Legal
Privacy Policy & GDPR
Searchmetric is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and your rights as a data subject — including rights under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023.
Last updated: 17 May 2026
In plain language: We collect only what we need to respond to your enquiries and improve our services. We do not sell your data. You can request deletion at any time.
Email Us a Privacy Request1. Introduction
Searchmetric (“we,” “us,” or “our”) operates the website searchmetric.in and provides SEO, AEO, GEO, and digital marketing services from Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. This Privacy Policy explains how we process personal data in accordance with:
- The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) — applicable when we process data of individuals in the European Economic Area (EEA).
- The UK GDPR — applicable to UK residents.
- India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act) — applicable to Indian residents.
- Other applicable data protection laws in India, including the Information Technology Act, 2000 and its rules.
This policy applies to data collected through our website, contact forms, email, phone calls, social media, and in the course of providing services to clients.
2. Who We Are — Data Controller
For the purposes of data protection law, the data controller (the entity responsible for deciding how and why your personal data is processed) is:
Business Name: Searchmetric
Address: Mumbai, Maharashtra — 401107, India
Email: info@searchmetric.in
Phone: +91-8779257216
Website: searchmetric.in
We have not yet appointed a formal Data Protection Officer (DPO) as we are a small business. For all privacy-related queries, please contact us directly at the email above.
3. Data We Collect
3.1 Personal Data You Provide
- Contact & Identity Data: Full name, email address, phone number, business name, job title.
- Communication Data: Messages, enquiries, feedback, and attachments you send us via forms, email, or WhatsApp.
- Business Data: Website URLs, industry type, target location, marketing goals — provided by clients to scope services.
- Transaction Data: Payment details (processed via third-party payment processors; we do not store card numbers), invoices, and purchase history.
- Account Credentials: Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Google Business Profile access — provided by clients to deliver services (stored securely; never shared).
3.2 Data Collected Automatically
- Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent, referring URL, browser type, operating system, screen resolution.
- Technical Data: IP address, approximate geographic location (city/country level), device type.
- Cookie Data: See our full Cookie Policy in Section 9.
3.3 Special Categories of Data
We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal data (e.g., health information, religion, political views, biometric data). If you are a healthcare client, any patient data shared during service delivery is your responsibility to handle under applicable health privacy laws (e.g., HIPAA if US-based, or India's health data guidelines).
4. How We Collect Your Data
- Contact forms on our website (Free Audit form, Contact page form).
- Email at info@searchmetric.in or direct personal email exchanges.
- WhatsApp & phone calls when you reach out via the numbers on our website.
- Google Analytics 4 (GA4) — automatically when you browse our website.
- Cookies & similar technologies — see Section 9.
- Social media — when you interact with us on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
- Third-party referrals — when someone shares your details with us for a referral engagement.
5. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)
For individuals in the EU/EEA or UK, we process personal data under the following legal bases as defined in Article 6, GDPR:
| Purpose | Legal Basis |
|---|---|
| Responding to enquiries and providing free audits | Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f)) — to communicate with prospective clients |
| Delivering contracted services | Contract performance (Art. 6(1)(b)) |
| Sending service updates and invoices | Contract performance (Art. 6(1)(b)) |
| Sending marketing emails (newsletters, offers) | Consent (Art. 6(1)(a)) — you may withdraw at any time |
| Website analytics via Google Analytics | Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f)) — to improve our website |
| Legal compliance and record keeping | Legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c)) |
For Indian residents, processing is based on consent and contractual necessity under the DPDP Act 2023 — see Section 11.
6. How We Use Your Data
- To respond to enquiries, provide free SEO audits, and send service proposals.
- To deliver contracted SEO, AEO, GEO, or website development services.
- To send invoices, receipts, and service-related notifications.
- To send marketing communications where you have opted in — you can unsubscribe at any time.
- To analyse website usage and improve our content, design, and user experience.
- To detect and prevent fraud, spam, or abuse of our services.
- To comply with legal and regulatory obligations.
- To maintain business records and for accounting purposes.
We will not use your data for automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects without your explicit consent.
7. Data Retention
We retain your personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes it was collected:
| Data Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Enquiry / contact form data (no engagement) | 12 months from receipt |
| Client service records (contracts, emails, reports) | 7 years from end of engagement (for legal / tax compliance) |
| Invoice and payment records | 7 years (as required under the Companies Act / GST rules) |
| Website analytics data (GA4) | Up to 14 months (Google Analytics default) |
| Marketing consent / opt-in records | Until consent is withdrawn + 3 years |
| Cookie data | See individual cookie lifespans in Section 9 |
After the applicable retention period, data is securely deleted or anonymised.
8. Data Sharing & Third Parties
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. We may share data with the following categories of recipients only as necessary to deliver our services:
- Google LLC — via Google Analytics 4, Google Ads, Google Search Console. Google may process data on servers outside India. See Google's Privacy Policy for details.
- Vercel Inc. — website hosting provider. Vercel processes server logs that may include IP addresses.
- Email & Communication Providers — we use standard email and may use CRM tools to manage client communications. These providers are bound by data processing agreements.
- Payment Processors — if you pay via online transfer or gateway, the processor handles your financial data under their own terms.
- Professional Advisors — accountants, lawyers, or auditors who are bound by confidentiality.
- Legal Authorities — where required by applicable law, court order, or regulatory authority.
We require all third parties to treat your data securely and in accordance with applicable data protection laws.
9. Cookie Policy
Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to operate correctly, analyse usage, and improve user experience. A cookie is a small text file stored on your browser by a website you visit.
