Reasons Why Your Website Needs a Privacy Policy

December 21, 2020 Business

If you’re running an online business, no matter the kind, there are certain things you must absolutely cover when it comes to the legal department. You will need a user consent for all sorts of things and you will usually get it, no question asked. Those documents are notoriously not read by the website visitors but they are necessary for your own protection. Documents such as Terms and Condition, Cookie and Privacy policy are also necessary if you want to be compliant with the national as well as international regulations.

Before we see what are the exact reasons why your website needs to provide these documents to its customers, let’s first explain what Privacy Policy actually is.

What is Privacy Policy?

The simple way of describing this policy would be that it is a legal document that explains all the ways in which a certain website collects, processes, stores, shares, and uses the customer data. It also describes the reasons behind this procedure and what rights a customer has in that regard.

The data collecting pretty much happens with all websites a person visits in one form or the other. However, if you’re providing e-commerce services, you will be storing some very important personal information such as name, payment methods, email and IP address, to name the few. Given this fact, it’s important to have a Privacy Policy set in place as it will protect both you and your customers.

Don’t forget – there is no way around this. The policy is mandatory by law and it should be understandable to anyone reading it and always up-to-date. This way you will not only comply with the regulations but be seen as a trustworthy company in the eyes of potential clients.

Building a Trustworthy Brand

We already mentioned that to be taken as a serious online service provider it is absolutely necessary to present your clients with this document. As stated by the professionals on the www.websitepolicies.com, there are multiple methods you can use to create the Privacy Policy for your website and one of the best is without a doubt an online generator of legal documents. It’s rather easy and it will all be done in the matter of minutes.

Having something like this on the homepage will make you seem more reliable and your website as a customer-friendly environment. Being transparent will make the users feel secure and more comfortable. As such, it will be highly appreciated by them.

It’s a Legal Requirement

Pretty much every single country in the world has some type of law that demands online business to have a Privacy Policy on their website. Your obligation is to explain to customers just how you’ll collect and protect their personal information. If you don’t comply with the set regulations, you will be faced with huge fines. So, if you don’t want to risk being confronted with these expenses that can ruin your business, make sure you have all the necessary documents to meet the legal obligations.

Required by The Third Party

The Privacy Policy is not only by the law but also by the third parties. Companies such as Google demand this document to be part of your website and you will also need it if you want to use Google services such Analytics and Adsense. The same protocol is required if you’re planning on launching your brand as a mobile app on the Google Play store.

In the last case, have in mind that having this policy on your website is not the only requirement. It also has to be placed in a way that is easily visible for anyone entering your platform for the first time. if you don’t do that, your app will be suspended or even worse – banned.

Users Want to Protect Their Privacy

We already post so much of our personal life online but when it comes to sensitive information, we want them to stay private. As we become more and more reliant on technology, the question of security and safety is becoming increasingly important. People are interested to know what sorts of measures and tools you are using to make sure no one gets their data.

That’s where Privacy Policy comes in handy. Not only are you explaining what is happening but you will also request their approval to collect the data. All of this will serve as a good base for building a long-lasting and strong relationship with a client.

Prevent Lawsuits

Whether you’re running a website or a mobile app, make sure you are covered from all angles when it comes to the legal department. You don’t want someone to have to deal with long lawsuits that can cause you financial damage as well as ruin your reputation among customers.

There are multiple examples of companies facing legal repercussions because they didn’t have a solid Privacy Policy. Even big brands such as Google and Snapchat had made mistakes when it comes to this document and they had to deal with the consequences of their bad decisions. The EU authorities are really taking this seriously and have raised the fines to show the people just how the privacy of online consumers actually is.

Increasing Your Profit

This is pretty much the reaction you will experience if you build a trustworthy brand. Being upfront and honest with your website or app users will make them believe you and they are most likely to agree to the Terms and Conditions you are putting in front of them. By making a customer-friendly platform, you will be able to make them feel secure and that will certainly result in using your services. This is also a way to build a loyal clientele that will keep coming back.

Overall, Privacy Policy is not an option, it’s a necessity for every company, website, or an app operating in the online space. The law makes it mandatory and if you don’t comply with this request, you could face really big fines. Aside from preventing a possible lawsuit, you will also get to create a strong and long-lasting connection with your users and hence increase your revenue in the long run.