The best defense is showing raiders that it is not worth the time.
Play Salem like a tower defense game, invest as much as possible into your wall and braziers, your defense is as strong as it's thinnest part.
1. step surround your bell and claimstone with a wall and pack the area with braziers and torches as tightly as you can.
2. step surround your claim with a wall and braziers. 3 rows of braziers as tightly built next to each other as possible is a good start.
Make sure that you focus on building your defense and food infrastructure first. Trade everything else for advancing your defense. Make sure that the value of your base is in its defense. When the ratio defense:storage is high enough, then raiders will not waste their time on your claim. It has to look like a pain without gain.
Most people invest weeks into collecting nice things and only hours in building defense. Don't be one of them.
Nothing wrong with collecting, but turn it into defense asap.