Updated Date: July 7, 2025
At Citation Forge, we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting the personal information you choose to share with us. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and safeguard your data when you interact with our website or use our SEO services. Whether you are visiting our website as a potential customer, contacting us for more information, or working with us as a client, this policy applies to you.
Our goal is to ensure that your personal information is handled responsibly and in accordance with applicable data protection laws. We follow the standards set by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and other international privacy regulations to ensure full transparency and control over your data.
Information We Collect
At Citation Forge, we collect certain types of information to deliver our services, respond to inquiries, process payments, and improve the overall user experience on our website. The data we collect may be provided directly by you or gathered automatically as you browse our website. We only collect the information necessary to operate our business and serve you efficiently.
Information You Provide Voluntarily
When you interact with us through our website, contact forms, live chat, email communication, or when you purchase our services, you may voluntarily provide personal details. This includes your full name, email address, phone number, business website URL, country or location, and business name. If you are a paying customer, we may also ask for your billing address and the PayPal email associated with your business account to generate invoices and complete your transactions.
We collect this information to respond to your inquiries, prepare service proposals, manage client relationships, deliver SEO campaigns, and provide support when needed. You are never required to provide more information than is necessary for the specific purpose at hand.
Payment Information
All payments for our services are processed through PayPal. We do not collect or store your credit card, debit card, or any banking information on our servers. However, to issue monthly invoices and track transactions, we may request your business address, contact number, and PayPal-linked email address. All payment activities are handled securely by PayPal, and any financial details shared with them are protected under their own privacy and security standards.
Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our website, certain technical information is collected automatically using cookies and tracking technologies. This includes your IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device type, referring website links, the pages you view on our site, the time spent on each page, and how you interact with our content. This data is collected using tools such as Google Analytics and is used to understand user behavior, optimize website performance, and enhance the overall visitor experience.
The data collected through these methods is anonymous and does not identify you personally. It allows us to make informed decisions about website design, user navigation, and content strategy, all aimed at better serving our visitors.
How We Use Your Information
At Citation Forge, we collect personal and behavioral data only for specific purposes that allow us to deliver high-quality SEO services, communicate effectively with our clients, and maintain a secure and user-friendly website. We do not collect any unnecessary data, and we never use your information for purposes that are unrelated to our business or services.
Service Delivery
The information you share with us helps us understand your business goals and tailor our SEO strategies accordingly. Whether we are optimizing your website, creating content, or managing outreach campaigns, your data plays a critical role in allowing us to deliver accurate, relevant, and effective results. Without this information, we would not be able to provide the personalized service that our clients expect.
Communication
We use your contact details, such as your email address and phone number, to stay in touch with you throughout your engagement with us. This includes responding to your inquiries, sending project updates, scheduling calls, and providing support. We aim to maintain open and professional communication at all stages of your project or inquiry.
Invoicing and Payment Tracking
Your billing information, including your business address and PayPal-linked email address, is used solely for the purpose of generating and sending invoices. We also use this information to track payment status and maintain accurate financial records. All payments are processed securely through PayPal, and we do not collect or store any sensitive payment details like credit or debit card numbers.
Website Optimization
We use aggregated data collected through tools like Google Analytics to analyze how users interact with our website. This helps us improve our site’s layout, content, speed, and navigation so that visitors have a smooth and meaningful experience. Understanding user behavior also allows us to adjust our marketing strategies and ensure our content remains relevant and accessible.
Security and Abuse Prevention
We may use certain technical data, such as IP addresses and browser information, to monitor for unusual activity and protect our website from unauthorized access, spam, or malicious attacks. This helps us ensure the safety and integrity of our platform for all users.
Legal Compliance
In some cases, we may be required to use or retain your data to comply with applicable legal obligations, such as tax reporting, financial audits, or court orders. We only do this when required by law and take all necessary steps to handle your information securely and responsibly.
We do not use your personal data for unsolicited marketing, and we never sell, rent, or share your information with unrelated third parties.
Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)
If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), we process your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This regulation requires that we have a valid legal basis for collecting and using your information. At Citation Forge, we rely on the following legal grounds when handling your data:
Consent
In some cases, we process your data based on your explicit consent. For example, when you fill out a contact form, subscribe to our newsletter, or engage with our live chat, you are giving us permission to use that information to respond to your inquiry or send relevant updates. You can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us directly.
Contractual Obligation
When you hire us to provide SEO services, we need to process certain personal information in order to fulfill our contract with you. This includes using your name, contact details, business website, and payment information to deliver our services, issue invoices, and maintain ongoing communication.
Legal Obligation
In some instances, we are legally required to retain or process certain information. This may include storing invoices for tax purposes, maintaining business records, or complying with other legal reporting requirements. We only retain what is necessary and for as long as required by law.
Legitimate Interest
We may also process your data when it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your privacy rights. This includes activities such as improving our website, analyzing user behavior to enhance performance, preventing fraud or abuse, and ensuring network security.
Before relying on legitimate interest, we carefully assess the purpose of the data processing and consider whether it is fair, necessary, and in line with your expectations.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Citation Forge uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve the functionality of our website, analyze user behavior, and provide a better overall experience for our visitors. These tools help us understand how users interact with our website so we can make informed decisions about design, content, and performance.
Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device when you visit a website. They allow the website to remember certain actions or preferences over time, making your browsing experience more efficient and personalized.
We use both session cookies, which expire when you close your browser, and persistent cookies, which remain on your device for a set period or until manually deleted.
Cookies on our website may be used for the following purposes:
- To remember your preferences or previous interactions with our site
- To measure website traffic, page performance, and user engagement through tools like Google Analytics
- To understand how users navigate our website and which pages or services attract the most attention
- To support the functionality of interactive features, such as live chat powered by HubSpot
These cookies do not give us access to your computer or allow us to identify you personally. The data collected is anonymous and used solely for analytical and performance-related purposes.
You have full control over how cookies are used on your browser. Most web browsers allow you to accept or reject cookies, delete existing cookies, or be notified when a cookie is being placed on your device. You can usually find these options in your browser’s privacy or security settings.
Third-Party Services and Tools
To operate our website and deliver our SEO services efficiently, Citation Forge uses a number of trusted third-party tools. These services help us with tasks such as analyzing website traffic, managing communication, and processing payments. While these tools are essential for our operations, each of them operates under its own privacy policy and terms of service.
We ensure that all third-party providers we work with are reputable and take appropriate measures to protect user data. Below are the main tools we currently use and how they interact with your information.
Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics to monitor website traffic, understand visitor behavior, and measure the effectiveness of our content and user experience. This tool collects non-personal information such as IP addresses, device types, browser details, referring websites, and user interactions on our site. The data collected is used strictly for analytical purposes and helps us improve the performance and usability of our website.
Google Analytics operates under its own privacy policy, which you can review at https://policies.google.com/privacy.
Google Search Console
Google Search Console helps us monitor the visibility and indexing status of our website in Google Search results. It provides technical insights into how our site performs in search engines but does not collect or store personal data from visitors. The tool is used to identify issues related to crawling, indexing, and search optimization.
More information on how Google handles data can be found at https://policies.google.com/privacy.
HubSpot (Live Chat)
Our live chat feature is powered by HubSpot. When you use the chat tool on our website, you may be asked to provide your name and email address. The information you enter is used to respond to your inquiries, provide support, and follow up if necessary. Conversations and contact details submitted via chat are stored securely in our HubSpot account and are not shared with any third parties outside of Citation Forge.
HubSpot’s privacy policy is available at https://legal.hubspot.com/privacy-policy.
PayPal (Payments)
We use PayPal to handle payments for our services. When you make a payment, you will be redirected to the secure PayPal platform where your transaction is processed. Citation Forge does not collect or store your credit card, debit card, or banking information. However, we may retain your PayPal-linked email address and billing address for invoicing and record-keeping purposes.
PayPal’s privacy policy can be viewed at https://www.paypal.com/in/legalhub/paypal/privacy-full.
Each of these third-party services is responsible for how it processes your data. We recommend reviewing their individual privacy policies to understand how your information is handled outside of Citation Forge.
