Every business with a customer facing or client facing website should make sure that they have a clearly displayed Terms of Use on their website. This little doc might seem small but please don’t underestimate its importance. A well drafted Terms of Use will set out the rules for visitors who visit your website and will help to protect your business if something goes wrong.
What are Terms of Use?
Terms of Use are an agreement, which sets out how visitors can or cannot use your website. Other name for a Terms of Use that you might have seen include Disclaimer, Legals, Terms and Conditions (T&Cs), and Terms of Service (TOS).
Why Does My Business Need A Terms of Use on its Website?
Terms of Use are important to have, even if your website isn’t selling goods or services. It is good practice for any client-orientated website to have Terms of Use because they protect your business. Terms of Use can:
- Limit your liability if someone suffers loss from using your website’s content
- Safeguard your intellectual property from unauthorised use and theft
- Inform visitors on what they can and cannot do on your website
- Set the rules about “user content”, that is, what are the rules about content which users to your website post on your website
- Protect your business if someone misuses your website or something goes wrong
Aside from all of the above, having website Terms of Use displayed on your site will bring your business credibility because it is a sign post to visitors to your site that you run a serious and well managed operation!
Where Do I Display the Terms of Use on my Website?
Your Terms of Use should be easy to find and ideally accessible from all pages. The best place to display your Terms of Use is in the footer of a website, near your Privacy Policy with other essential pages like Contact Us.
I Have an E-Commerce Business / Online Store – Do I Need a Terms of Use?
Yes, however if you have an online store your terms of use will need to cover “extra” stuff including things that are relevant to the selling of your products such as price, payment, delivery, refunds and liability for products or services.
What other docs do I need on my website?
It is recommended that most businesses also include a Privacy Policy on their website.
Where Can I Find a Template Terms of Use?
Cherrypicka offers a Website Terms of Use Template which you can tailor to suit your business needs. Also check out our Website Essentials Pack which contains the Terms of Use and Essential Website Privacy Policy.
If you are an E-Commerce Business, take a look at the E-Commerce Terms of Use or E-Commerce Essentials Pack.