Understanding Privacy Policies
Why Termageddon is an Essential Tool for Small Business Owners
Obviously, the sexiest part of any website is the legal pages, am I right? Yeah, not so much🤣 However, if you run a business with a website, they are a must-have to protect your hard work.
So, what exactly do you need? Well, it depends on how you'll be using your website. Here are the most common policies necessary for compliance:
Privacy Policy
In a world where nothing feels private (I'm looking at you Alexa), it's vital to ensure visitors that any information they share via your website will remain safe. A Privacy Policy is a document that discloses what personal information you collect on your website, what you do with that information, and who you share it with.
Many businesses collect names and personal details through email sign-ups or contact forms. I recommend adding this policy even if you don’t utilize any forms yet. The laws are constantly changing and are enforced to protect consumers. My mantra is better safe than sorry. But don't worry, it's not as difficult or time-consuming as you might think, thanks to my friends at Termageddon! More on them in a bit 😉
Terms of Service
I like to think of this policy as the fine print for all things business-related, plus the added bonus of liability protection. It's a way to be transparent about your offerings and expectations regarding intellectual property by defining the following:
Refund, order cancellation, and return details
Intellectual property that belongs to you (logo, name, content, etc.)
Your protection from viruses or other damage caused by links to third-party sites
The policy generator through Termageddon can quickly help you define the terms for your specific business.
Disclaimer
While all policies are essentially about CYA, the Disclaimer is the one that offers an overall blanket of protection. In non-legal terms, it states that you are a human who might make mistakes when sharing products, advice, or other services.
You'll want to add a disclaimer policy if you do any of the following on your website:
Display advertisements
Display or sell health products
Participate in affiliate programs
Provide health and fitness advice or tips
Provide any information or tips that could be seen as legal advice.
End User Licensing Agreement (EULA)
If you are licensing software a user can download, you'll need an End User License Agreement.
I personally added this to my site after I began adding downloadable material. It protects my business if the download somehow causes a virus or injury to the consumer and keeps users from duplicating and/or selling my intellectual property as their own.
Cookie Policy
C is for cookie (sorry, I couldn't help myself)! When filling out your privacy policy through Termageddon, they will notify you if it's necessary to include a cookie policy. Cookie Policies explain to visitors what cookies your website will place on their devices. This could include analytics, performance tracking, video embeds, reCAPTCHA, etc.
Now that you understand the basic policies, it's time to add them to your website! I highly doubt anyone visits a website and scrolls immediately to the bottom of the page to read the privacy statement, except for my pals over at Termageddon, whom I mentioned before.
Termageddon? Yes, you've been reading that correctly. These legal superheroes developed one of my favorite web design tools! Legal stuff is not my jam, so I'm forever grateful to this fabulous service that handles it for me!!
Why, you ask, am I this excited about a legal site? Because legal pages are an essential feature on every website I build, and with Termageddon, I barely have to think twice about it. The folks over there spend hours reading and writing the law so that other designers and I can focus on our creative projects. And they can help you too!!
Here's how it works:
Go to Termageddon.com and set up an account
Buy a license using the code LANNING for a 10% discount (Includes a set of policies for one website)
Answer some questions about your business and website.
Copy and paste the embed code into the body of your policy page.
Add links to these pages at the bottom of your website
Sit back and enjoy the feeling of protection
If building a website and considering legal policies feels too much, I'm happy to help! I include a 1-year Termageddon license and setup with every Custom Website I design.
Cheers to being legal and happy designing!!
