For lots of webmasters, the privacy policy seems like an unnecessary headache. They all pretty much say the same thing, so why bother? This is really not an area to be overlooked and just scanned over giving it little thought, believe me the time spent on this key area will pay dividends long into the future for your online business, so listen up please…
Your privacy policy
Your Customers’ Trust
The main reason you need a good privacy policy in place is that it engenders trust. Your customers won’t feel right buying from you if you don’t have one.
Even though more and more people shop online, it’s still scary to give out financial information. People are increasingly aware of all the scammers and fraudsters on the Internet. Your privacy policy tells them they have no reason to fear.
Put yourself in their shoes – would you buy from a site without one? I wouldn’t!
Google Likes Privacy Policies
Another reason to have a privacy policy on your site is that Google likes them. They’ve said on their blog that they like sending traffic to sites that have privacy policies.
Every so often Google changes its algorithms to improve search results. It’s pretty likely that they’ll give even more weight to sites with privacy policies in the future, so get yours together now.
Staying out of Trouble
Your privacy policy makes everything clear to your visitors. By using your site, they’ve technically agreed to abide by it. Because of this, your privacy policy can protect you if there is a complaint about your site.
In recent years, authorities are paying a lot more attention to what goes on online. Sites that engage in unfair practices are getting smacked with serious fines. The FTC’s actions against sites are spurred by angry customers, some of whom simply didn’t understand how the site used their information. Your privacy policy offers one extra bit of legal protection just in case.
The Elements of a Good Privacy Policy
The best way to write your privacy policy is to copy ideas from others. Look at similar sites’ policies and copy; then, reword and change to suit your site.
The most important thing is to inform your customers about how you use their information. Tell them what information you collect and what you do with it. If any third parties have access to this information, let them know this too.
Cookies are a huge issue these days and there have been some laws passed regulating how you use them. Your privacy policy must state clearly what cookies you use and how you use them.
It should also say that you’re not responsible for the policies of other sites and that you reserve the right to change your privacy policy. Some sites have gotten into trouble for making changes to theirs without telling customers.
Finally, give them contact information where they can reach you.
The little bit of time you spend writing your privacy policy can save you lots of trouble later on.
Tony Phelps
