Colewood DigitalSEO AUDIT TOOL
PRIVACY POLICY

How the SEO Audit Tool handles information

Effective 29 July 2026 · Last updated 1 August 2026

1. Who we are

The Colewood Digital SEO Audit Tool is operated by Colewood Internet Ltd, trading as Colewood Digital (“Colewood”, “we”, “us”). Colewood Internet Ltd is registered in England and Wales under company number 03843745. Our address is Colewood House, 1 Kingfisher Way, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 3EX.

For information held in our own business systems, Colewood normally acts as controller. When we process information for a client under an engagement, the respective controller and processor responsibilities may also be governed by our contract with that client.

2. Information we collect

Workspace and account information

We store authorised users’ names, business email addresses, roles, account status, password hashes, last-login information and security/activity records. The hosting environment may also create ordinary server logs containing IP address, browser, request and timestamp information.

Audit and client information

We store client names, website addresses, audit configurations, URLs, crawl findings, performance results, search and competitor evidence, analyst notes, AI-assisted drafts, approved reports and related history supplied or generated during an engagement.

Essential cookies

The application uses an essential session cookie to maintain authenticated access and protect the workspace. It is not used for advertising. The public information pages do not intentionally set marketing cookies.

3. Google user data

When an authorised user connects Google, the application requests the minimum permissions currently needed: identity/email, read-only Google Search Console access and read-only Google Analytics access.

We may collect and store the connected account email, encrypted OAuth access and refresh tokens, granted scopes, selected Search Console property and permission level, selected GA4 property identifier and name, and the evidence retrieved for an authorised audit.

Search Console evidence may include aggregate clicks, impressions, click-through rate, average position, query and page performance, dated trends and derived opportunities. GA4 evidence may include aggregate organic users, sessions, engaged sessions, engagement rate, key events, channel information and landing-page performance. The tool does not request permission to edit Search Console or Analytics properties.

Google user data is used only to provide client-authorised audit, reporting, comparison and recommendation features visible within the application. Our use and transfer of information received from Google APIs will adhere to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including its Limited Use requirements.

4. AI-assisted processing

When an authorised user starts an AI assessment, relevant stored audit evidence—including selected aggregate or derived Search Console and GA4 evidence where available—may be sent to the OpenAI API to produce an assessment draft. This processing is used solely to provide the requested audit feature. Colewood personnel review and may edit the output before approval or client publication.

We do not use Google user data to train a general-purpose AI model. OpenAI states that API inputs and outputs are not used to train its models by default unless the API organisation explicitly opts in. OpenAI may retain API data for service operation and abuse monitoring in accordance with its published business and API data policies.

5. Purposes and lawful bases

We process information to provide and secure the application, perform client engagements, create requested audits and reports, maintain business records, respond to enquiries and comply with law. Depending on the context, our lawful bases may include performance of a contract, legitimate interests, consent and compliance with legal obligations.

6. Who Google user data is shared with

We disclose Google user data only to the following recipients, and only where necessary to provide the client-authorised features described in this policy:

  • Authorised Colewood personnel: employees and authorised contractors who need the information to deliver the requested SEO audit, prepare or review reports, support the client workspace, or investigate a security or technical issue.
  • The relevant client organisation: authorised client users may view the collected Search Console and GA4 evidence, derived insights and approved reports in their named workspace. At the client’s request, Colewood may also provide an approved exported report to the client’s authorised representatives. Google-derived data is not made available to other client organisations or their users.
  • Our hosting and database provider (currently iFastNet): the application, encrypted OAuth tokens and stored audit evidence are hosted on its infrastructure on our behalf. The provider processes this information to provide hosting, storage, backup, security and related infrastructure services and is not permitted by us to use it for its own advertising or marketing.
  • OpenAI: only when an authorised user explicitly requests an AI-assisted assessment, the application may send the minimum relevant aggregate or derived Search Console and GA4 evidence to the OpenAI API to create that assessment draft. We do not send Google OAuth access or refresh tokens to OpenAI. Colewood does not permit this data to be used to train a general-purpose AI model.

We do not share Google user data with DataForSEO, Semrush, Apify or other audit-data providers. We do not sell Google user data, share it with advertising platforms or data brokers, use it for advertising or retargeting, or use it for credit or lending decisions.

We may disclose Google user data where necessary to protect the security of the application or investigate abuse, or where required to comply with applicable law or a binding legal process. We will not transfer Google user data as part of a merger, acquisition or sale of assets without first obtaining the affected user’s explicit consent.

Where a named provider processes information outside the United Kingdom, we use appropriate contractual or legal safeguards where required and limit the information transferred to what is necessary for the stated purpose. All employees, contractors and providers handling Google user data must do so consistently with this policy and the Google API Services User Data Policy.

7. Security

Controls include role-based access, protected sessions, password hashing, encrypted storage of Google OAuth tokens, audit logging and restricted administrative access. No internet service can be guaranteed completely secure, but we take proportionate technical and organisational measures to protect the information entrusted to us.

8. Retention, disconnection and deletion

Google tokens and connection details are retained while the client connection remains active. Using the application’s Disconnect control deletes the stored Google connection and tokens from the active client workspace. A user may also revoke access from their Google Account permissions.

Disconnecting does not automatically delete historical evidence already collected into an audit, because that evidence may form part of an approved client work product or business record. To request deletion of stored Google-derived evidence, reports or an account, email enquiries@colewood.net with the client/workspace name and sufficient information for us to verify authority. We will delete or anonymise eligible information within a reasonable period, subject to legal, security and contractual retention requirements.

Other information is kept only for as long as needed for the relevant engagement, operational security, dispute resolution, legal obligations or legitimate business records.

9. Your data-protection rights

Depending on the circumstances and applicable law, you may have rights to access, correct or erase personal data; restrict or object to processing; receive portable data; and withdraw consent. You may also complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office. We may need to verify your identity and authority before acting on a request.

10. Children

This is a business application and is not intended for children. We do not knowingly invite children to create accounts or connect Google data.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the application, providers or legal requirements change. The updated date above identifies the current version.

12. Contact

Email enquiries@colewood.net, telephone 0845 123 2908, or write to Colewood Internet Ltd, Colewood House, 1 Kingfisher Way, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 3EX.