What it is
Privacy and terms pages are expected, and in many places legally required. Their absence signals a site that has not done the basics, to users and to Google. No legal/policy pages. Trust and compliance gap. Add privacy policy and terms.
Why does missing privacy policy/terms matter for AI search?
Trust and compliance gap.
How do you fix it?
Add privacy policy and terms.
How do you find it on your site?
- Check for accessible privacy policy and terms pages.
- Confirm they are current and relevant to the site.
- Add them if missing.
- Link to them from the footer.
Which ranking and citation factors does it touch?
Policy pages are a baseline trust and compliance signal. Missing them undermines credibility.
What is the impact?
Low-medium. Inferred.
What is the evidence?
Policy transparency supports trust. Google, Search Quality Rater Guidelines (PDF)
Frequently asked questions about missing privacy policy/terms
What does "Missing privacy policy/terms" mean?
No legal/policy pages.
How do you fix missing privacy policy/terms?
Add privacy policy and terms.