As a website owner, there are certain requirements that you need to meet legally. One of those is having a privacy policy available to visitors on your website. While your state’s requirements may vary, there are certain features that your privacy policy should include. (Most importantly always consult an attorney on legal matters.)

Here is what you may need to include in your website’s privacy policy:

1. Plain Language
While a privacy policy is considered to be a legal document, it shouldn’t be written in legalese or use a lot of industry-specific jargon. Your privacy policy should be written in plain language that the average visitor to your website can read and understand.

2. What Information You Collect
Depending on the nature of your website, the type of information you collect from visitors may vary. Online retailers may collect financial information from customers making purchases. A blog that allows readers to leave comments may just collect readers’ names and email addresses.

Regardless of what types of information you collect, you should list it out in your privacy policy. That way, your website’s visitors know what to expect when you ask them for contact or payment information related to your interactions with them.

3. How You Collect Information
The ways in which websites collect information are just as varied as how visitors interact with them. You know that you’re collecting information from website visitors that fill out contact forms. However, there may be other ways that aren’t as obvious to visitors.

If your website uses cookies or other tracking technologies, you should notify visitors of this through your privacy policy. Like the types of information you collect, you should also list the ways in which you obtain this information.

4. How Information is Used
While a customer may know if they’re making a purchase on your website, they may not know how all of the information you collect from them is used. That is why you should explain in your privacy policy how you use the information you collect.

Along with tracking and analytics, you should notify visitors if the information is being shared with third-party vendors. You should also share how information is protected whether through secured digital files or other means.

5. Who Has Access to The Information
Your website’s visitors want to feel empowered by their interactions with you. This includes defining how their information is collected and used. If there’s a way to opt-out of data collection, this should be included in your privacy policy.

Even if visitors agree to have information collected, you should tell them who in your organization or what third-party vendors have access to it. That way, they can rest assured that their information will only be shared with those who need access to it.

6. Your Own Contact Information
If visitors to your website have questions about the privacy policy or anything else related to your business, they need to be able to contact you. Though you may have your contact information elsewhere on your website, you should also include it in your privacy policy.

7. Changes to the Privacy Policy
Like anything else in your business, your privacy policy changes with time to better meet your needs and those of your customer base. When those changes occur, you need to notify visitors to your website.

Explain how you’ll contact visitors when the privacy policy changes within the policy. You should also note the date when the privacy policy was last updated so visitors know that they’re getting the latest information.

8. Location-Specific Requirements
If you live in a state or country with specific laws regarding online privacy, include information related to those requirements in your privacy policy. Even if you don’t live in such a place, you may need to include this information if you do business in those locations.

For example, an online retailer in Maine may sell items to customers living in California. The state of California has specific online privacy laws. Though you’re based in Maine, you need to ensure that your privacy policy meets California’s standards.

With that said…read this, please…
This blog has been written to help identify what a privacy policy is and a few of the types of legal issues involved in online marketing. It is not intended to be legal advice, nor should it be taken as such. We are not attorneys, nor do anything we provide in this blog post constitute legal advice. You will need and should consult an attorney in regards to your own privacy policy. You should regard this blog post for entertainment purposes only.

Links Web Design is a web design agency in Bangor, ME, and Fruitland Park, FL.​