Internet marketers are constantly looking for new tools to win in tough competition. One of these tools can be a free VPN, even though most people consider it solely a cybersecurity tool. However, encrypting data and changing the IP address, can greatly simplify your daily tasks. So, let’s find out how to use a free VPN in digital marketing and how to choose the best one.
Understanding a VPN
A VPN is a technology that redirects your traffic through a remote server. When you install a VPN program on your device and connect to the server, the client encrypts all your outgoing data. After that, it sends it to the VPN server. There, your data is decrypted and redirected to the target Internet resource.
This simple process has many advantages. By choosing the best free VPN, you can not only transfer your data in an encrypted form but also change your IP address.
An IP address is your unique identifier on the web and can tell a lot of information about you. The most important thing it can tell third parties is your real location.
When you use a free VPN, you can connect to one of several remote servers offered. This way you will hide your IP address.
Third parties can only see the IP address of the server from which they received the information. When you use a VPN, the data does not come from you, but from the intermediary server. So its IP address will be displayed instead of yours.
This allows you to manipulate third parties’ perceptions of your location and gain many advantages. So let’s find out how you can use a free VPN in digital marketing.
How to use a VPN in digital marketing
There are many ways to use a VPN in digital marketing and you will find a variety of options, depending on your specific business. The most common ways are the following:
Anonymous monitoring of competitors’ online activities.
Competitors can block you from accessing their online resources. However, competitor analysis is an important part of any marketer’s work.
It is important at the stage of building a marketing strategy as well as in everyday activities. It helps to adjust actions and assess your position relative to other companies in the market.
Free VPN will help you browse competitors’ online resources anonymously and bypass blocking. To do this, you need to connect to a VPN server in your or another country, depending on the market your competitors operate in. This way, you will be assigned the corresponding IP address of the VPN server, which will be displayed instead of yours. It will not be affected by competitors’ bans and you will be able to browse their websites anonymously.
Testing of ad campaigns
Use a VPN to ensure your ads are displayed correctly in different countries or regions. To do this, choose a provider that has servers in the regions where you promote your products. By connecting to diverse remote servers, you will be able to see your ads through the eyes of a local user.
You can also check how your website and mobile applications work from different locations. This often helps to identify failures and timely fix errors.
Local SEO and SERP tracking
Use a free VPN to check how your website ranks in search engine results from various geographic regions.
The ability to connect to faraway VPN servers will be useful in local SEO campaigns. You may research local search patterns and keywords by using search engines as if you were in a specific country.
SMM
With a VPN, you can promote your product abroad. It will give you access to local social networks and groups. For this purpose, you need to:
- clear the cache and cookies on your device;
- disable geolocation services;
- connect to a remote VPN server located in the country you need;
- download and register in local social networks or online groups.
This allows you to access social media networks and apps that may be banned in your area.
You can still benefit from a VPN even if you use only international social networks. Use a VPN to see how audiences in various locations see your social media advertising, posts, and campaigns.
Secure remote work
Of course, you shouldn’t forget about the basic security features of the VPN. By downloading the free VPN app to your mobile devices, you can continue working from any country. Even if you arrive in a country with high Internet restrictions, you will still be able to access the websites and social networks you need to work.
To do this, choose a VPN provider that offers access to a server in your home country in the free edition. To regain access to the necessary resources, connect to this server and visit websites as usual.
You can also safely connect to public Wi-Fi networks while traveling. Thanks to data encryption, you will be able to communicate with colleagues and partners securely. Confidential data will not leak out because all your conversations will be encrypted.
However, to enjoy these and other benefits of a free VPN, you need to choose a reliable provider, as not all VPN services are of equal quality.
How to choose the best free VPN
The approach to choosing a VPN differs depending on the needs of each user. Gamers pay the most attention to speed. Travelers care about the number of remote servers, and journalists about the no-log policy.
To use a free VPN in a digital marketing business, you need to focus on:
VPN protocols and encryption
This determines how your data will be transmitted in the network and what level of encryption will be used. The stronger your data is encrypted, the harder it is for hackers to decrypt it in case of interception.
Today, 256-bit AES or SSL encryption is considered the gold standard. It is deemed safe against all known threats and is frequently used as an encryption standard for electronic data.
A VPN’s tunneling protocol regulates how your data is routed to and from its destination. Many VPN providers employ the OpenVPN configuration, which combines AES-256 and SSL routing. This is a good option if you’re looking for a free VPN for work.
Among VPN protocols, IKEv2 also stands out for its combination of security and speed. However, the PPTP protocol is already deprecated. It can be used for everyday tasks, but it should be avoided if you’re looking for a VPN to handle sensitive data.
So look for a free VPN provider that quarantines 256-bit encryption and OpenVPN or IKEv2 protocol.
Number of servers
Usually, free VPNs have fewer servers available than paid versions. However, you can find a provider that offers multiple servers that cover the countries that are important to you.
Of course, the more servers you have available the better. But if you’re looking for a decent VPN on a budget, consider not the number of servers but their location. You must have access to a server in your home country in case you travel. Also, make sure to have servers in the countries where you promote your products.
Compatibility with different devices
No one wants to choose a separate VPN for their Android phone, home PC, and iPad. Therefore, choose a provider that has an app for all your gadgets on different operating systems.
This way, you can cover all your devices, work and personal phones, laptops, and tablets at once and be completely safe.
Of course, check out the ways to contact the support team. It is optimal to have 2 of them: live chat on the website and email. This way you can quickly resolve any issues.
Bottom line
A free VPN can be a real boon for an online marketer. It will help you perform your daily tasks more efficiently and expand your business to other markets. It is a godsend for freelancers. Free VPN allows them to take on projects on foreign freelance platforms and freely communicate with clients.
So, get to know the VPN technology better. You will be able to use it in SEO, competitor analysis, SMM, and other digital marketing tasks.
Andrej Fedek is the creator and the one-person owner of two blogs: InterCool Studio and CareersMomentum. As an experienced marketer, he is driven by turning leads into customers with White Hat SEO techniques. Besides being a boss, he is a real team player with a great sense of equality.