Website documents—what small businesses need
Don’t let the cracks show on your website by missing the foundations.
Did you know that every business that provides information and/or goods via a website needs Website Terms & Conditions?
Did you also know that when you collect personal data from people (including names and email addresses), you should have a Privacy Policy?
These are not simply suggestions; you need these documents to comply with your obligations under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) and the Privacy Act (read more on why you should have a privacy policy here).
If your business focuses on providing information and value to your customers via your website - your services, blogs, podcasts, freebie downloads - then you need to be sure you are protected and comply with your legal obligations.
In the digital age that we are living, content really is king these days; it’s what draws people to understand and be interested in your services and/or products.
Digital content has boomed since the working from home era peaked, and website content—from blogs to online stores—is helping business not only survive but thrive. But there is one detail that is being overlooked by many… website legal documents (Ts & Cs and a Privacy Policy).
I want you to know that Website Ts & Cs and a Privacy Policy are important—they’re not simply nice to have (and despite what you may think, they do get read).
Website Ts and Cs set out the rules for how people use YOUR website and what they can and can’t do. I like to put a big emphasis on ‘your’ as the Ts & Cs need to be specific to YOU and YOUR business—there’s no simple one size fits all and simply copying another business’ website Ts & Cs can land you in trouble… (Yep, just like that time you copied your sister’s licence when you were 17 and the bouncer cut it up… You may look alike, but you’re still different people).
A Privacy Policy helps build trust with your audience by setting out what data you are collecting and how you will manage it.
In an earlier podcast episode (creatively titled Website Documents), I go into more detail about the importance of website documents—maximum info in under 10 minutes!
You can read more in our blog Think You Don’t Need Website Terms & Conditions?... to bust some myths around website documents to help you understand what you need.
And if you want to know more and you need a hand with your Website Ts & Cs and a Privacy Policy, book a free 20-minute chat with me via my bookings page—let’s get this done!