Do I need a privacy policy on my website?

It can be confusing, costly, and time-consuming to stay on top of all of the laws around privacy policies for websites. For example, what are they, exactly? Do you really need one? How do you get one?

This post will clear the air.

What is a privacy policy on a website?

It’s basically a statement that tells website visitors how your organization uses the customer data you collect on your website. It explains how you protect and manage that data, and how you do so legally. It might also outline how your website uses cookies (the data created by websites to improve user experiences).

Do I need a privacy policy on my website? 

It all boils down to whether or not you collect personal information from users on your website. Chances are, you do.

Small business websites usually collect personal information through:

• Contact us forms
• Email newsletter sign-up forms
• Account creation portals
• Analytics programs

If your website has any of the above features, you are collecting personal identifiable information (PII) and thus may be required by law to have a privacy policy. It’s also important to note that your privacy policy must be up to date.

Why do I need a privacy policy?

     1. It keeps you out of legal hot water

There are many state, local, and international laws that require you to include a current privacy policy that explains how you are using the data collected from website visitors. Your state may not have a law in place, but you can still be susceptible to laws that are in place in other jurisdictions.

If your website doesn’t have a privacy policy or it is out of date, you could be subject to some hefty fines if someone reports you.

  2.  It builds trust with your potential customers

Demonstrating that you are willing to follow privacy laws can help retain existing customers and can even gain you new customers as well.

Consider these stats:

• 93% of Americans would switch to a company that prioritizes privacy
• 91% of Americans would prefer to buy from companies that always guarantee them access to their PII

It’s well worth the effort to show your prospects you value their privacy.

Does Drio create privacy policies for web design clients? 

No, we do not create privacy policies for our clients. The rules around website privacy policies are ever-changing so we we are not in a position to offer legal advice.

In the past, we’ve let clients know that the best course of action would be to consult with their lawyer. But, this is often unrealistic.

Many of the service-based businesses and nonprofits we work with, while well-established, don’t have legal counsel in their back pocket. And, to make matters more complicated, many lawyers are not well-versed in the legal requirements of PII, at least when it comes to your website and all of the online tools that you are using.

Fortunately, we partner with an awesome team that provides an affordable solution that won’t break the bank and will keep you and your website protected from potentially costly lawsuits.

Introducing Termageddon: An easy and affordable way to create your website privacy policy

Drio has partnered up with a privacy policy company called Termageddon. Our friends at Termageddon will help you create your privacy policy in less than 15 minutes. They will also automatically update your website’s policies when the laws change so you don’t have to stay on top of the laws. So if you do have a privacy policy but it’s outdated, they’ll take care of things without you needing to lift a finger.

The investment is $99/year but we have a special deal that will give you 10% off your first year. 

You’ll receive the following policies to protect your website:

• Privacy Policy;
• Terms of Service;
• Disclaimer;
• and End User License Agreement.

The offer includes a one-time $200 set-up fee by Drio so we can add your privacy policy to your website. That means you don’t need to do a thing!

You will have full access to your policies with your own Termageddon account. You’ll be notified when new laws go into effect and when your policies are being updated or when new disclosures require additional questions that need to be answered.

This deal is usually only available to Drio clients, but it’s yours if you enter your email address below!

Simply enter your email address below to get 10% off your first year of Termageddon.