You’ve created a fabulous website and you’re ready to roll. Well… almost ready to roll. Every business with a customer facing or client facing website should make sure that they have two essential legal documents displayed on their website:
- A Website Terms of Use; and
- A Privacy Policy.
Typically, these documents will appear in the footer of your website.
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). These are just other words used to describe the Terms of Use.
Essentially, 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
- Protect your business if someone misuses your website or something goes wrong
If you are running an E-Commerce Store, your website Terms of Use should also cover the terms and conditions governing the sale and delivery of your goods.
What is a Privacy Policy?
Privacy is such a hot topic at the moment and your customers and clients will want to know how your business is collecting and storing their personal information. Personal information could include their name, email address, postal address, date or birth and even credit card information.
A Privacy Policy is a statement that explains to customers, clients, visitors to your website and even employees, how you use, collect, store and share their personal information. Some businesses are required by law to have one of these. But even if you aren’t required by law, it is generally expected and accepted as best practice. Visit the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner for more information.
Where Do I Display the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy on my Website?
Your Terms of Use and Privacy Policy should be easy to find and ideally accessible from all pages. The best place to display your essential website legal docs is in the footer of a website, near your other essential pages like Contact Us.
Where Can I Find a Template Terms of Use and Privacy Policy?
Cherrypicka has conveniently packed these two essential docs together in our Cherrypicka has conveniently packed these two essential docs together in our Website Essentials Pack. If you are running an E-Commerce Site then check our E-Commerce Website Essentials Pack.