Privacy Policy

1 Who We Are

RealWebStudio ("we," "our," or "us") is a web design and digital marketing company registered in Alberta, Canada. We operate the website at realwebstudio.com and provide done-for-you web design, hosting, SEO, social media management, and related digital services to small businesses across Canada.

For the purposes of Canadian privacy law (PIPEDA — Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act), RealWebStudio is the organization responsible for the personal information we collect and hold.

2 Information We Collect

We collect personal information only when it is necessary to provide our services or respond to your inquiries. The types of information we may collect include:

Information You Provide Directly

• Full name and business name
• Email address
• Phone number (including WhatsApp)
• Business address and city/province
• Website preferences, service requirements, and project details you share with us
• Payment information (processed securely via our payment processor — we do not store full card details)
• Communications and messages you send us through our website, email, or WhatsApp

Information Collected Automatically

• IP address and general geographic location (city/region level)
• Browser type and version
• Device type and operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on our website
• Referring URL (how you found our site)
• Date and time of visits

Information from Third Parties

• Information from our CRM platform (GoHighLevel) when you interact with our chat or voice agents
• Analytics data from Google Analytics or similar tools
• Information you share when booking a consultation through our calendar tool

3 How We Use Your Information

We use the personal information we collect only for legitimate business purposes, including:

• To respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• To deliver, manage, and maintain the web design and digital marketing services you have purchased
• To process payments and send invoices or receipts
• To send you project updates, service notifications, and important account-related communications
• To send marketing communications, such as newsletters or promotional offers — only with your consent, and only if you have opted in
• To improve our website, services, and user experience through analytics
• To comply with legal obligations under Canadian law
• To prevent fraud, abuse, or misuse of our services

4 How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

Service Providers

We work with trusted third-party vendors who help us operate our business. These include our CRM (GoHighLevel), payment processors, website hosting providers, and communication tools. These vendors only receive the information necessary to perform their functions and are contractually required to keep your data secure and confidential.

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your personal information if required to do so by law, court order, or government authority, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of RealWebStudio, our clients, or the public.

Business Transfers

If RealWebStudio is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you before your information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

5 Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and collect usage analytics.

Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential cookies — required for the website to function properly (e.g., session management, form submissions)
• Analytics cookies — help us understand how visitors use our website (e.g., Google Analytics). These are anonymized and aggregated.
• Marketing cookies — used to track the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns (e.g., Google Ads, Meta Pixel). These are only active if you have given consent.
• Preference cookies — remember your choices and settings to improve your experience on return visits

Managing Cookies

You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse or accept cookies, delete existing cookies, and be notified when a new cookie is set. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

You may also opt out of Google Analytics tracking at any time using the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on available at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

6 Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by applicable law.

• Customer records — retained for the duration of your service agreement and for up to 7 years after the account is closed, as required for tax and accounting purposes under Canadian law
• Contact form and inquiry data — retained for up to 2 years from the date of last interaction
• Website analytics data — retained for up to 26 months in accordance with Google Analytics default settings
• Marketing communications consent records — retained for the duration of your consent and for up to 3 years after withdrawal, as required under Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)

When your data is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it.

7 How We Protect Your Data

We take the security of your personal information seriously. We implement industry-standard technical and organizational safeguards, including:

• SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmitted between your browser and our website
• Secure, access-controlled storage systems for customer data
• Limited access to personal information — only team members who need it to perform their job functions can access it
• Regular review of our data handling and security practices
• Use of reputable, security-certified third-party platforms for payments and data storage

8 Your Rights Under PIPEDA

As a resident of Canada, you have the following rights regarding your personal information held by RealWebStudio:

• Right to access — You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Right to correction — You may request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete information
• Right to withdraw consent — You may withdraw your consent to our use of your information at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions
• Right to know — You may ask us how your information is used and with whom it is shared
• Right to complain — If you believe we have not properly handled your personal information, you have the right to file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC)

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected] with the subject line "Privacy Request." We will respond within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at www.priv.gc.ca or call 1-800-282-1376.

9 Third-Party Services

Our website and services integrate with various third-party tools. These third parties have their own privacy policies and we encourage you to review them. Third-party services we use may include:

• GoHighLevel — CRM, chat, voice agents, and automation platform
• Google Analytics — website usage analytics
• Google Ads / Meta Ads — digital advertising platforms
• Stripe / other payment processors — secure payment processing
• WhatsApp (Meta) — customer communication via WhatsApp Business
• Google Calendar / scheduling tools — appointment booking
• Cloudflare / CDN providers — website performance and security

Links to third-party websites on our site are provided for convenience only. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites.

10 Children's Privacy

Our services are intended for small business owners and individuals who are at least 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child, we will delete it promptly. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately at [email protected].

11 Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page
• Post a notice on our website for 30 days
• Where appropriate, notify active customers by email

We encourage you to review this page periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information. Your continued use of our services after any changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

12 Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal information, please reach out to us: