new username. We break down types of usernames, why ...

How to Make a Good Username | Create a Unique and Secure Username

See the best way to come up with a new username. We break down types of usernames, why secure usernames are important, and how to create them effectively!

Learn what to do if you forgot your Facebook password and how to use TeamPassword to make sure you never forget a password again.

Learn what to do if you forgot your Facebook password and how to use TeamPassword to make sure ...

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