Privacy Policy

Search Authority Pty Ltd (ABN: 12 345 678 901) ("Search Authority", "we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting the personal information of our clients, website visitors, and contacts. This Privacy Policy is prepared in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in Schedule 1 of that Act.

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1. Information We Collect

We may collect and hold the following categories of personal information:

1.1 Identity & Contact Information

• First and last name
• Business name, role, and industry
• Email address and phone number
• Physical or mailing address

1.2 Business & Technical Information

• Website URL and associated Google Search Console / Analytics data you share with us
• Current SEO performance metrics and campaign history
• Business goals, challenges, and budget information
• Content, copy, and creative materials you provide for service delivery

1.3 Financial Information

• Billing name and address
• Payment method details (processed securely via our payment processor — we do not store card numbers)
• Invoice history and transaction records

1.4 Usage & Technical Information

• IP address, browser type, device information, and operating system
• Pages visited, time spent on pages, referral source, and clickstream data
• Cookie identifiers and session data

1.5 Communication Records

• Emails, messages, and notes from calls or meetings relating to your engagement
• Enquiry and contact form submissions

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2. How We Collect Information

We collect personal information through:

• Direct interaction – when you contact us via our website, email, phone, or in person; complete an enquiry or contact form; or sign and return our Service Agreement.
• Service delivery – when you grant us access to your website, analytics platforms, or third-party tools as part of our engagement.
• Automated technologies – cookies, web beacons, and server logs when you visit searchauthority.com.au.
• Third parties – publicly available sources (e.g. LinkedIn, ASIC), referral partners, or marketing platforms, where relevant and lawful.

We only collect information that is reasonably necessary for one or more of our functions or activities. You are not required to provide personal information, but if you choose not to, we may be unable to provide our services.

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3. How We Use Your Information

We use personal information for the following purposes:

• Delivering, managing, and improving the services set out in your Service Agreement
• Communicating with you about your engagement, including sending invoices, reports, and strategy updates
• Responding to enquiries and providing you with information about our services
• Processing payments and managing billing
• Sending marketing communications about our services, insights, and industry updates — you may opt out at any time (see Section 10)
• Improving our website and services through analytics and user research
• Meeting our legal and regulatory obligations
• Protecting against fraud, misuse, or unauthorised access to our systems

We will not use your personal information for any purpose that is incompatible with the purpose for which it was collected, unless you have given consent or we are otherwise permitted by law.

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4. Disclosure to Third Parties

We may share your personal information with:

• Service providers – third-party suppliers who assist us in delivering services (e.g. cloud storage, project management tools, email platforms, payment processors). These parties are contractually required to keep your information confidential and to use it only as instructed.
• Professional advisers – lawyers, accountants, and insurers, where necessary.
• Platform integrations – tools such as Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Ahrefs, SEMrush, and similar platforms that we access on your behalf under your licence or with your permission.
• Law enforcement or regulators – where required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of Search Authority or others.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party for their own marketing purposes.

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5. Overseas Disclosure

Some of our third-party service providers are located or store data outside Australia, including in the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom. Where we disclose your personal information to overseas recipients, we take reasonable steps to ensure those recipients handle it in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles or under binding contractual protections that are substantially similar.

By using our services or website, you consent to your information being transferred to and stored in countries outside Australia in the circumstances described above.

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6. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to improve your browsing experience and to understand how visitors interact with our content.

6.1 Types of cookies we use

• Strictly necessary cookies – required for the website to function. These cannot be disabled.
• Analytics cookies – used to understand traffic patterns and page performance (e.g. Google Analytics).
• Functionality cookies – used to remember your preferences and personalise your experience.
• Marketing cookies – used to deliver relevant ads and measure campaign effectiveness across platforms (e.g. Google Ads, Meta).

6.2 Managing cookies

You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website. For more information on managing cookies, visit allaboutcookies.org.

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7. Analytics & Advertising

We use Google Analytics 4 to collect aggregated, anonymised data about how visitors use our website. This may include your approximate location (city-level), device type, pages viewed, and time on site. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect this data. You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

We may run targeted advertising via Google Ads and/or Meta Ads. These platforms may use cookies or pixel tags to serve ads to people who have previously visited our website (remarketing). You can opt out of personalised advertising via Google Ad Settings or Facebook Ad Preferences.

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8. Data Security

We take reasonable steps to protect the personal information we hold from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. These steps include:

• Storing data on password-protected systems with role-based access controls
• Using encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS) for all data transmissions
• Engaging only reputable third-party processors with appropriate security certifications
• Regular staff training on privacy and data handling obligations

Despite our best efforts, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage is completely secure. If you believe your information has been compromised, please contact us immediately at hello@searchauthority.com.au.

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9. Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Generally:

• Client records and service-related data are retained for 7 years after the end of the engagement (as required by Australian taxation and business record laws).
• Marketing contact data is retained until you opt out or we determine it is no longer required.
• Website analytics data is retained in accordance with the applicable platform's settings (typically 14 months for Google Analytics 4).

When personal information is no longer required, we take reasonable steps to destroy it securely or permanently de-identify it.

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10. Your Rights & Access

Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Correct inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, or misleading information
• Opt out of receiving marketing communications at any time (use the unsubscribe link in any email, or contact us directly)
• Request deletion of your personal information, subject to our legal retention obligations
• Complain about our handling of your personal information

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at hello@searchauthority.com.au. We will respond to your request within 30 days. There is no fee for making a request, though we may charge a reasonable fee for providing access in certain circumstances.

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11. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child, please contact us immediately and we will take steps to delete it.

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12. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

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13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The updated policy will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this page periodically. Material changes will be notified to active clients by email.

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14. Contact & Complaints

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer:

Privacy Officer
Search Authority Pty Ltd
Level 30, 91 King William Street
Adelaide SA 5000, Australia
hello@searchauthority.com.au
0435 111 774

We will investigate your complaint and respond within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

• Website: oaic.gov.au
• Phone: 1300 363 992