Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

SweetReed ("we," "our," or "us") is an SEO and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) agency serving businesses in the UAE and USA. We operate the website sweetreed.com (the "Site").

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect personal data when you visit our website, use our services, or communicate with us. It applies to all visitors, clients, and prospective clients regardless of location.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and complying with applicable laws including:

• The UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data (PDPL)
• The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) where applicable
• The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA)
• Other applicable state and international privacy laws

Please read this policy carefully. By using our website or services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

2. Data Controller

SweetReed is the data controller for personal data collected through this website.

Email: team@sweetreed.com
Website: sweetreed.com

For privacy-related enquiries, contact us at: team@sweetreed.com

3. What personal data we collect

3.1 Data you provide directly

Audit request form:

• Full name
• Work email address
• Website URL
• Industry / business type

Contact form and email enquiries:

• Name
• Email address
• Any information you choose to include in your message

Client onboarding:

• Business name and registration details
• Billing contact name and email
• Access credentials to tools (Google Search Console, GA4) — read-only access only

3.2 Data collected automatically

Usage data:

• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• Referring website or source
• Date and time of visit
• Browser type and version
• Device type (desktop, mobile, tablet)
• Operating system

Technical data:

• IP address (anonymised where required by law)
• Cookie identifiers (see Section 8 for full cookie details)

3.3 Data from third parties

We may receive data about you from:

• Google Analytics (aggregated website usage data)
• LinkedIn (if you connect with us or engage with our company page)
• Clutch or DesignRush (if you submit a review or enquiry through these platforms)

4. How we use your personal data

We do not use your personal data for automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects.

5. How long we keep your data

• Enquiry and audit request data: 12 months from date of enquiry if no contract is formed
• Client data: Duration of the contract plus 3 years after termination
• Website analytics data: 14 months (Google Analytics default retention)
• Email correspondence: 3 years from last communication
• Financial and billing records: 7 years (legal requirement)

After the applicable retention period, data is securely deleted or anonymised.

6. Who we share your data with

We do not sell your personal data to third parties under any circumstances.

We share data only with:

Service providers (data processors):

• Google LLC — analytics (Google Analytics 4), email (Gmail), and workspace tools
• Vercel or equivalent hosting provider — website hosting
• Any email marketing platform we use for newsletters (with your explicit consent)

All service providers are required to handle data securely and only process it on our instructions.

Legal requirements: We may disclose personal data if required to do so by law, court order, or regulatory authority.

Business transfers: If SweetReed is acquired or merged with another business, your data may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you before your data is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

7. International data transfers

SweetReed operates across the UAE and USA. When we transfer personal data across borders, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place including:

• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) for transfers from the EU/EEA
• Compliance with UAE PDPL cross-border transfer requirements
• Data processing agreements with all third-party processors

If you are located in the EU and your data is transferred outside the EEA, such transfers are made under the appropriate legal mechanisms required by GDPR Article 46.

8. Cookies

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies. We use the following categories:

• Essential cookies: Required for the website to function. Cannot be disabled.
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our website (Google Analytics). Set only with your consent.
• Marketing cookies: We do not currently use marketing cookies. If we introduce these in future, your consent will be sought.

When you first visit sweetreed.com, you will be presented with a cookie consent banner. You can change your preferences at any time by clicking "Cookie Settings" in the footer.

For full details, see our Cookie Policy.

9. Your rights

Rights under GDPR (EU/EEA residents)

• Right of access — request a copy of your personal data
• Right to rectification — request correction of inaccurate data
• Right to erasure — request deletion of your personal data
• Right to restrict processing — request we limit how we use your data
• Right to data portability — receive your data in a portable format
• Right to object — object to processing based on legitimate interest
• Right to withdraw consent — withdraw consent at any time without affecting prior processing

Rights under UAE PDPL

• Right to access your personal data
• Right to correct inaccurate data
• Right to request deletion
• Right to withdraw consent

Rights under CCPA/CPRA (California residents)

• Right to know what personal information is collected
• Right to know whether personal information is sold or disclosed
• Right to opt out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell data)
• Right to deletion of personal information
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your rights
• Right to correct inaccurate information

How to exercise your rights

Submit a request to: team@sweetreed.com

Include in your request: your full name and email address, the right you wish to exercise, and any relevant details. We will respond within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority:

• UAE: uaeprivacy.gov.ae
• EU: Your national supervisory authority
• UK: Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk)
• California: California Attorney General (oag.ca.gov)

10. Data security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data including:

• HTTPS encryption on all pages
• Access controls limiting who within SweetReed can access client data
• Regular review of data processing practices
• Secure deletion of data at the end of retention periods

Despite these measures, no internet transmission is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but will notify you promptly if a data breach affecting your rights occurs.

11. Children's privacy

Our website and services are not directed at children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child, please contact us immediately at team@sweetreed.com and we will delete it promptly.

12. Links to third-party websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites including Clutch, DesignRush, LinkedIn, and Medium. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal data.

13. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

For significant changes affecting how we use your data, we will notify existing clients by email.

14. Contact us

For any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data:

Email: team@sweetreed.com
Website: sweetreed.com/privacy-policy

We aim to respond to all privacy enquiries within 5 business days.