smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

Having a registration process on your site is a way to collect contact details of the people who visit your site, but there are a couple of areas that you should consider before you go ahead.

Users may be put off using your site because of having to register. This could be for a number of reasons, including security; people are very sceptical about giving away their details and what companies will do with them. They are also less likely to use your site if they can get the same information, goods or services elsewhere without having to register.

As a result, you need to carefully consider whether you’ll be offering something unique that will make them want to give you their details. You also need to consider which details you will need to collect.

If you decide to progress with a registration-type site, you’ll need to be aware of all data related legislation, such as the 1998 Data Protection Act, which requires you to protect the information and explain how it will be used, giving customers the option to opt out of their details being passed on to third parties.