Data Sharing and Disclosure
At Citation Forge, your privacy is our priority. We want to be absolutely clear that we do not sell, rent, trade, or disclose your personal information to any third parties for marketing or advertising purposes. Your data is treated with care and confidentiality and is only used to support the services we provide to you.
We only share your information when it is necessary for essential business operations or when required by law. Any such sharing is done with strict safeguards in place to ensure your information remains protected and is used only for its intended purpose.
Sharing with Service Providers
In the course of operating our business, we may share limited data with trusted third-party service providers who help us deliver our services. This includes platforms like PayPal for payment processing, Google Analytics for website analysis, and HubSpot for managing communication. These providers are contractually obligated to handle your data securely and to use it only for the specific functions they perform on our behalf.
Legal Compliance
In rare circumstances, we may be required to disclose your information in response to lawful requests by public authorities, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements. We may also share information if we believe it is necessary to comply with a legal obligation, enforce our terms of service, protect our rights, or prevent fraud or misuse of our services.
Internal Access Control
Access to your personal information within Citation Forge is limited to authorized personnel who need the information to perform their job duties. These individuals are trained in data protection practices and are required to keep all information confidential.
We do not allow any external access to your data beyond what is strictly necessary to operate our services, and we regularly review our procedures to ensure your information remains secure.
Data Retention
At Citation Forge, we retain personal information only for as long as it is necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy. The exact length of time we keep your data may vary depending on the nature of our relationship with you, the type of data collected, and any applicable legal or regulatory requirements.
If you are a client, we may retain your contact details, project history, invoices, and payment records for the duration of our working relationship and for a reasonable period afterward. This allows us to maintain accurate records for future service references, customer support, or accounting obligations.
In cases where data is collected through contact forms or general inquiries without resulting in an active client relationship, we retain the information only as long as needed to respond to your inquiry or track communication history.
We may also retain certain information for longer periods if required by law, such as to comply with tax regulations, legal disputes, or enforceable agreements. Once the information is no longer necessary for these purposes, we securely delete or anonymize it from our systems.
You have the right to request the deletion of your personal data at any time, subject to any legal obligations we may have to retain specific records. If you wish to have your data removed from our systems, please contact us at hello@citationforge.com. We will respond to your request promptly and confirm the completion of the process, unless certain information must be retained under applicable laws.
Data Security Measures
At Citation Forge, we take data security seriously and implement multiple layers of protection to safeguard the personal information you share with us. We understand that when you trust us with your data, you expect it to be stored and handled with care. That is why we follow industry-standard practices to prevent unauthorized access, misuse, loss, or alteration of your information.
Our website is secured using HTTPS encryption, which ensures that any data transferred between your browser and our servers is encrypted and protected from interception. All forms used to collect personal data, such as contact forms or live chat inputs, are SSL-secured to provide an additional layer of security during transmission.
Internally, we maintain strict access controls to limit who can view or manage your personal information. Only authorized team members who need access to your data for service delivery or support purposes are granted permission. These individuals are trained in safe data handling practices and are required to maintain confidentiality at all times.
We also store your information in secure digital environments protected by updated firewalls, authentication protocols, and software security tools. We routinely monitor our systems to detect and prevent vulnerabilities or malicious activity.
While we take all reasonable steps to protect your information, no method of transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If we ever identify a risk to your data or become aware of a security breach, we will take immediate action and notify affected individuals as required by applicable laws.
Your privacy and trust are important to us, and we continually review and enhance our security measures to stay ahead of evolving threats.
Your Privacy Rights
At Citation Forge, we believe that you should have full control over your personal information. Whether you are located in the European Union, California, or anywhere else in the world, we are committed to upholding your privacy rights in accordance with applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
Rights for Users in the European Union (GDPR)
If you are a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA), you are entitled to the following rights under the GDPR:
- Right to Access: You have the right to request access to the personal data we hold about you, including how we collect it, why we use it, and who it may be shared with.
- Right to Correction: If any of the information we have about you is inaccurate or outdated, you can request that it be corrected or updated.
