1. Scope and responsible party
This notice applies to personal information processed by The Search Ledger through this website, the Search Readiness Index, email enquiries and early-stage business interactions. The Search Ledger is the responsible party for this processing and operates from South Africa, serving businesses in South Africa and other markets.
This notice does not govern personal information processed inside a client’s Google Ads, analytics, CRM or website environment. That processing is covered by the relevant client agreement, data-processing terms and the client’s own privacy obligations.
2. Information we collect
Information you provide
When you complete the readiness check or contact us, you may provide a work email, company name, website, market, business model, advertising-spend range, customer-value range, business goals, measurement maturity, lead-response capacity, account-ownership information and optional context. Please do not submit passwords, payment-card details or unnecessary sensitive personal information.
Technical information
The company hosting this website may automatically record your IP address, browser type, device information, referring page, pages requested, timestamps and security events in server logs.
Business relationship information
If the relationship continues, we may keep readiness results, proposal history, due-diligence information, access records, instructions, approvals and correspondence needed to scope or deliver services.
3. How and why we use information
We use personal information only where reasonably necessary to:
- calculate and save a preliminary service-readiness result;
- respond to enquiries and assess whether the service is a suitable fit;
- prepare proposals, contracts, invoices and onboarding materials;
- deliver, administer and improve agreed services;
- protect accounts, systems and the website from misuse or security threats;
- keep appropriate business, tax and legal records; and
- send service-related or requested communications.
Automated assessment
The Search Readiness Index applies published categories and weighted readiness factors to the answers you provide. The main factors are budget band, customer value, business model, measurement maturity, lead-response speed, available capacity, outcome feedback, account ownership and acceptance of an initial learning cycle. The result is preliminary: it does not create a contract, guarantee service acceptance or determine access to an essential service. You may correct your information, run the check again or request a written review.
Depending on the context, processing is based on your consent, steps taken at your request before entering a contract, performance of a contract, compliance with legal obligations, or legitimate business interests that do not unjustifiably affect your rights.
We do not sell personal information. We do not send unsolicited bulk marketing email from information collected through this website. If an optional mailing list is introduced, it will have a clear opt-in and unsubscribe mechanism.
4. Sharing, operators and cross-border transfers
We may share the minimum information required with service providers that support hosting, email, cloud storage, productivity, accounting, security and professional advice. These providers process information under their own terms and, where appropriate, contractual safeguards.
Information may be processed outside South Africa because internet and cloud providers operate internationally. Where applicable, we take reasonable steps to use providers and contractual arrangements that offer an appropriate level of protection. We may also disclose information when required by law, to establish or defend legal rights, or to address fraud and security incidents.
5. Retention and security
We retain readiness and enquiry information only for as long as reasonably needed to assess fit, respond, prepare a scope, keep required records or handle a dispute. Client records are retained for the period stated in the client agreement or required by applicable law. Information that is no longer required is deleted, anonymised or securely archived.
We use reasonable organisational and technical safeguards appropriate to a small professional service business. No email, website or storage system is completely secure, so please use care when choosing what to send.
6. Your choices and rights
Subject to applicable law, including South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), you may ask us to:
- confirm whether we hold personal information about you;
- provide access to that information;
- correct or update inaccurate information;
- delete information that we no longer have a lawful reason to keep;
- object to or restrict certain processing; or
- withdraw consent where processing depends on consent.
We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request. Some requests may be limited by legal, contractual or record-keeping duties. You may also submit a complaint to South Africa’s Information Regulator or the relevant privacy authority in your country.
7. Cookies, analytics and external services
This version of the website does not set marketing or analytics cookies. The readiness form sends the information you enter to our hosted application database when you submit it. Essential hosting or security controls may process technical request data. Clicking an email link opens the email application configured on your device.
If analytics, advertising pixels or other tracking tools are added later, this notice and the website’s consent controls will be reviewed before those tools are enabled.
8. Children
The services are intended for business representatives, not children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through this website.
9. Changes to this notice
We may update this notice when our practices, service providers or legal duties change. The effective date at the top shows when this version took effect. Material changes will be highlighted where reasonably practical.
10. Contact
For a privacy request or question, email mzedk86@gmail.com with “Privacy request” in the subject line.