There was a time when VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) were only fancy tech additives. Not many were aware of its possibilities and usage. 

However, as of today, VPNs have become a necessity. They enable an encrypted and safe connection between the internet and your computer, offering a safe tunnel for your communications and data transfers. For these reasons, VPNs have also become popular among businesses. 

But how did its prominence occur in the business world?

Forbes quotes a report titled ‘Cybersecurity Solutions for a Riskier World’ stating that data breaches and cyberattacks increased by about 15% in 2021 compared to the previous year. Unfortunately, cybercrime rates only seem to be getting higher and higher. To avoid being victims of such crimes, businesses have started investing in VPN solutions, limiting the chances of getting robbed of their privacy and data.

So it goes without saying that VPNs have become the pillar of most company IT infrastructures. Plus, they’re affordable and easy to set up.

If your business hasn’t used a VPN, it is time to start. To enlighten you even more, here are a few ways a VPN can benefit your business:

1. A Secure Network 

Using a VPN has many advantages. One of the most crucial is how well businesses can secure networks. 

A website or program may monitor your internet behavior without your awareness. Under the pretext of UI and UX improvements, the website takes your consent to analyze data and target you for better advertisements. 

Without a VPN, you will see a flood of irrelevant pop-up adverts that might hinder your online surfing and be generally annoying. VPNs, including programs and web browsers, protect your privacy from third parties using your connection. Furthermore, if you’re looking for a reliable VPN connection, rest assured because you can find one at DigitalSupermarket

You can search for VPNs based on features and affordability and pick a solution that satisfies your business needs.

2. More Access Management

Access control: what is it? It regulates who has access to what. 

One advantage of VPNs is access restriction through user authentication and authorization; a VPN may control access. This is accomplished by

  • Verifying an application or person is what or who it purports to be is known as identification. 
  • Establishing the legitimacy of a user (usually through a password). 
  • Assigning the correct access levels and rights to the IP address or username. 

Only granting users access to what they need should be the general rule of thumb regarding access control. Businesses can do that with a VPN service from a trustworthy VPN provider.

3. Geo-Independence

You may get into circumstances where your users cannot access corporate resources via the open internet merely because the country in issue is limiting access to that specific service. 

By using a VPN service, your users will primarily be able to access the internet as if they are still in the United States or whatever country they work in, even if they are physically located in a less free country. This benefit might only apply to a tiny percentage of SMBs, but it’s essential for those who require it.

4. Boosting Employee Productivity

Employees still need to use the services that are only accessible while linked to the company’s network, even when they are away from the office.

 Fortunately, public access Wi-Fi hotspots and high-speed cellular data networks provide access to the internet virtually everywhere. With the help of a VPN, private network access is also widely available. Employees may access company applications and boost productivity when away from the office with a VPN and mobile internet connection.

5. Protect Your Privacy

When your ISP or any party with the ability to influence how your Wi-Fi network operates deliberately slows down your internet connection, this is known as bandwidth throttling. That can occasionally happen when you visit websites or carry out specific internet activities that require high bandwidth. You can also encrypt your device’s mobile traffic with a VPN service.

Thanks to encryption, the websites you are browsing cannot be seen by others. Unfortunately, your ISP can still reduce your bandwidth in these circumstances but cannot see the websites you’re visiting or your internet activity. It’s worth noting that the website detection might occasionally cause bandwidth throttling by your ISP. 

However, they may still restrict your data during specific hours of the day to make room for other users. Most of the time, workers and other users of your internet connection won’t be slowed down based on how much they use the internet. But a VPN allows businesses to hide their information and rule out the possibility of cyberattacks compromising valuable data.

6. Competitor Matching

An essential component of any business’s digital marketing plan is knowing who your competitors are. You need to know who is at the top of the heap in your preferred area, examine their techniques, and look at any posts, videos, or images they have created. 

By doing this, you can spot weaknesses you can exploit to provide your company or customer a competitive edge and help you better position your goods and advertisements compared to rivals. 

With a VPN, you may conceal your true location while accessing their online resources by using a proxy IP address. Additionally, suppose your rivals’ sites are only accessible from a few regions. In that case, you can get around these limitations and continue researching their websites and advertisements.

7. Low Cost

You can significantly reduce the cost of support services by using a VPN connection that features cloud computing technology. 

For example, in an on-site setup, IT professionals are usually in charge of the repair of the internal server and other operations. But with a VPN, the service provider is responsible for all maintenance, performance reviews, and security measures. This, in turn, helps you save a lot of money. 

Additionally, it is reasonable for a business to have its own VPN. 

Many VPN services cost less than $10 per user per month when purchased using a business licensing plan. Furthermore, a VPN service is necessary to carry out regular business transactions. It prevents illegal tracking of your business transactions by anonymizing your outgoing traffic and encrypting your connection.

Conclusion

So that concludes our list of ways a VPN connection can benefit your business. 

A VPN can help your business manage severe network issues and simplify network security. Furthermore, when choosing a VPN service, do not settle for a free connection, as these do not provide adequate encryption and can sell your data to third parties. Consider your business’s structure, services, and size, and then select a connection that best suits your needs and protects your presence.