Web filtering is critical for any business that has an online presence. With many more businesses making the transition to operate online, it is worrisome that many of these businesses are unfamiliar with web filtering.
A web filtering system in the most basic sense is a way to control the content on a computer. Web filtering software is used to restrict websites that a user can visit in their browser. The software has many different uses for business and those uses all come together to make something that is essential for business operations.
It is critical that businesses use web filtering in today's day in age. After careful research, here are the benefits that we found specific to businesses that are using web filtering software.
Protection Against Malware and Other Security Threats
Web filtering is an effective way to prevent malware threats of plaguing your business. This is the most common reason that businesses are using web filtering software. It is common for employees to be browsing websites that they aren’t supposed to, and oftentimes the computer can be infected with malware as a result of that.
The market for content filtering software is growing at a double-digit rate annually, and it's no mystery why. It directly coincides with a massive increase in cyber attacks, along with the increased sophistication of the attacks that hackers are developing.
It doesn’t matter what kind of business you are running, or how big that business is. The sad reality is that we are all a target for malware, and the risks that businesses have online is higher than that of individuals because they typically have more to lose.
Web filtering is a great start to make your business safer from malware and other security threats. Not only does it block employees from websites that you specify, but it will also identify threats on websites automatically. Once an unsafe website is identified, the employee will be blocked from entering it, thus keeping your organization safe from that threat.
Increased Productivity Among Company Staff
Preventing your staff from wasting time on the computer can help increase productivity in your office. Instead of trying to actively monitor your employees, installing a web filtering software for your business can prevent your staff from going on websites they shouldn’t be on.
Social media is a huge problem when it comes to limiting your employee’s productivity. Nowadays, people are so connected on social media that it can be easy to get a notification on something and then end up scrolling through content for a large amount of time.
Just keep in mind that if your business is leveraging social media for any digital marketing efforts, you don’t want to get in the way of that. There are ways to limit the use of social media in some employees while allowing your marketing department to continue leveraging it to your benefit.
Prevent Employees From Accessing Inappropriate Content
Employees accessing inappropriate websites can not only put your network at risk, it can also put your company's reputation on the line. Web filtering software can help your business deal with this problem.
While web filtering may not completely eliminate the threat of inappropriate content, it can work to considerably lower the chances of it happening on your business’s network. How effectively you manage the inappropriate content depends on which web filtering content your business uses and how good of a job it does.
If you do have a good web filtering software set up on your business’s network, you can avoid the hassle of legal issues that stem from copyright infringement or inappropriate content accessed by your employees.
Remember That Not All Web Filtering Software is the Same
There are basic web filtering software solutions as well as more advanced options. Keep in mind that virus threats out there are constantly evolving, and they get more and more advanced as time goes on. For this reason, we recommend that you consider an advanced web filtering software so that you can stay ahead of the threats that your business faces.
If you use a basic web filtering software that does not work well for your company, you can actually make your situation worse. Poor web filtering software can actually block legitimate websites that your employees need to access to be productive, and lack the technology to block savvy cybercriminals to infiltrate your network.
When you utilize a more advanced web filtering software, you will do a better job of protecting your business from the following threats:
- Malware
- Spyware
- Ransomware
- Phishing
- Viruses
Just keep in mind that a web filter is going to do all that it can to help keep your business from running into these problems. There are other solutions that you can pair with an advanced web filtering software to give your business a comprehensive defense against online threats.
The Bottom Line on Web Filtering For Businesses
The sad reality for businesses is that a large portion of what your employees do online is unrelated to work tasks. That portion can be as large as 30-40% of their internet use at work. A web filtering software can help you reduce that portion of unrelated internet use to help your company with its productivity and protection from online threats.
Installing advanced web filtering software is a great investment for your business. You will be able to stay on top of evolving security threats to your business, which can be costly if you are the unlucky recipient of them. You can also increase productivity in your office by limited social media use, keeping employees on relevant websites, and limiting inappropriate content.
Just keep in mind that web filtering for businesses is just one way to keep your business secure. An in-depth strategy against threats to your business should go beyond simply limiting access to websites. Web filtering software is a great place to start to make your business more secure and productive.