Privacy Policy

1. Introduction & Who We Are

SEO Optimisation (“we”, “our”, “us”) is a digital marketing and SEO agency operating in Gauteng, South Africa. We act as the Responsible Party under POPIA in respect of personal information collected through our website and service engagements. We are committed to processing your personal information responsibly, lawfully, and transparently.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Contact & Enquiry Data: Name, email address, phone number, business name, and website URL submitted via our contact form or by calling us.
• Client Account Data: Information provided during onboarding, including business details, access credentials (to platforms such as Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Google Ads, and your website), and billing information.
• Communications: Emails, WhatsApp messages, and other correspondence between you and SEO Optimisation.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Usage Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, pages visited, and time spent on our website, collected via cookies and analytics tools.
• Cookies: Session cookies, preference cookies, and analytics cookies. See Section 9 for full cookie information.

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third-party platforms (e.g., Google, social media networks) when you interact with our content or if you provide access to such platforms for service delivery purposes.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• To respond to your enquiries and provide requested information about our services.
• To deliver, manage, and improve the SEO and digital marketing services you have engaged us for.
• To issue invoices, process payments, and manage our billing and accounting records.
• To send you service updates, reports, and relevant communications relating to your engagement.
• To send marketing communications about our services (with your consent, or where permitted by POPIA for existing clients).
• To analyse and improve our website’s performance and user experience.
• To comply with legal and regulatory obligations.

4. Legal Basis for Processing (POPIA)

Under POPIA, we process your personal information on one or more of the following grounds:

• Contract: Processing is necessary to perform services you have requested or to take steps before entering into a service agreement.
• Consent: You have given specific, informed consent to the processing (e.g., subscribing to our newsletter or submitting a contact form).
• Legitimate Interest: Processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests (e.g., fraud prevention, improving our services, direct marketing to existing clients), provided these interests are not overridden by your rights.
• Legal Obligation: Processing is required to comply with South African law.

5. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information with:

• Service Providers & Operators: Third-party vendors who assist us in delivering our services (e.g., web hosting, email services, accounting software, analytics platforms). These parties are bound by data processing agreements and may only use your information to provide services to us.
• Google: We use Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Google Ads, and Google Business Profile as part of service delivery. Google’s privacy practices are governed by Google’s Privacy Policy.
• Professional Advisers: Accountants, lawyers, or auditors where required for compliance or legal purposes.
• Regulatory Authorities: Where required by law, court order, or government authority.
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of our business, your information may be transferred to the successor entity, subject to equivalent privacy protections.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Specifically:

• Client records (including contracts, correspondence, and invoices) are retained for a minimum of five (5) years after the end of the engagement, as required by South African tax and accounting law.
• Enquiry and contact form submissions are retained for up to two (2) years.
• Marketing data is retained until you withdraw consent or unsubscribe.
• Website analytics data is retained in accordance with the retention settings of the relevant platform (typically 14 months for Google Analytics).

When personal information is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymised.

7. Your Rights Under POPIA

As a data subject under POPIA, you have the following rights:

• Right of Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or outdated personal information.
• Right to Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information, subject to our legal retention obligations.
• Right to Object: Object to the processing of your personal information for direct marketing purposes.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, withdraw that consent at any time (without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing).
• Right to Complain: Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe your personal information has been processed in violation of POPIA. The Information Regulator can be contacted at inforegulator.org.za.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Information Officer (see Section 13).

8. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. These measures include:

• SSL/TLS encryption for data transmitted via our website.
• Access controls limiting personal data access to authorised personnel only.
• Regular security assessments of our systems and processes.
• Secure storage of client credentials and account access information.

While we take all reasonable precautions, no internet transmission is entirely secure. You provide personal information at your own risk. In the event of a security compromise affecting your personal information, we will notify you and the Information Regulator as required by POPIA.

9. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to improve functionality and analyse usage. The types of cookies we use include:

• Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function (e.g., session management). Cannot be disabled.
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website (e.g., Google Analytics). Data is aggregated and anonymised where possible.
• Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements (e.g., Google Ads remarketing). Only applied with your consent.

You can control cookie settings through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality. For information on managing cookies, visit allaboutcookies.org.

10. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of such websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any third-party site you visit. The inclusion of a link does not constitute endorsement of that website or its privacy practices.

11. Cross-Border Transfers

Some of our service providers (e.g., Google, cloud storage providers) may process data in countries outside South Africa. We take reasonable steps to ensure that such transfers comply with POPIA and that adequate protection of your personal information is maintained. By using our services, you consent to such transfers where they are necessary for service delivery.

12. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or technology. Material changes will be communicated via our website or by email to existing clients. The date of the most recent update appears at the top of this policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

13. Contact & Information Officer

Under POPIA, we have designated an Information Officer responsible for overseeing our compliance. To exercise your rights, make a privacy enquiry, or report a concern:

• Business: SEO Optimisation
• Information Officer: The Director, SEO Optimisation
• Location: Gauteng, South Africa
• Phone: 082 045 0132
• Contact Form: Submit an Enquiry

We will respond to all privacy-related requests within 30 days as required by POPIA.