Cookie Categories We Use
| Category | Purpose | Examples | Consent Needed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strictly Necessary | Essential for the site to function (e.g., security, navigation) | Session cookies, CSRF tokens | No — cannot be disabled |
| Analytics | Understand how visitors use our site — pages viewed, time on site, traffic sources | Google Analytics 4 (_ga, _ga_*) | Yes (GDPR) / Implied consent (India) |
| Preferences | Remember your settings and preferences on return visits | Language, cookie banner status | Yes |
| Marketing / Advertising | Track conversions from Google Ads campaigns | Google Ads (_gcl_au, _gcl_aw) | Yes — currently not set by default |
Managing Cookies
You can control or delete cookies at any time through your browser settings. Disabling analytics cookies will not affect your ability to use our website. Please note that disabling strictly necessary cookies may impact site functionality.
To opt out of Google Analytics tracking specifically, you can use the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
10. Your Rights Under GDPR (EU/EEA Residents)
If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA) or UK, you have the following rights under the GDPR:
Right of Access (Art. 15)
You have the right to request a copy of all personal data we hold about you, along with information about how we process it.
Right to Rectification (Art. 16)
You can ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold.
Right to Erasure / ‘Right to be Forgotten’ (Art. 17)
You can ask us to delete your personal data where there is no legitimate reason to keep it, where you have withdrawn consent, or where we have processed it unlawfully.
Right to Restriction of Processing (Art. 18)
You can request that we suspend processing your data — for example, while you contest its accuracy.
Right to Data Portability (Art. 20)
Where processing is based on consent or contract, you can request your data in a structured, machine-readable format (e.g., CSV) to transfer to another service provider.
Right to Object (Art. 21)
You can object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes. We will stop unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds.
Right to Withdraw Consent (Art. 7)
Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time. This does not affect the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.
Right to Lodge a Complaint
You have the right to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority in your country of residence (e.g., the ICO in the UK, or your national DPA in the EU).
To exercise any of these rights, email us at info@searchmetric.in with the subject line “GDPR Data Request.” We will respond within 30 days of receipt. We may need to verify your identity before processing the request.
11. Your Rights Under India's DPDP Act 2023
India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 grants Indian residents (“Data Principals”) the following rights:
Right to Access Information
You may request a summary of personal data we process about you and the purposes of such processing.
Right to Correction & Erasure
You may request correction of inaccurate or misleading data, and erasure of data that is no longer required for the purpose it was collected.
Right to Grievance Redressal
You have the right to a prompt and reasonable grievance redressal mechanism. Contact us at info@searchmetric.in and we will respond within 30 days.
Right to Nominate
You may nominate another individual to exercise your rights in the event of your death or incapacity.
Right to Withdraw Consent
You may withdraw consent for processing at any time. Withdrawal does not affect lawful processing before withdrawal.
We will process all DPDP Act requests within 30 days. If your request is denied, we will provide reasons in writing. You may escalate unresolved complaints to the Data Protection Board of India once it is established under the Act.
12. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against accidental loss, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These include:
- HTTPS encryption on our website (TLS 1.2+).
- Password-protected access to internal systems and client credentials.
- Principle of least privilege — only team members who need access to data to perform their role are granted it.
- Regular review of access permissions for all third-party integrations.
- Secure deletion procedures for data beyond its retention period.
Despite our best efforts, no method of data transmission over the internet is 100% secure. If you suspect a security incident involving your data, please notify us immediately at info@searchmetric.in. In the event of a data breach affecting your rights, we will notify you and relevant authorities as required by applicable law.
13. International Data Transfers
Searchmetric is based in India. If you are located in the EU, UK, or another jurisdiction with data transfer restrictions, be aware that your personal data may be transferred to and processed in India — a country that may not have data protection laws equivalent to those in your jurisdiction.
Where we transfer data to third-party processors (e.g., Google Analytics, Vercel), we rely on their applicable Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs), adequacy decisions, or other recognised transfer mechanisms. You can request details of the transfer safeguards in place by contacting us.
14. Children's Privacy
Our website and services are not directed at children under the age of 18 (or 13 in jurisdictions where that is the applicable minimum). We do not knowingly collect personal data from children.
If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal data, please contact us at info@searchmetric.in and we will delete such data promptly.
15. Third-Party Websites
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, case studies referencing other platforms, or embedded content (e.g., YouTube videos, Google Maps). Once you leave our website, this Privacy Policy no longer applies. We recommend reading the privacy policy of any external website you visit.
We are not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or security of third-party websites.
16. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, or applicable law. When we make material changes, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page.
We encourage you to review this page periodically. Continued use of our website after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. For significant changes, we will make reasonable efforts to notify existing clients directly (e.g., by email).
17. Contact & Data Protection Queries
For any privacy-related questions, data subject requests, or to exercise your rights, please contact us:
Email: info@searchmetric.in (Subject: “Privacy Request”)
Phone: +91-8779257216
Address: Searchmetric, Mumbai, Maharashtra — 401107, India
Response time: We aim to respond within 30 days of receiving your request.
Please include your full name, email address, and a clear description of your request. We may need to verify your identity before we can action the request.
18. Complaints
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, we would like to hear from you first. Please contact us directly and we will work to resolve your concern promptly.
If you remain unsatisfied, you have the right to escalate to the relevant supervisory authority:
- EU Residents: Your national Data Protection Authority (DPA). A full list is available at edpb.europa.eu.
- UK Residents: The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) — ico.org.uk.
- Indian Residents: The Data Protection Board of India (once formally established under the DPDP Act, 2023).
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