6 Key Reasons Why You Need a Privacy Policy

Your website is the face of your business, and you must do everything you can to protect yourself and your users. One way to do this is by adopting a privacy policy for your website. A privacy policy is one of the must-have pages on a website, and it can be a defining factor in whether people trust you. They will use the information in your privacy policy to determine how you will handle their personal data. Like this, there are many benefits to having a privacy policy. That’s what we will discuss in this article.

What is a privacy policy?

A privacy policy is a legal document that governs how a company (or website) handles user data. Simply put, it is an agreement between the owner and users that provides transparency on how information is collected, used, stored, and shared with third parties. A privacy policy can be very beneficial for your brand/business.

Privacy policies are required by law for most businesses that collect personal information from their customers. Consumers need to be aware of what information is being collected about them, as well as how it’s being used. For example, if you have an eCommerce website that collects credit card information from customers, then you must disclose this in your privacy policy so they know what they’re signing up for before they make a purchase.

6 reasons why your website needs a privacy policy

Here are some important reasons why adding a privacy policy to your website is the right thing to do:

1. It’s the law

   You can’t ignore the fact that having a privacy policy on your website is required by law. Some countries have laws that require websites to have privacy policies, and others may soon follow suit. The EU has a strict privacy law called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into effect on May 25, 2018. The GDPR requires companies to be transparent about how they use people’s data and give them control over their personal data. CCPA from the US is another major law that requires websites to add a privacy notice to disclose their data processing.

2. Gain trust

   A privacy policy is an important factor in building trust with your users. A well-written, transparent privacy policy can inform users how you use their data and show that you are committed to protecting their privacy. It allows you to show them that you’re trustworthy by giving them full disclosure of what they should expect from your website.

3. Ensure transparency

   Privacy policies let users know how their data will be used. They also ensure that companies are transparent with users about the information they collect and how it’s being used.

4. More data control

   Privacy policies help your users feel in control of their data.

   A privacy policy can help users feel safe by providing them with a clear and easy-to-understand document outlining how you will use their information and who you will share it with. This makes it easier for users to trust that there are no hidden agendas when they visit your website or interact with your business.

   A privacy policy also helps users feel respected, valued, and heard by the company that is collecting their personal data. Companies need to acknowledge that there is a human being behind each bit of data collected about individuals—and this acknowledgment will go a long way toward building rapport between businesses and users.

5. User safety

   Users feel safer when they know how their data is being used and stored. A well-written privacy policy can help reassure users that their information is in good hands, which will make them more likely to trust you and buy from your website. It can also help users feel in control of their personal data by explaining what data is collected, who has access to it, how long the data will be retained, and how users can access or request changes to their information (if applicable).

   A strong privacy policy shows that you respect your users’ rights over their own personal details when using your services. Having this kind of transparency about what happens with user information helps instill confidence among both new users who haven’t yet decided whether or not they want any part of what’s being offered through the site—and existing users who may otherwise be worried about giving out sensitive details such as credit card numbers without knowing exactly where those numbers may end up once processed through systems controlled by other parties.

6. Avoid legal action

   The other major reason why you need a privacy policy is to avoid legal action. A good policy can help prevent legal problems down the road if something goes wrong.

   If your website collects the personal data of users but doesn’t have a privacy policy, you are at risk of being sued for collecting and storing that data without permission or proper disclosure.

   If your website collects any personal data from its users (even if it’s just an email address), then it needs a privacy policy.

What to include in your privacy policy?

The following are some key areas that a privacy policy should cover:

• The purpose of the policy.
• Who is covered by the policy?
• How do you collect information from users and other sources, such as cookies and third parties (e.g. Google Analytics)?
• How do you use the information that you collect, including for advertising purposes?
• The third parties with whom you share the data. For example, if you’re sharing information about someone who has signed up for an account on your website or with an app developer on your platform, it’s important to let them know who those third parties are (and what kind of data is being shared).
• What security measures do you have in place to protect against unauthorized access or disclosure of your user’s information, including whether you encrypt such data?
• How can users access and change their personal information? You may also want to explain any limits on this right as well as any steps required for users to exercise this right.
• How can users contact you about privacy issues that concern them? For example by phone or email address—and whether there are alternative ways they can submit a question or complaint through channels such as social media platforms used by your organization.

How to write a privacy policy?

On your WordPress website, you can easily add a privacy policy page by going to Settings > Privacy. You can either create a new page with suggested text or choose an existing page.

Writing a privacy policy from scratch can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some tips for writing a clear, easy-to-understand privacy policy that will help your users feel comfortable and confident in sharing their information with you.

• Be clear and concise. Avoid legalese at all costs. Speak directly to your audience in plain language.
• Keep it short. Your privacy policy should be no more than one page long, including any footnotes or other supporting documents (e.g. a cookie policy).
• Make it accessible from every page of your site that collects personal data. E.g. by linking to the policy on the website’s footer.

You can use a free privacy policy generator from CookieYes to create a customized privacy policy for your website in minutes, without any coding.

Privacy policies are important for both users and websites. Privacy policies help build trust and confidence in the relationship between website owners and users. They also allow users to be more in control of their data by letting them know how it’s being used by organizations like yours. They’re also an essential legal requirement that could save you from trouble down the line. As we’ve seen, there are many benefits to having a privacy policy—and if you don’t have it, it might be time to start creating one.