About Citation North
Citation North ("we", "us", "our") is a Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) agency incorporated and operating in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Our website is located at citationnorth.ca.
Citation North is the "organisation" responsible for the personal information we collect and hold, as defined under PIPEDA. Questions or concerns about our privacy practices should be directed to our Privacy Contact at hello@citationnorth.ca.
Information We Collect
We collect personal information only for legitimate, identified purposes. The types of information we may collect include:
Information You Provide Directly
- Contact forms: When you submit a contact form, we collect your name, firm name, email address, phone number (optional), city, practice area, and any message you include.
- Free AI Visibility Check tool: We collect your firm name, city, practice area, and email address to deliver your results.
- Service enquiries: When you request a Snapshot, Sprint, or Retainer, we collect the information you submit in the relevant form, including firm name, practice area, city, contact name, email, and phone number.
- Email correspondence: Any information you include when you email us directly at hello@citationnorth.ca.
Information Collected Automatically
- Usage data: When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain technical information, including your IP address, browser type and version, operating system, referring URL, pages visited, and time spent on pages.
- Cookies and similar technologies: We use cookies and tracking technologies to analyse site usage and improve our services. See the Cookies section below for full details.
- Analytics data: Aggregated, anonymised data about how visitors interact with our website, collected via Google Analytics 4.
Information We Do Not Collect
We do not collect sensitive personal information such as financial account details, health information, social insurance numbers, or government-issued identification numbers through our website.
How We Use Your Information
We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:
- Delivering our services: To provide the Free AI Visibility Check results, AI Visibility Snapshots, and other services you request.
- Responding to enquiries: To respond to contact form submissions, email enquiries, and service requests.
- Client relationship management: To manage our relationship with clients, including invoicing, service delivery, and project communications.
- Marketing communications: With your consent, to send you relevant information about our services, insights, and industry updates. You may withdraw consent at any time by clicking "unsubscribe" in any email or by contacting us directly.
- Website improvement: To understand how visitors use our website and to improve the user experience, content, and functionality.
- Legal compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and professional obligations, including PIPEDA.
- Security: To detect, prevent, and address technical issues, fraud, or security threats.
We do not sell your personal information. We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience and help us understand how the site is used. A cookie is a small text file stored on your device by your browser.
Types of Cookies We Use
- Strictly necessary cookies: Essential for the website to function correctly. These cannot be disabled. They do not collect personally identifiable information.
- Analytics cookies: We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to collect anonymised data about site traffic, user behaviour, and page performance. GA4 uses cookies to track sessions and user interactions. Data is aggregated and anonymised.
- Marketing and functionality cookies: If you consent, we may use Google Tag Manager (GTM) to load third-party tags for marketing attribution and conversion tracking.
Managing Cookies
When you first visit our website, you will see a cookie consent banner. You may:
- Accept all cookies: Allow analytics and marketing cookies in addition to strictly necessary cookies.
- Decline: Only strictly necessary cookies will be used.
You may also control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies or delete existing cookies. Note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of some parts of our website.
To opt out of Google Analytics tracking across all websites, you may install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
Do Not Track
Some browsers transmit "Do Not Track" (DNT) signals. Our website does not currently respond to DNT signals, but we respect your choices through our cookie consent banner.
Third-Party Services
We use a small number of trusted third-party services to operate our website and manage client relationships. These services may process personal information on our behalf:
Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
We use Google Analytics 4 to analyse website traffic and user behaviour. GA4 collects anonymised usage data via cookies. Google may process this data on servers outside Canada. Google's privacy practices are governed by the Google Privacy Policy. We have configured GA4 with IP anonymisation enabled.
Google Tag Manager (GTM)
We use Google Tag Manager to manage tracking and marketing tags on our website. GTM itself does not collect personal information, but the tags it fires may. GTM is governed by Google's Privacy Policy.
HubSpot
Form submissions on our website are transmitted to HubSpot CRM for client relationship management. HubSpot may store your contact details, form data, and interaction history. HubSpot's privacy practices are governed by the HubSpot Privacy Policy. Data may be processed in the United States.
Email Service Providers
We may use email delivery services to send automated responses to form submissions and marketing emails. These services process email addresses and delivery metadata.
Cross-Border Data Transfers
Some of our third-party service providers store or process data outside Canada, including in the United States. We take steps to ensure that these transfers are made to organisations that maintain privacy standards comparable to PIPEDA, including through data processing agreements where required.
Data Retention and Security
Retention Periods
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law:
- Contact form submissions and enquiries: Retained for up to 3 years to manage client relationships and follow-up communications.
- Client service records: Retained for up to 7 years after the end of the service engagement, in compliance with Canadian business record-keeping requirements.
- Marketing email lists: Retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion.
- Website analytics data: Aggregated analytics data is retained for up to 26 months in Google Analytics 4.
When personal information is no longer needed, we take steps to securely delete or anonymise it.
Security Measures
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:
- HTTPS encryption for all data transmitted to and from our website
- Access controls limiting who within Citation North can access personal information
- Use of reputable, security-certified third-party service providers
- Regular review of our security practices
While we take reasonable precautions, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.
Your Rights Under PIPEDA
Under Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), you have the following rights with respect to your personal information:
- Right of access: You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you and to receive an explanation of how it has been used or disclosed.
- Right to correction: If the personal information we hold about you is inaccurate or incomplete, you may request that we correct it.
- Right to withdraw consent: Where we rely on your consent to process personal information, you may withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal of consent may affect our ability to provide certain services.
- Right to complain: If you believe we have not handled your personal information in accordance with PIPEDA, you may make a complaint to us directly. You also have the right to file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at priv.gc.ca.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below. We will respond to requests within 30 days.
Marketing Emails
If you receive marketing emails from us, you may unsubscribe at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any email or by contacting us at hello@citationnorth.ca. We comply with Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) and will not send commercial electronic messages without your express or implied consent.
Contact Us About Privacy
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the personal information we hold about you, please contact our Privacy Contact:
Citation North — Privacy Contact
Email: hello@citationnorth.ca
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
We aim to acknowledge all privacy-related requests within 5 business days and to resolve them within 30 days. If a request is complex or involves a large volume of information, we will notify you of an expected timeframe.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada:
- Website: priv.gc.ca
- Phone: 1-800-282-1376 (toll-free)
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or applicable law. When we make material changes, we will update the "Effective Date" at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
Continued use of our website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the updated policy, please discontinue use of our website and contact us to discuss your options.
This Privacy Policy was last reviewed and updated on March 31, 2026.