How to Keep Your Therapy Website Compliant: All About Website Policies
Let’s start by addressing the obvious: this is not an exciting topic. I get that. 😂
But, I want to share this with you because:
Most therapists I work with don’t realize that they need policies on their websites to protect themselves and their visitors.
Even if you do have policies on your site they are likely out of date because privacy laws are changing constantly.
After years, I have finally found something (that I now use on my own website!) to keep your website terms up to date for you.
What are website policies?
It’s an umbrella term that includes:
Terms & Conditions
Privacy Policy
Cookies Policy
Disclaimers
What do those mean?
Terms & Conditions outline the rules and guidelines for using your website, which helps limit your liability in the event you are sued for something related to your site.
Privacy Policy explains to visitors what data you collect from visitors and how you use it. It should provide the exact disclosures required based on the privacy laws that apply to your business.
Cookie Policy explains how a website uses cookies, which are small files stored on your device that track your activities or preferences when visiting a website. This policy lets you know what information the site is collecting and how they're using it.
Disclaimers outline the legal boundaries of using a website, including any limitations of responsibilities and potential conflicts of interest, and clarify that the information provided on the site should not be taken as professional advice. Disclaimers are essential to therapist websites since you collect PHI (Protected Health Information).
These policies should be on your website if you collect visitor data (and you DO collect visitor data–whether you realize it or not!)
Examples of data you might collect include:
If you have a form on your website that collects people’s names and contact info
The cookies your website uses when a visitor is browsing your site (which every website uses, so this means you)
Comments people leave on your blog
Newsletter sign-up forms
Payment info if you sell products, courses, or services from your site
Booking information if you use a third-party self-scheduling system
Why do website policies matter?
They are essential for protecting both you and your visitors, and in many places, they're required by law.
Not to be scary, but several privacy laws are now in place to protect the personal information of residents of certain states with fines that can reach $2,500-$7,500 per website visitor. More and more states are proposing their own privacy laws all the time.
In addition, there are privacy laws in place from all over the world that can affect your website (because you may have visitors from anywhere on the globe!).
Best practices for adding policies to your website
Each policy should have its own page, rather than lumping them all together.
Have a link to the policies in your website “footer” (which is the part at the very bottom of your site that shows up on every page)
Do not copy and paste someone else’s website policies
Have a way to keep policies up to date. You can work with an attorney or you can use auto-updating policies (which is what I’m going to share with you next).
How to get website policies
It’s your website, so how you get your policies is up to you. Hiring an attorney is one option. Attorneys are great! However, it can become cost-prohibitive since it’s not just one-time policy drafting. It’s also monitoring privacy laws and constantly updating your policies over time. That’s when those attorney fees can start to add up!
So that’s why today, I want to talk about a more affordable option, Termageddon.
Termageddon is a policy generator, but it’s different because it is “auto-updating.” After you install it on your website one time, it will automatically update for you any time that laws change!
I have recently partnered with Termageddon to create the policies for our website, and the low-key stress I have been feeling, knowing mine were probably out of date is gone, and I have to tell you it feels amazing.
Here’s what you do:
Go to Termageddon to purchase your license. Use the code GOBLOOM for 10% off!
Follow the steps to answer some questions about your business.
Copy and paste the code into an embed block (if using Squarespace).
Here’s how that works:
And voilà! Your website policies are up to date, they will automatically be updated as laws change that affect your business, and you have one less thing to worry about!
Visit Termageddon.com
Use the code: GOBLOOM at checkout for 10% off!
