Cybersecurity isn’t limited to the realm of IT teams and CISO’s anymore. It concerns everyone, even marketers, whether they work with one company or consult with many clients.
What’s the Role of a VPN in Digital Marketing
VPN technology has been around for about two decades and was developed for big companies’ private internal networks. This technology has since gained worldwide adoption for a variety of reasons. Not only marketers value security and other benefits that VPNs offer, ranging from gaining customer insight to improving data security.
A VPN can be a valuable addition to any marketer’s toolbar. Here’s a quick look at how VPNs work, and why marketers can enjoy using this technology today.
What is a VPN?
A virtual private network, or VPN, acts as an intermediary between a device and the internet. It encrypts and routes the connection through a secure server that replaces the network’s IP address.
Tips when choosing a VPN:
- Look for a VPN with server locations in desired regions, i.e., where target audiences or competitors are.
- Try a VPN with a free trial first (for example, this one) to see how it holds up to expectations.
- Getting a VPN with a kill switch is essential for marketers who use public WiFi.
- Check out VPNs with extra features. It can be useful depending on a person’s situation.
The Benefits of Using a VPN for Digital Marketing
There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to cybersecurity as a whole. Marketers can’t narrow their focus, and within the company setting, security has to become a team effort as well.
While VPNs are one important facet to achieving better privacy and security, other cybersecurity practices shouldn’t be neglected either. The only way to ensure better security is to approach the issue from all sides – from authentication (passwords) to data storage (encrypted drives and cloud storage).
That said, here are a few ways in which VPNs can change marketers’ lives for the better ‘Look for a VPN‘.
1. Be Secure While Working Remotely and Abroad
The biggest draw of VPN technology is its ability to keep outsiders from taking advantage of devices connected to public networks. These aren’t safe for professionals working with important business tools or private information. Criminals look for a range of things – from client data to any passwords – to steal.
But since VPNs encrypt network traffic, they make it safer for marketers to get the job done no matter where they are. They also come with the added benefit of helping people connect to websites and accounts back home that might be blocked abroad.
2. Increased Client Trust and Safety
Marketers have to handle a lot of client data, and with that comes a lot of added responsibility. Especially now that regulations like the GDPR are being implemented to protect consumer data. Clients who know that the utmost care is being taken to protect their data will build customer loyalty more easily.
3. Boost Consumer Insights
Every marketer knows that it’s impossible to create a winning marketing campaign without knowing the customer well first. Understanding what drives consumer behavior is a tricky task, especially targeting overseas markets. It’s often hard to gain insight into foreign audiences through search engines like Google, and buying additional insight tools can be expensive.
A VPN solves this issue by allowing marketers to change their IP address to that of the country their target audience resides in. This way, marketers can understand area-specific trends and popular keywords for the region they’re targeting, and adjust their strategies.
4. Improve Link Building for SEO
Google’s John Mueller once stated that IP addresses don’t matter as much for backlink building. However, as many marketers can attest, that statement doesn’t hold a lot of weight. On top of that, many websites can be finicky in this area. Some don’t allow many backlinks from the same IP address. Changing accounts doesn’t help either – since the IP address doesn’t change.
That issue is non-existent with a VPN, though, since people can change their IP address whenever they want.
5. Research Competitors
Looking into what the competition is doing is critical for a successful marketing strategy. But it’s just as important to be discreet about it. Seeing as a person can change their IP address with a VPN, they can study competitors’ websites and ads without being noticed. After all, it’s important not to alert them to which pages or products are being studied.
The Bottom Line
Besides security reasons, VPNs are also helpful for a range of marketing-related tasks. They help marketers improve SEO, PPC, and ad campaign strategies. With the help of a VPN, there’s no need to guess what keywords are popular or what competitors are up to.
Keep in mind that not every VPN provider offers the same level of service. It’s worth doing some research first to find a good fit.