GDPR

In a slightly more paranoid world, GDPR has come into action to make life more difficult for every digital marketer. GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation. It is effective as of May 25th, 2018.

GDPR mainly affects European consumers. However, in a digitally linked world, even though you or your website may not be directly linking to European consumers, even stray traffic from Europe counts under this regulation and can put you in hot water if you are not careful. Fines are significant (millions of Euros), so it is best to be careful.

GDPR mainly governs the collection of information when it comes to European consumers.

Mailing Lists:

If you have a mailing list popup, you will want to be very careful in regard to collecting information. You must state that those signing up will be added to a mailing list and link to your Privacy and Terms of Service, which must state exactly what you use collected information for.

If you have a mailing list, it is best to send out a big update on GDPR and re-ask all members if they want to be a part of your mailing list.

Comments:

Even in the comment section of your blog, you may ask for information such as first name and email. GDPR also affects this as you are collecting personal information. You must have a path to your Privacy and Terms of Service clearly visible throughout the comment section.

All Other Personal Info:

Any other portion of your site, such as any membership area, polls, or anywhere else the user adds an element of their personal info must now be handled with care.