Is My Website Compliant? Let’s Break It Down (Without the Boring Stuff)
Ever had that nagging thought, Is my website compliant? If not, now’s the time to think about it! Website compliance is all about keeping your site legit, secure, and user-friendly—plus avoiding those pesky fines. But don’t worry, I’ll keep it simple and fun.
‘Is Your Website Compliant?’ What Does That Even Mean?
It’s just a fancy way of saying your website follows rules that protect your visitors and their data. Think of it like making sure your party has enough snacks and everyone feels welcome.
Here are some important compliance areas:
- Privacy Laws: Like GDPR (data protection for Europe) .
- Accessibility: Making sure your site works for everyone, including people with disabilities.
- Security: Keeping user info safe from sneaky hackers.
- Industry Rules: Some businesses (like healthcare) have special regulations.
Why Should I Care?
Glad you asked! Here’s why it matters:
- Avoid Fines: Breaking rules can cost big bucks (According to the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), a company could face a fine of up to £17.5 million or 4% of their total annual worldwide turnover for failing to have a privacy policy or properly manage cookies on their website, whichever amount is higher; this applies under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules governing data protection compliance.)
- Build Trust: People love a secure, respectful website.
- Be Inclusive: Reach a bigger audience by being accessible.
- Look Legit: A compliant website screams “professional.”
Is Your Website Compliant? 6 Easy Checks To Follow (No Headache Required)
1. Got a Privacy Policy?
Write a clear, friendly privacy policy. Tell visitors what data you collect and how you use it.
2. Do You Have a Cookie Consent Banner?
If your site uses cookies (most do), add a pop-up that lets people manage their preferences.
3. Is Your Site Accessible?
Make sure everyone can use your site:
- Add alt text to images.
- Use easy-to-read fonts.
- Ensure keyboard navigation works smoothly.
4. Do You Have That Padlock Icon?
Get an SSL certificate (that’s the thing that gives you the padlock in the address bar). It keeps your site secure, if you haven’t got one then speak to your website hosting company, many include them for free!
5. Keeping Things Updated?
Old software is like leaving your front door wide open. Keep plugins and software up-to-date.
6. Need Help?
Termly.io is a great (and free!) way to take care of all your privacy and cookie needs. You can just sign up for a free account, integrate with your website (there’s a free plugin for WordPress) and it scans for cookies for you, creates you a policy to copy and paste onto your website and creates you a cookie banner. After going through a series of questions on how you manage data it will also create you a privacy policy that you can copy and paste.
For accessibility if you have a WordPress website you can also download the free SA11Y plugin, which will tell you on each page where your website is falling down in terms of being accessible. You can also use Google Page Speed Insights checker for some other pointers.
Final Thoughts: Be Compliant, Be Awesome
So, is your website compliant? If you’re not sure, give it a quick check. Staying compliant keeps your visitors happy, your data secure, and your business thriving.
Want us to have a quick overview of your website, whether it’s compliant as well as giving you some tips and improvements? Sign up for a free website audit!