Nowadays, with AI becoming increasingly prevalent, it has sparked a major security concern. More people (businesses included) are falling victim to scams, and it’s easier to manipulate videos, images, and even a person’s voice. Deep fakes are becoming a problem. Overall, a person’s (and their business’s) likeness is on the line. So, being a small business owner often comes with a degree of visibility.
It doesn’t matter what the business is or what the industry is either, be it an e-commerce store, something providing a local service, or even those who growing their influence online. But overall, many entrepreneurs find themselves sharing more of their personal lives than they might be comfortable with.
In some cases, they may even be very open about who they are, where they live, and even personal details about their family. This level of exposure can lead to unwanted consequences like stalking, vandalism, theft, and other personal security risks.
With that all said, it’s entirely understandable if you’d like to become more private, maybe even have your team become more private, too. But is it possible to still manage success within your industry while still holding onto what anonymity you have online? Well, there are some ways you can make it happen.
Use a Virtual Phone Number
One of the easiest ways for people to get access to you is through your phone number. Actually, a lot of social engineering can easily happen if someone has your phone number. So, for starters, never use your personal phone number as your business phone number, too. But is that all?
Well, many small business owners think they need to plaster their contact details everywhere—on social media, their website, and even business cards—but this can open the door to unwanted calls and messages. So it might be a good idea to look into a virtual phone system instead to help shield your personal contact into. Plus, this make your business appear more professional too.
Go by an Alias
Yes, that’s right, you don’t need to use your real name. In fact, there are a lot of well-known personalities who operate under aliases or stage names, and you can do the same. It doesn’t matter what line of work you’re in, but using an alias gives you an extra layer of protection.
Overall, going by a different name can keep your real identity out of the public eye, and it’s especially useful if you’re sharing personal stories or experiences as part of your brand. You can be as creative as you want, and it adds a bit of mystery while keeping you safer from prying eyes. Your clients or followers don’t need to know your legal name to connect with you or trust your expertise.
Set Up a Virtual Address for Your Business
It’s common for small business owners to use their home address as their business address, especially when starting out (or if they lack a location for operation). However, sharing your home address publicly can pose a huge privacy risk. Instead, consider setting up a virtual address for your business.
Essentially, if you’re getting a virtual address, this is going to act as your business’s official mailing address, but it’s not linked to where you live. There are some virtual address services that even offer mail forwarding, so you can still receive important documents without compromising your privacy.
Not Every Business Needs a Face
When it comes to privacy, one of the most effective strategies is simply to avoid showing your face. Yes, that’s right, and it can be as simple as this. While this may seem counterintuitive for entrepreneurs who are building a personal brand, it’s not always necessary to put your face out there. Some influencers, creators, and business owners have built entire followings without ever revealing what they look like (granted, it can be challenging if you’re trying to create a parasocial relationship).
If your business doesn’t require you to be the face of the brand, you can use other strategies, like posting photos of your products, your workspace, or abstract visuals. When it comes to video content, you can create voiceovers, tutorials, or animations without having to appear on screen— some people might find it off putting but overall it’s still widely accepted (but avoid an AI voice over).
Skip the Profile Pictures on Social Media
LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram often encourage users to upload a profile picture for a more personal touch, but it’s not actually a requirement. But that’s the thing, it feels like a requirement, but in reality, it’s not. For the most part, there’s a lot of business owners and entrepreneurs out there who believe that having a professional headshot is crucial for networking and credibility, but in reality, it’s more of a “nice-to-have” than a must-have.
If you’re serious about keeping your identity private, you can skip the profile pictures altogether or use logos, illustrations, or other images that represent your business without revealing your face. Think about some of the biggest companies out there; they use logos, they don’t use their face.
Encourage Your Team to Protect Their Privacy Too
As a business owner, it’s important to extend the same level of privacy protection to your team. You may not know this, but many employees feel that they need to list their employer on LinkedIn or share their role within the company on social media to make the company look better and more “active.”
But overall, encouraging your team to maintain their privacy not only protects them from unwanted attention but also shields your business from being targeted through its employees (a lot of social engineering and phishing scams happen this way). So. if your staff feels comfortable, they can avoid linking their personal profiles to your company’s online presence, and you can take extra steps by not listing their names or photos on your business website.
Your Team Doesn’t Need to Be On the Website
This goes back to above, if people know the teams names, roles, and contact info, it could increase the chance for social engineering or scams (or other terrible things). While yes, it’s common for businesses to have an “About Us” or “Meet the Team” section on their websites, it’s not necessary—and for privacy-conscious businesses, it might even be risky.
You can still showcase the talent and experience behind your business without putting your team’s personal details on display.For example, you can offer a general overview of the business and its mission, focusing on the company’s values rather than its employees.
