How Illumin8 Marketing handles your personal information

1. Who we are

Illumin8 Marketing is an owner-led South African marketing consultancy that supports growing businesses with brand clarity, website development, SEO, content strategy, Google Ads and ongoing marketing support.

In this Privacy Policy, “Illumin8 Marketing”, “we”, “us” or “our” refers to Illumin8 Marketing and its authorised representatives.

For privacy-related questions, you can contact Illumin8 Marketing using the contact details provided on this website.

2. Personal information we may collect

We only collect personal information that is relevant to the reason you are interacting with us.

This may include:

• Your name and surname.
• Your business name.
• Your email address.
• Your phone number.
• Your website address.
• Information you submit through our contact or enquiry forms.
• Details about the service or marketing support you are enquiring about.
• Correspondence you send to us by email, phone, WhatsApp, social media or another communication channel.
• Website usage information collected through cookies, analytics tools and similar technologies.

We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal information through this website. Please do not submit confidential, sensitive or unnecessary personal information through a website form.

3. How we collect personal information

We may collect personal information when you:

• Complete a form on the website.
• Book or request a consultation.
• Enquire about a service.
• Email, phone or message us.
• Subscribe to updates, newsletters or marketing communication, where applicable.
• Interact with Illumin8 Marketing on social media.
• Browse the website, where cookies or analytics tools are used.

Some information is provided directly by you. Other information, such as website usage data, may be collected automatically through cookies and tracking technologies.

4. Why we collect and use personal information

We use personal information for legitimate business and communication purposes, including to:

• Respond to enquiries.
• Understand your business and the type of support you may need.
• Provide quotations, proposals or service information.
• Communicate with clients and prospective clients.
• Deliver agreed marketing services.
• Manage client relationships.
• Improve the website and user experience.
• Measure website performance and marketing activity.
• Manage Google Ads, analytics and digital visibility activity.
• Send relevant business or marketing communication, where appropriate and lawful.
• Comply with legal, accounting, tax or administrative obligations.

We do not sell your personal information.

5. Legal basis for processing personal information

We process personal information where it is reasonable and lawful to do so.

This may include processing information:

• Because you have given consent.
• Because it is necessary to respond to your enquiry or take steps before entering into a service agreement.
• Because it is necessary to deliver services to you or your business.
• Because we have a legitimate business interest in communicating with clients and prospective clients.
• Because we are required to comply with legal, financial, tax or regulatory obligations.

6. Website forms and enquiries

When you submit an enquiry through the website, we collect the information you provide so that we can review your request and respond appropriately.

Submitting an enquiry does not automatically create a client relationship. It allows us to understand your business context, the type of support you may need and whether Illumin8 Marketing may be the right fit to assist.

We may keep enquiry records for a reasonable period for communication, administrative and business reference purposes.

7. Email and marketing communication

We may use your contact details to communicate with you about:

• An enquiry you submitted.
• Services you requested.
• Proposals, quotes or project communication.
• Relevant updates relating to Illumin8 Marketing.
• Useful marketing guidance or business communication, where appropriate.

You may opt out of non-essential marketing communication at any time by contacting us or using the unsubscribe option where one is provided.

We will not intentionally send unsolicited direct marketing communication in a way that does not comply with applicable South African law.

8. Cookies and similar technologies

This website may use cookies and similar technologies.

Cookies are small files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help websites function properly, remember certain preferences, understand how visitors use the site and support marketing or analytics activity.

We may use the following types of cookies:

Essential cookies

These are needed for the website to function correctly. They may support security, page loading, form functionality and basic website operation.

Analytics cookies

These help us understand how visitors use the website, which pages are viewed, how visitors move through the site and where improvements may be needed.

Marketing and advertising cookies

These may be used to measure the effectiveness of online advertising, including Google Ads, and to understand whether users interact with the website after seeing or clicking on an advert.

Preference cookies

These may remember choices such as cookie consent preferences or similar website settings.

You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Where a cookie banner or consent tool is available, you can use it to manage your preferences.

Please note that disabling some cookies may affect how the website functions.

9. Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager and Google Ads

This website may use Google tools, including Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager and Google Ads tracking.

These tools may collect information such as:

• Pages visited.
• Time spent on the website.
• Approximate location.
• Device and browser information.
• Traffic source.
• Interactions with forms, buttons or links.
• Whether a visitor came from a Google advert.
• General website performance and engagement information.

Google tools may use cookies or similar technologies to measure website usage, advertising activity and user interactions.

Where required, tracking cookies and advertising-related tags should only run once the appropriate consent has been provided through the website’s cookie consent mechanism.

Information collected through Google tools may be processed by Google in accordance with Google’s own privacy terms and policies. You can manage certain Google advertising and analytics preferences through your Google account or browser settings.

10. Third-party service providers

We may share limited personal information with trusted third-party service providers where necessary for business, technical, marketing or administrative purposes.

These may include:

• Website hosting providers.
• Email and communication platforms.
• Analytics and tracking providers.
• Google services, including Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager and Google Ads.
• Accounting, legal or administrative service providers.
• Website security, backup or maintenance tools.
• CRM, project management or marketing platforms, where applicable.

We only share information where it is necessary for the relevant purpose and expect service providers to handle personal information responsibly and securely.

11. Cross-border processing

Some third-party tools or service providers may store or process information outside South Africa.

Where personal information is transferred or processed outside South Africa, we take reasonable steps to ensure that it is handled in a way that remains consistent with this Privacy Policy and applicable privacy requirements.

12. How we protect personal information

We take reasonable technical and organisational steps to protect personal information from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, disclosure, alteration or destruction.

These steps may include:

• Using secure website and hosting environments.
• Limiting access to personal information.
• Using password protection and account security measures.
• Maintaining website security tools where appropriate.
• Keeping software, plugins and systems updated where practical.
• Using reputable third-party service providers.

No online system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, but we take reasonable steps to reduce risk and protect the information entrusted to us.

13. How long we keep personal information

We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required or allowed by law.

This may include keeping information for:

• Enquiry follow-up.
• Client relationship management.
• Service delivery.
• Legal, accounting or tax requirements.
• Resolving disputes.
• Business record-keeping.
• Improving website and marketing performance.

When personal information is no longer needed, we will take reasonable steps to delete, de-identify or securely archive it.

14. Your rights

Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to:

• Ask what personal information we hold about you.
• Request access to your personal information.
• Ask us to correct or update inaccurate information.
• Ask us to delete personal information where appropriate.
• Object to certain processing.
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
• Opt out of direct marketing communication.
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator South Africa.

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the details provided on this website.

15. Complaints

If you believe your personal information has been handled in a way that does not comply with POPIA, you may contact us first so that we can try to address the concern.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator South Africa.

16. Links to other websites

This website may include links to third-party websites, platforms or tools.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices, security or content of external websites. Once you leave the Illumin8 Marketing website, the privacy policy of the external website or platform will apply.

17. Updates to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our website, services, legal requirements, tracking tools or business operations.

The latest version will be published on this page with an updated effective date.

18. Contact us

For privacy-related questions, requests or concerns, please contact Illumin8 Marketing through the contact details provided on this website.