Which Legal Pages does my Website actually need?
Whether your website is live or you’re preparing to launch, all business owners need a few legal pages on their websites. Each of these pages provides essential information to your customers and helps protect you and your business. Ultimately, if you have a business and a website for that business, consider adding these three legal pages to your site: a Privacy Policy page, a Terms and Conditions page, and a Contact page.
Your Business Website Needs a Privacy Policy
The Privacy Policy page covers the information your site collects from visitors. Additionally, it explains how you keep their information safe, and what you plan to do with the information. A Privacy Policy page creates transparency and trust with your customers. Moreover, it shows that you’re not just professional, but you care about your customers and clients. Check out the Dooley Noted Privacy Policy page for an example.
If your business website lacks this legal page, platforms like Facebook could kick you off. Additionally, you might ruin the trust you’ve established with your existing customers.
As the world wide web continues to grow, lawmakers continue to create laws to protect online users. One of the strictest privacy laws in the U.S. is the California Online Privacy Protection Act. It affects any business collecting information Californians. Additionally, if your business website has visitors overseas, you could be fined for lack of privacy by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe. Ultimately, it’s crucial to comply with all privacy laws worldwide. Since your website is accessible online, you have influence worldwide. Therefore, you need to protect yourself by ensuring your business website complies.
Writing your own Privacy Policy page or copying one from Google isn’t wise because you could leave out important information. Furthermore, the tedious task of creating a Privacy Policy page is probably not the way you want to spend your time. Above all, it is best to find a Texas business lawyer who can draft a Privacy Policy page covering all your bases.
Your Business Website Needs Terms and Conditions
As a small business owner, a Terms and Conditions page remains a necessary part of your business website. Essentially, this page outlines the rules and regulations of your business website. A website that lacks a Terms and Conditions page can lead to significant legal trouble down the road. Therefore, be sure to have one in place.
For instance, you may not have thought about what to do if someone buys and then returns your product, especially if you’re only selling a few items. However, you need to have clear terms on your website, even if you’re selling one product or none at all.
A Terms and Conditions page should:
- List terms and conditions for your site, including reminders that the content on your site is copyrighted, and therefore, illegal to steal.
- Prevent activity such as rude comments or spamming.
- Explain its refund policy if you sell products or services.
- Provide your contact information and company details.
- Reserve the right to ban certain visitors.
- Inform your customers what you’ll do if you need to take legal action and where that will happen. For example, you don’t want to deal with a legal problem in California if you’re in Texas.
Along with the Privacy Page, find a Texas Business lawyer to write an excellent Terms and Conditions page that will keep your business on track and avoid any potential problems. Don’t hesitate to reach out to Dooley Noted and schedule a free consultation.
Your Business Website Needs a Contact Page
You might be surprised to find out that many websites don’t have a straightforward way to contact the business owner or team member. A business website missing a Contact page can lead to a host of problems. Therefore, avoid unhappy customers and give them a simple way of getting in touch with you to book a service or ask questions. Ultimately, it’s essential to make your contact information as easily accessible as possible. This ensures that your customers can easily get in touch with you and receive the answers they need.
If you have a physical location, it’s crucial to include your address, hours of operation, and even a map on your contact page. You should also list a phone number and email address so that customers can reach you no matter what time of day.
In today’s digital age, many businesses run entirely online. If this applies to you, be sure to include a contact form on your Contact Page. A contact form will allow customers to reach out to you without having to hunt down your email address or phone number.
An ideal Contact Page contains:
- Name of the business or individual
- Contact information such as phone, email, or social media
- The physical address of the business (if applicable)
- Clear instructions on how to reach the desired contact
Why hire a Texas Business Lawyer?
Check your website to ensure you have these three legal pages your website needs. If you do, make sure they all comply with applicable laws that affect your industry both domestically and worldwide.
If you don’t have these three legal pages or they need to be updated, contact Dooley Noted. We can help ensure your website is up to date with the correct information.