Terms of Service
Last Updated: October 24, 2025
Table of Contents
- 1. Acceptance of Terms
- 2. Description of Services
- 3. Client Responsibilities
- 4. Intellectual Property & Content
- 5. Payment & Refund Policy
- 6. Limitation of Liability & Performance
- 7. Third-Party Platforms & Guidelines
- 8. Termination
- 9. Privacy & Data Protection
- 10. Governing Law & Disputes
- 11. Amendments to Terms
- 12. Contact Information
1. Acceptance of Terms
By accessing, using, or engaging the services provided by RankForge ("Company", "we", "us", or "our"), you ("Client", "you", or "your") agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to all provisions herein, you must immediately cease use of our services.
These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and RankForge regarding the provision of search engine optimization, digital marketing, and related consulting services.
2. Description of Services
RankForge provides data-driven SEO strategy, technical optimization, content marketing, link building, analytics, and digital marketing consulting. Services are customized per engagement and outlined in individual SOWs (Statements of Work) or service agreements.
3. Client Responsibilities
To ensure optimal service delivery, Clients agree to:
- Provide accurate, complete, and up-to-date information about their business, website, and target audience.
- Grant necessary access to websites, analytics platforms, CMS, hosting environments, and social/business profiles.
- Designate a primary point of contact for approvals, feedback, and communication.
- Respond to review requests within reasonable timeframes (typically 3–5 business days).
- Maintain compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and platform guidelines governing their industry and digital operations.
4. Intellectual Property & Content
Client Content: You retain all rights to pre-existing content, trademarks, logos, and proprietary materials provided to RankForge.
RankForge Deliverables: Upon full payment, Clients receive full usage rights to strategy documents, optimized content, and campaign assets created specifically for them. RankForge reserves the right to use anonymized case studies, metrics, and success examples for marketing, educational, and portfolio purposes unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Tools & Methodologies: Proprietary frameworks, audit templates, dashboards, and internal tools remain the exclusive intellectual property of RankForge.
5. Payment & Refund Policy
Invoices are issued as specified in the SOW and are due within 15 days of receipt unless otherwise agreed. Late payments may incur a 1.5% monthly interest charge. Services may be paused for accounts past due by more than 30 days.
Refunds: All fees are non-refundable once work has commenced or deliverables have been provided. If RankForge fails to deliver agreed-upon services after written notice and a 10-day cure period, a prorated refund may be issued for the undelivered portion.
6. Limitation of Liability & Performance
RankForge performs services with professional diligence and industry-standard best practices. However, due to the dynamic nature of search engines and digital marketing, we cannot guarantee specific outcomes, traffic volumes, or ROI metrics.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, RankForge shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including lost profits or business interruption, arising from the use or inability to use our services. Our total liability shall not exceed the total fees paid by the Client in the 3 months preceding the claim.
7. Third-Party Platforms & Guidelines
Our services involve interaction with third-party platforms (e.g., Google, Bing, social networks, analytics providers). Clients acknowledge that these platforms operate under their own terms, and policy violations by either party may result in account restrictions, de-indexing, or service interruption. RankForge adheres strictly to white-hat SEO practices and will not engage in manipulative tactics that violate search engine guidelines. If a Client requests non-compliant actions, we reserve the right to refuse and terminate the engagement.
8. Termination
Either party may terminate a monthly service agreement with 30 days' written notice. Fixed-term contracts may only be terminated early per the terms outlined in the specific SOW. Upon termination, RankForge will deliver all completed assets and reasonable transition documentation. Outstanding invoices remain due immediately.
9. Privacy & Data Protection
We collect and process data strictly for service delivery, reporting, and communication purposes. Your data is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data protection regulations (including GDPR, CCPA, where applicable). We do not sell, rent, or share personal data with third parties except as required for service execution or legal compliance.
10. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution
These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any disputes arising from these Terms shall first be subject to good-faith negotiation. If unresolved, disputes may be settled through binding arbitration in San Francisco, CA, under the rules of the American Arbitration Association.
11. Amendments to Terms
RankForge reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. Material changes will be communicated via email or posted notice at least 14 days prior to effectiveness. Continued use of our services following such updates constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
12. Contact Information
For questions regarding these Terms, service agreements, or account matters, please contact us at:
RankForge SEO Strategy
123 SEO Boulevard, Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94102
Email: legal@rankforge.com
Phone: +1 (555) 123-4567