Safety Tips for Bloggers


As Bloggers, we're always compelled to share our lives online; from the food we eat, what we have, what we do, where we go, it's almost as if it's an imperative aspect now for a Blogger to share their world to their readers. From a marketing perspective, I understand this because it is how you stay connected and relevant to your followers. 

But sometimes (or most of the time for others), we fall victim to oversharing to a point that we compromise our safety.

Sharing is okay. The degree of what you share is up to you and that depends on how your readers respond to your content and how it helps you. But always bear in mind, your safety should never be compromised. Here are my tips to keep Bloggers safe despite the daily sharing.


1. DON'T MENTION/SHARE YOUR ADDRESS ONLINE

- If Foursquare closes down soon, I believe the biggest factor to it is the compromising of safety. Checking in your crib may seem harmless, but potential crooks and creepy stalkers will find this golden. Piece of advice, stop checking in in your address or mentioning it in your articles/videos.

2. DESTROY ANYTHING THAT CONTAINS SENSITIVE INFORMATION BEFORE DISCARDING THEM

- Bloggers always receive packages and on those packages, sensitive details are always exposed such as your name, address, and mobile number. Before discarding a courier box or pouch, make sure that you remove all your details on it. For receipts, I tear them up; boxes, I shade my details using a black marker; for sticker labels, I cut them up.

3. DO A BACKGROUND CHECK ON COMPANIES THAT REACH OUT TO YOU

- When a company reaches out to you, it always seems like a good opportunity, but before giving out your details, do a quick check on the company: check if they have a website, search for reviews and website mentions, and search for the the person who contacted you on social media. It always never hurts to be double sure.

4. THINK TWICE BEFORE GIVING YOUR DETAILS TO SOMEBODY

- There are some people who say they're reaching out to you on behalf of a certain company, but are using personal emails. Seems a bit shady. Unless you know who the person is, apply rule number 3 on this one. I sometimes give out my details to representatives using personal emails, but I do so with great care and consideration. Thankfully, no one has tried to break into my house or stalk me. Also, trust your gut!

5. DON'T SHOW YOUR HOUSE ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

- Same with tip number 1. You may not be sharing your address, but you keep on sharing what your house looks like and also, what the route to your house looks like - it's the same thing! Don't compromise your safety as well as your household's by not sharing details about your house.

6. FOR FIRST TIME MEET- UPS, INSIST TO MEET UP IN A CROWDED LOCATION

- I encountered people before who would invite me to their homes or an odd location to discuss business opportunities. This is a modus that's being used by people to mug or force unsuspecting victims to do what they want. To be safe, always insist to do the first meet up in a crowded area like a coffee shop or restaurant. But if the inviting party has an office in a known location, then it's safe to go. Again, trust your gut on this one.

Safe blogging, guys!

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21 Comments

  1. A bit of a hassle but it might be a good idea also to get a PO Box and have mail, packages, etc sent to it instead of to your home address.

    For general public: Maybe also don't post on social media with geo-tag real time? Or make your social media accounts really private and make sure that your friends/followers are actually people you know. :)

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  2. Thanks Ms. Martha for sharing your tips on how to be safety in blogging.

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  3. Totally agree Ms.M, especially now that a lot of scams are happening involving the world wide web. We all need to be extra careful. Most especially our sensitive data.

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  4. Even thought I'm just a part time blogger, I always do your number 2 tip. I thought I was just being paranoid, well better safe than sorry. I'm also planning to buy a shredder 😊

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  5. I've never considered these situations quite risky before but now that you've mentioned it, it really is! Thank you so much for these info. I am already starting a blog, however, mine is full of poems and such so I don't really give out personal details because I maintain my anonymity. But in the future, I am considering running a blog that is more personal so I will keep this in my mind.

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  6. This a good read, and thanks for the reminders Ms. Martha.

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  7. There's the tendency to forget online safety when browsing the web, and blogging.Been noticing in fb lately that people I don't know are adding me. Better be safe than sorry. Making my fb more secure like changing passwords.

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  8. A good read for bloggers especially those who are just starting. Thanks for the info :)

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  9. Good tips! Although I am nowhere near being contacted by companies, I'll bear this in mind. Yes, I agree with prev commentor about getting a PO Box, like the international Youtubers I see. And when they take pics or videos they always make it a point to remove or cover the labels that show their addresses or info.

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  10. True!!! these tips are a big help to me, especially na newbie pa lang ako on blogging... truly appreciate this post :) di ko naisip ang iba dito hehe Im glad that you did this post! thanks much!

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  11. Oh that is why my blogger friend uses my address a lot though, I'm happy to assist he all the time Lol!

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  12. Even kim k got mugged in her own apartment. we need to be careful in sharing our deets online

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  13. Many aspiring bloggers should know about this. I mean, think before you click, so they say. Because we are living in a modern world now, and it isn't getting any safer. We all should be careful posting on social media because it can be used against us. Again, think before you click, gals. Thanks for the tips, Ms. Martha! May you continue enlightening us, your dear followers! XX

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  14. Great tips, Miss Martha! These can be helpful not just for bloggers but for everyone too.

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  15. As a blogger wannabe here, it's nice to see that someone also share her tips to others. Great job on this article, Miss Martha. It's very helpful to us, especially those who wants to be a blogger like you.

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  16. This is a must read!!!!! This is something we should always consider when we're transacting with a company or even individuals.

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  17. Applicable din sa daily life natin. thanks Ms. M.

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  18. Abigail Dela VictoriaOctober 12, 2016 at 11:04 AM

    This is really a good tip Ms. Martha! Not just for the blogger but also for an individual like me. We really need to minimize the information that we post on our social media accounts such as address etc. For our own safety. And for a bloggers like you. It's really a must to take extra precautionary step when it comes to giving out personal information. Thank you for the reminder Ms. Martha! 😄😄

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  19. Oh! This is a wake up reminder for someone like me. Hindi sumagip sa isip ko ang number 2, hindi ko na binubura ang nakasulat but hindi pa huli ang lahat. thanks a lot Ms. Martha! ;)

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  20. You're welcome, everyone! I'm glad you found these tips helpful. Safe browsing and blogging! :D

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