Backing up important data is one of those things we all know we should do, but rarely ever get around to. While it's certainly easier to think your small business or bank account won't ever get hacked, data breaches are becoming all too common. If Target's massive data breach or the Heartbleed bug didn't spur you to take data precautions, you're not alone — 60% of SMBs admit they don't routinely back up data. But, according to the same study, that's a costly mistake: 72% of businesses that experience a major data loss shutdown within 24 months.

Ultimately, backing up your data could save your business. But it can also save your precious family photos, your credit score, your finances, and your online identity. However, not all data backup is created equal, as the video below demonstrates, external hard drives are prone to theft. Your safest bet is using a cloud storage option, which allows you to access your data from any device. So if your laptop is stolen, you can still access all your data and files from another computer.



Author Bio
Rob Toledo is a Seattleite who matches the usual stereotypes. Loves coffee, the rain, and prefers dogs to cats. When not rambling about marketing and web design, he can be found in the mountains either climbing or hiking.