- Right to Deletion (Right to be Forgotten): You may ask us to delete your personal data, provided there is no legal obligation for us to retain it.
- Right to Restrict Processing: You can request that we limit how we use your data under certain conditions, such as during a dispute regarding its accuracy or use.
- Right to Object: You may object to the processing of your data for specific purposes, such as direct marketing or automated decision-making.
- Right to Data Portability: You can request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format and, where feasible, have it transferred to another service provider.
Rights for California Residents (CCPA)
If you are a California resident, the CCPA provides you with the following rights:
- Right to Know: You have the right to know what categories of personal data we collect, how we use it, and with whom it is shared.
- Right to Request Deletion: You may request the deletion of your personal information, subject to certain legal exceptions.
- Right to Opt Out: Although we do not sell your data, you still have the right to opt out of any future sale or sharing of your personal information.
- Right to Non-Discrimination: You will not be discriminated against for exercising any of your CCPA rights. We will not deny you services or provide a different level of quality based on your privacy choices.
How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise any of your rights under GDPR or CCPA, please contact us at hello@citationforge.com with your request. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request, especially in cases involving sensitive data or account-specific actions.
We aim to respond to all verified requests within 30 days, as required by applicable laws. If additional time is needed, we will notify you accordingly.
Your privacy matters to us, and we are committed to honoring your rights with clarity, fairness, and respect.
Children’s Privacy
Citation Forge’s website and services are intended for use by individuals who are at least 13 years of age or older. We do not knowingly collect, solicit, or store any personal information from children under the age of 13. If you are under 13, we kindly ask that you do not submit any personal information through our website or communication channels.
Our content and services are specifically designed for business owners, professionals, and companies seeking SEO and digital marketing solutions. They are not directed toward children or intended to be used by anyone under the age of consent as defined by applicable data protection laws.
If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without verified parental consent, we will take immediate steps to delete that information from our records. If you believe that a child has provided us with personal data, we encourage you to contact us promptly at hello@citationforge.com so we can investigate and resolve the matter appropriately.
We take the protection of children’s privacy seriously and are committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations, including the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in the United States.
International Data Transfers
Citation Forge is based in India and operates its services primarily from this location. If you are accessing our website or using our services from outside India, please be aware that any personal information you provide may be transferred to, stored in, or processed in India, where our servers and business operations are located.
These international transfers are necessary for us to provide our services, respond to inquiries, and fulfill our contractual obligations with clients around the world. We understand that different countries may have different data protection standards, and we are committed to ensuring that your information is handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable legal requirements.
Whenever we transfer data across borders, we take appropriate steps to protect your information and maintain a high level of security. This includes implementing technical safeguards, using secure systems for communication and storage, and limiting access to authorized personnel only.
By continuing to use our website or services, you acknowledge and agree that your personal data may be transferred to and processed in India, or in any other country where we or our trusted third-party service providers operate. Regardless of where your information is processed, we take every precaution to ensure that your privacy rights are respected and your data remains secure.
If you have concerns about how your data is handled during international transfers or wish to learn more about our data protection measures, please contact us at hello@citationforge.com.
Changes to This Policy
Citation Forge reserves the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time to reflect changes in our business practices, legal requirements, or data protection standards. When we make changes, we will revise the “Effective Date” at the top of this page so you can easily identify the most recent version.
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information and to understand any updates that may affect you. Continued use of our website or services after changes have been made will be considered as your acceptance of the revised policy.
If any significant changes are made that alter the way we collect or use your personal data, we will make reasonable efforts to notify you, either through a prominent notice on our website or via direct communication if applicable.
If you have any questions or concerns about the changes to this policy, or if you would like to better understand how these updates impact your data, please feel free to reach out to us at hello@citationforge.com.
Contact Information
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the way your personal information is handled, we encourage you to contact us. We are committed to addressing your inquiries promptly and transparently.
You can reach us using the details below:
Email: hello@citationforge.com
Website: https://citationforge.com/
We are here to help you better understand your privacy rights and ensure that your personal data is handled with the care and respect it deserves.
