Privacy Policy

At RankForge Digital ("we," "us," "our," or "Company"), we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring you have a positive experience on our website. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and otherwise process personal information in connection with our services.

This Privacy Policy applies to our website located at rankforgedigital.org and covers our practices regarding personal data collected through contact forms, cookies, and analytics tools.

1. Information We Collect

Contact Form Data

When you submit our contact form, we collect the following personal information:

• Business Name
• Owner Name
• Email Address
• Phone Number
• City
• Zip Code
• Any additional message or inquiry details you provide

We collect this information to respond to your inquiry, provide information about our Google Business Profile optimization services, and establish contact with potential clients.

Analytics Data

We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to collect anonymous usage data about how visitors interact with our website. This includes:

• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• Referring websites and navigation patterns
• Device type, browser, and operating system information
• General geographic location (city/country level)
• User engagement metrics and events

Google Analytics uses cookies to track this information. This data is collected automatically and does not identify you personally.

Cookie Data

Our website uses cookies to enhance your experience. Specifically:

• Google Analytics Cookies: These cookies track your behavior on our site to help us understand how our website is used.
• Functional Cookies: These may be used to remember your preferences or settings.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:

• To respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• To send you information about our services
• To follow up on business opportunities and quote requests
• To improve our website and user experience through analytics
• To comply with legal obligations and protect our rights
• To analyze website traffic and user behavior patterns
• To tailor content and marketing communications to your interests

We do not use your information for purposes unrelated to those described in this Privacy Policy without first obtaining your consent.

3. Data Processing and Third Parties

Netlify Forms

Contact form submissions are processed through Netlify Forms. When you submit our contact form, your data is sent to Netlify's secure servers. Netlify acts as a data processor on our behalf and is committed to protecting your data. For more information about Netlify's privacy practices, please visit their privacy policy.

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics 4 to analyze website usage. Google may use your information in accordance with their own privacy policy. We recommend reviewing Google's privacy policy to understand how they collect and use data.

No Sale of Data

Service Providers

We may share your information with trusted service providers who assist us in operating our website and conducting our business, including:

• Netlify (form processing)
• Google (analytics)
• Email service providers (for communications)

These service providers are contractually obligated to use your information only for the purposes of providing services to us and are required to maintain the confidentiality of your information.

4. Cookie Policy

Cookies are small files stored on your device that help us provide and improve our services. We use the following types of cookies:

Google Analytics Cookies

These cookies help us understand how you use our website, including:

• _ga - Used to distinguish users and sessions
• _ga_* - Used to store session and campaign data

Managing Cookies

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through your browser settings. You can:

• Accept or reject cookies
• Clear cookies from your device
• Set your browser to notify you when cookies are being set

You can also opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality and user experience of our website.

5. GDPR Compliance (European Users)

If you are located in the European Union or European Economic Area (EEA), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies to how we process your personal data. Under GDPR, you have the following rights:

Your Rights Under GDPR

• Right of Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: You can request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
• Right to Erasure: You can request deletion of your personal data, subject to certain exceptions.
• Right to Restrict Processing: You can request that we limit how we use your data.
• Right to Data Portability: You can request your data in a structured, commonly used format.
• Right to Object: You can object to certain types of data processing.
• Right to Lodge a Complaint: You can file a complaint with your local data protection authority.

Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

• Contractual Necessity: Processing is necessary to respond to your inquiry and provide our services.
• Legitimate Interest: We have a legitimate interest in improving our services and marketing our business.
• Consent: Where required, we obtain your explicit consent before processing.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the "Contact Us for Privacy Inquiries" section below.

6. CCPA Compliance (California Residents)

If you are a California resident, you have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Under CCPA, you have the right to:

Your Rights Under CCPA

• Right to Know: You can request what personal information we collect, use, share, and sell about you.
• Right to Delete: You can request deletion of personal information we have collected from you, subject to certain exceptions.
• Right to Opt-Out: You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information.
• Right to Correct: You can request correction of inaccurate personal information.
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights.

Information We Collect and Share: As noted above, we do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share information with service providers as necessary to operate our business.

To exercise any CCPA rights, please submit a verifiable consumer request by contacting us using the information provided in the "Contact Us for Privacy Inquiries" section below.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required by law.

Retention Periods

• Contact Form Data: We retain contact information for up to 3 years to maintain business records and follow up on inquiries. You may request deletion at any time.
• Google Analytics Data: Google Analytics automatically deletes user data after 14 months of inactivity.
• Email Communications: We retain email communications for business record purposes.

If you request deletion of your personal data, we will remove it from our systems within 30 days, except where retention is required by law.

8. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Secure transmission of form data using HTTPS encryption
• Restricted access to personal data within our organization
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Secure storage of data with trusted service providers

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we are committed to implementing industry-standard protections.

9. Children's Privacy

Our website and services are not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete such information and terminate the child's use of our services.

For residents of the European Union, our services are not directed to children under the age of 16. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 16 without parental consent, we will take appropriate steps to address the issue.

10. Third-Party Links and Services

Our website may contain links to third-party websites and services that are not operated by us. This Privacy Policy does not apply to third-party websites, and we are not responsible for their privacy practices. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services before providing your personal information.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of any material changes by updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. Your continued use of our website following the posting of revised Privacy Policy means that you accept and agree to the changes. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

12. Your Choices and Preferences

You have several choices regarding how we use your information:

• Email Communications: If you receive marketing emails from us, you can opt out by clicking the unsubscribe link in the email or contacting us directly.
• Analytics: You can opt out of Google Analytics by disabling cookies in your browser or using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
• Cookies: You can manage cookies through your browser settings as described in the Cookie Policy section.