Is My Website GDPR Compliant? What About Impressum?

If you’re a professional operating in Europe, especially in the , GDPR and Impressum requirements are non-negotiable. But they’re also not as complicated as most people fear.

Here’s a clear, practical guide to what your website actually needs.

GDPR: The basics

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) governs how websites collect, process, and store personal data. For a professional website, the key question is: what data are you collecting?

If your site uses no cookies, no tracking scripts, and no third-party analytics, there’s nothing to consent to. No cookie banner needed.

Yes, really. The cookie consent nightmare that plagues most websites exists because those sites load Google Analytics, Facebook pixels, advertising trackers, and other third-party scripts. If you don’t use any of that, GDPR compliance becomes remarkably simple.

What about a contact form?

If your website includes a contact form, you are collecting personal data (name, email, message). This requires:

1. A privacy disclosure near the form, explaining what you do with the data
2. A privacy policy page (Datenschutzerklärung) that details your data handling practices
3. Secure transmission: the form should submit over HTTPS (this should always be the case with any modern site)
4. Purpose limitation: you can only use the data for the stated purpose (responding to their inquiry)

This is standard and straightforward. A good web design provider handles this as part of the build.

Impressum: Required in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland

The Impressum (legal notice) is a mandatory page for any commercially operated website in the DACH region. This includes professional websites for consultants, executives, and freelancers.

Your Impressum must include:

• Full name (or company name)
• Physical address (not a P.O. box)
• Contact information (email, optionally phone)
• VAT identification number (if applicable)
• Professional registration details (if applicable, e.g., for regulated professions)

It must be accessible within two clicks from , typically linked in the footer.

Common misconceptions

“My site is just informational, so GDPR doesn’t apply.” GDPR applies whenever personal data is processed. Even if your site is purely informational, your hosting provider logs IP addresses, which counts as personal data. A basic privacy policy is always advisable.

“I need a cookie banner because everyone has one.” You only need a cookie banner if your site actually uses cookies that aren’t strictly necessary. If you don’t use analytics, advertising, or social media tracking, skip the banner.

“I can use my home address for the Impressum.” Legally, yes. Practically, many executives prefer to use their business address. If you work from home, consider using a registered business address or co-working space address.

“A template Impressum from the internet is fine.” Be careful. Impressum generators can be a good starting point, but they need to be accurate for your specific situation. An incorrect Impressum can lead to formal warnings (Abmahnungen) in Germany.

The clean approach

The simplest way to handle all of this:

1. Build a site that doesn’t need cookies. Modern, performant websites don’t need heavy tracking scripts. If you want analytics, privacy-respecting options exist that don’t require cookie consent.
2. Include a privacy policy page that covers your hosting, contact form, and any embedded content.
3. Include an Impressum page with your correct business details.
4. Use HTTPS everywhere: this should be standard (and free) with any modern hosting provider.

That’s it. No cookie banners, no consent management platforms, no monthly subscriptions to privacy compliance tools.

What we include as standard

Every website we build comes with:

• No third-party cookies or tracking by default
• HTTPS on every page
• Privacy policy template customized to your site’s specifics
• Impressum page with your provided business details
• Contact form with privacy disclosure

We handle the technical side. You provide the business details for the Impressum. If you need legal review of the privacy policy, we recommend consulting with a lawyer, but for most professional websites, the standard template covers everything you need.

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GDPR compliance doesn’t have to be complicated. Build a clean site, handle data responsibly, and include the required legal pages. That’s all most professional websites need.