Do you want to add a privacy policy on your WordPress site? Privacy policy is a document required by law that discloses the information you collect about visitors on your website. In this article, we will show you how to easily add a privacy policy in WordPress.
What is Privacy Policy and Do You Need it on Your Website?
All websites collect information about their visitors in different ways. In many countries (including the United States), websites are required by law to disclose the information they collect about their visitors and how this information is used.
Here are some of the ways in which a typical WordPress site collects user information.
- Name and email address in comment forms
- Comment form cookie which remembers a user’s name or email address.
- Name and email addresses submitted by user by using a contact form
- Name and email address submitted to sign up for email list
- Information collected when users register on a website.
- Google Analytics tracking
- Facebook page plugin and like button cookies
- Other social media platform widgets that track users
- Advertising programs like Google Adsense which track users
All websites on the internet should have a privacy policy page. It protects your business from legal issues and also helps build consumer trust.
What to Include in a Privacy Policy?
The basic requirements for a privacy policy are quite simple. You need to list all the ways you collect or intend to collect user information on your website.
A simple privacy policy page should contain the following information:
- Information you collect about users visiting your website.
- Methods used to collect information, e.g. cookies and web beacons, sign up, registration, comment forms, etc.
- Mention all third-party advertisers collecting user information on your website like Google Adsense.
- Include links to the privacy policy of each advertising program you participate in
- How users can block cookies and opt-out of third party advertisements
- Your contact information so that users can reach out if they have questions
There are many websites on the internet that allow you to automatically generate text for your privacy policy or terms of service pages.
You can also use WPBeginner’s privacy policy page as an starting point. Simply replace all references to WPBeginner and our parent company with the name of your website or business.
Adding a Privacy Policy Page in WordPress
First you need to visit Pages » Add New in your WordPress admin area to create your new privacy policy page.
You should name your page Privacy Policy, so that your users immediately know what this page is about.
Next, you need to add the text for your privacy policy page. You can copy the text of our privacy policy page or use an online privacy policy generator.
You can even use a plugin like Auto Terms of Service and Privacy Policy to generate the content.
Don’t forget to add your own contact information and business name before hitting the publish button.
Adding Link to Privacy Policy Page in WordPress
Most websites display link to their privacy policy page in the footer area of their website. This way the link appears on every page but is not taking space in your main navigation menu.
There are multiple ways to do this. You can simply add the link to your theme’s footer.php file. If this is your first time editing a WordPress theme file, then take a look at our guide on how to copy paste code in WordPress.
<a href="http://example.com/privacy-policy">Privacy Policy</a>
Many WordPress themes have widget areas in the footer. You can add a custom menu widget with the link to your privacy policy page in this area.
First, you will need to visit Appearance » Menus page and create a new custom menu. See our beginner’s guide on how to add navigation menu in WordPress for detailed instructions.
Don’t forget to click on the save menu button to save your new menu.
After creating your menu head over to Appearance » Widgets page. You will notice ‘Navigation Menu’ widget under the list of available widgets.
Add this widget to your footer widget area. See our guide on how to add and use widgets in WordPress.
You will need to select the custom menu you created earlier in the widget settings and then click on the save button.
That’s all, you have successfully added a privacy policy page to your WordPress site.
We hope this article helped you learn how to add a privacy policy in WordPress. You may also want to see our step by step WordPress SEO guide for beginners.
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WordPress version 4.9.6 has Privacy creator option under settings. It shows a sample page and you can edit the page. You can use an existing page also. I already have a small privacy page. Can I use it or create another good one from WordPress.
Noticed that most sites have updated their privacy policy due to change in European Union policy change. Can you tell what changes should be done in existing privacy policy?
Hi Mathukutty,
The new GDPR law requires you to disclose how your website collects user information and how this information is used. Depending on your website and what plugins and features you are using, you will have to modify your privacy policy accordingly. For more on this topic please see our ultimate guide to WordPress and GDPR compliance.
What should i use instead awesome motive
Hi Aman,
You will need to use your own business or website name.
Hi,
I used your Privacy Policy to create mine in Dec 2017.
Has it now been changed to comply with GDPR, so that I need to redo it?
Many thanks in advance.
Hey Beathe,
WordPress will address this issue soon in an upcoming version 4.9.6. We will update our privacy policy accordingly and hopefully you will be able to do the same from WordPress admin area.
When i copy and paste your privacy policy and I have to change the name over to my own, do I need to change the “Awesome Motives” as well?
Yes, you will have to change that too.
Thanks. I think I can handle this, but what is the simplest way to put a checkbox (so people have to confirm they have read the privacy policy) on comment forms (which I use for enquiries) so they can’t send the enquiry until they have confirmed they have read the privacy policy?
Thanks in advance.
Hi,
Firstly, I would like to thank you for this blog. It has been really helpful in starting my website. I added the privacy policy, but how to synchronize it with my theme?
My website is and I’m using simple catch theme. In Footer, the privacy policy is seen as a white tab which doesn’t fit in the footer. Is there any code, so it will appear in the footer?
Thanks so much
Hi Kavita,
You can add the link in your theme’s footer.php file.
Thanks for your reply. I added in the footer by using insert header and footer plugin. Is there any code which will add it to footer rather than creating a separate white block at the bottom?
Hi Kavita,
Insert header and footer plugin adds code after your WordPress theme code. That’s why it appears as a white block. You will need to add it directly in your theme’s footer.php file. Alternately you can add the code in a text widget and display it in your sidebar.
Maybe I missing something here but I have the latest install of WordPress Ver. 4.9.4 and there is no “custom menu” widget available in widgets so this article did not help. Any other suggestions? Thanks appreciate it.
Hi Frank,
Thank you for notifying us. The custom menu widget is now called ‘Navigation Menu’ widget. We have updated the article with new screenshot.
Thanks. Took some work, my theme only supports 2 menus the layout wasn’t exactly the way I wanted it. Hard to explain but it is working to my satisfaction. Once again thanks for the tutorial.
Dear Sir, Do I need to add privacy policy for Facebook page that I connected to my WordPress website? If yes , do I need to create separate privacy policy for Facebook page or and where to add it. Kindly give me suggestion.
Thanking you
will I be bound to give you credit if I want to use the text of your privacy policy page?
Thanks WP Beginner…I’m using your policy with a few updates…Okay just name changes for now…Thanks for us newbies to use it…I’ve given you credit – well you deserve it and have linked to site.
Good Lord it’s a lot of work building a business and a website for that business…The only way I know I’m on to something (and don’t ask me what that is) is that I just keep going…The more do, the more I learn….You guys have made this entire process some much easier.
All the best!
Thank you, thank you, a thousand times, thank you. Thrashing about through one website after another, and finally landed on this, the golden grail – clear, articulate, easy-to-follow instruction.
Beautifully done, and saved my sanity!
Blythe
How about creating a post instead of a page? What’s the difference when we create a page or post for privacy policy.
I have created a post instead of page
You can create a post instead of a page in the same way. However, this post will be visible in your blog page also. If you create a page then this page won’t shown in your blog page.