Why You Need a Privacy Policy
Ensuring you have a privacy policy on your website is essential. Not only does a privacy policy protect you (ethically and legally); it also protects and informs the visitors registering with your website. When collecting any information from visitors, a privacy policy plays a vital role in informing your visitors why you need their information and what you will (or won’t) do with it. A privacy policy will answer their questions as well as reassure them that their information is safe with you. A well-written privacy policy will answer any questions your visitors may have regarding the reasons you are collecting the information, how you use the information and how you make sure it stays safe.
A well-written, easy-to-understand privacy policy is easy to draw up if you know what information you need to share with your visitors. When drawing up your privacy policy, it is important that you cover any questions your visitors may have. In doing so, you will ensure that your privacy policy has not omitted essential information which could result in visitors not registering with your website.
A great privacy policy will let your visitors know what information you are going to collect and how you will make use of it. When visitors register, they may be nervous about sharing too much information with you if you do not have a privacy policy in place. If you plan to collect more than just their basic information; you need to explain to them why you need it and how you plan to use it in your privacy policy. Other information can include family members, relationship details and so forth. If you do sell their information to other companies, you need to make that clear in your privacy policy. Being upfront and honest with your visitors in your privacy policy is the only way to avoid legal disputes over privacy issues.
Your privacy policy should also explain to your visitors that they have the means to change their personal information at any time. Your visitors will be more willing to share their information with you if they know they can control the information once it has been submitted. A good privacy policy will explain in detail how they can edit their information once they have registered. You also need to let your customers know through your privacy policy that they can opt out of your services at any time. This is an important component that needs to be covered in your privacy policy template.
Once again, users are going to be more inclined to share their information with you and register, if they have the means of opting out at any time. Without a concise privacy policy, a lot of internet users are going to be reluctant to share information or register with your company. Make sure your privacy policy template clearly states that they can opt out at any time. Giving them the option to stop receiving your emails, and delete their account makes them feel in charge of their information which results in them being more open to sharing. Your privacy policy needs to cover these issues in detail; how the users can view their information, the opt-out options they have, how to edit their details and how to delete their account. They may never do it, but giving them the choice in the privacy policy will build their trust and confidence.
Another important aspect to consider when drafting a privacy policy for your website is cookies. A lot of people are wary of receiving cookies and many do not understand what they are used for. Let it been known in your privacy policy that you send cookies to their computers or mobile and what these cookies are used for. Make it clear in your privacy policy that cookies are only used as a means to improve the service they receive and do no way affect their computer or internet safety. Sharing this information and shedding light on the use of cookies by way of your privacy policy is another way of building trust with your users and getting them to share as much information with you as possible.
A crucial element to cover in your privacy policy template is the security of information. With the increasing incidents of identity theft and credit card theft, people are more aware of internet security than ever before and a proficient privacy policy will help ease their fears. Your privacy policy needs to let your customers know what measures you have in place for keeping their information private and safe. Make sure your privacy policy gives your customers all the information they need to feel safe about sharing their information with you as well as operating online with your business.
Important information to cover in your privacy policy would be the icons they will see if they are logged on securely, the secure server URL information and any other information about encryption and online security you feel would help alleviate any fears they may have. In your privacy policy, be sure to explain in detail the security measures you have in place and how these security measures benefits them.
Your privacy policy template also needs to let your visitors know that any changes made to it, will be accessible to them. Your visitors need to feel that they will be kept up to date with any changes that you make. Including this information in your privacy policy is once again a positive step in building trust with your visitors. Knowing they can view any changes you make, and delete or change their account information if they wish, will give them the sense of security they need to share information. A privacy policy is in essence a tool for building trust and reassuring your visitors.
With any privacy policy template, it is important that you use language that all your visitors can understand. Using technical and legal jargon in your privacy policy is a sure way to get visitors suspicious. Explain everything in your privacy policy template in non-technical language, as if you were having a conversation with them. Make sure your privacy policy is open and honest, and don’t leave anything in question. Before publishing your privacy policy, try and make certain that any questions your customers may have, have already been answered for them in your policy. If your visitors need more information regarding their privacy, and some may have, make sure you include contact details they can use to get their questions answered in your privacy policy. You may think you have covered all relevant issues in your privacy policy, but some users may require more convincing.
Your privacy policy is the best trust-building tool you have so make sure you use it to your advantage. Communicate with your visitors through your privacy policy in an easy-to-understand manner that is sincere and open. Make sure your privacy policy template gives as much information as possible you always give your visitors the opportunity to find more information if they need it. A good privacy policy leads to trust and the more your website is trusted, the more information you are going to receive.
