Terms and conditions

1. Acceptance of Terms

These Terms & Conditions ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Unified Marketing website (unifiedmarketing.co.za) and any services provided by Unified Marketing ("we", "us", "our"). By using our website, submitting an enquiry, or engaging us for services, you ("you", "the Client") agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use our website or services.

These Terms should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which explains how we handle your personal information.

2. Our Services

Unified Marketing provides digital marketing services including, but not limited to, search engine optimisation (SEO), local SEO, social media marketing, Google Ads management, website design and development, ecommerce development, and conversion rate optimisation ("Services"). The specific scope, deliverables and pricing for any engagement will be set out in a separate quote, proposal or service agreement provided to the Client.

3. Use of Our Website

You agree to use our website only for lawful purposes and in a way that does not infringe the rights of, or restrict or inhibit the use and enjoyment of, this website by any third party. You must not attempt to gain unauthorised access to our website, servers, or any systems connected to our website.

4. Quotes, Proposals and Onboarding

Any quote or proposal provided by Unified Marketing is valid for the period stated in that document (or, if unstated, for 30 days from the date of issue) and is not binding until confirmed in writing by both parties. Services commence only once a proposal has been accepted and any required onboarding steps (such as initial payment or provision of access credentials) have been completed by the Client.

5. Payment Terms

Unless otherwise agreed in writing:

• Once-off project fees (such as website design) typically require a deposit before work begins, with the balance due on completion or per an agreed milestone schedule
• Monthly retainer services (such as ongoing SEO, Google Ads management, or social media marketing) are billed monthly in advance
• All prices are quoted in South African Rand (ZAR) and are exclusive of VAT unless stated otherwise
• Payment is accepted via the methods specified on our invoices, which may include EFT, PayFast, Peach Payments, Yoco or Ozow
• Late payment may result in suspension of Services until outstanding amounts are settled

6. Cancellation and Contract Terms

Unless a specific minimum contract term has been agreed in writing for a particular engagement, monthly retainer Services may be cancelled by either party with 30 days' written notice. Any work in progress at the time of cancellation, along with any outstanding fees for work already delivered, remains payable by the Client. Once-off project fees already paid for work commenced are non-refundable, in line with Section 7 below.

7. Refund Policy

Given the nature of digital marketing and website services (which involve ongoing strategist time, technical work and, in the case of paid advertising, direct third-party ad spend), refunds are handled as follows:

• Deposits for once-off projects are non-refundable once work has commenced, but may be partially refunded if work has not yet started, at our discretion
• Monthly retainer fees already paid for services already delivered in that month are non-refundable
• Google Ads or other paid advertising spend, once submitted to the relevant ad platform, is non-refundable by Unified Marketing (any refund for unspent ad budget is subject to the ad platform's own policies, such as Google's)
• This Section does not affect any statutory rights you may have under the Consumer Protection Act, 68 of 2008, where applicable

8. Client Obligations

To enable us to deliver Services effectively, the Client agrees to:

• Provide timely access to necessary accounts, systems and information (such as website admin access, Google Business Profile access, or brand assets)
• Provide accurate information relevant to the Services, including for regulated industries (healthcare, legal, financial services) where compliance-relevant details must be disclosed
• Review and approve content, campaigns and deliverables within a reasonable time to avoid project delays
• Ensure any content or claims the Client requests be published comply with applicable South African law and industry regulations (such as HPCSA, Law Society, or FSCA requirements, where relevant)

9. Intellectual Property

Upon full payment for a completed project (such as a website or written content), ownership of the final agreed deliverables transfers to the Client, except for any third-party assets (such as stock photography, licensed plugins, or fonts) which remain subject to their original licence terms. Unified Marketing retains the right to showcase completed work in its own portfolio and marketing materials, unless the Client requests otherwise in writing and this is agreed in the service agreement.

Any proprietary tools, templates, processes or pre-existing intellectual property used by Unified Marketing in delivering Services remain the property of Unified Marketing.

10. No Guarantee of Results

While we apply industry best practices to all SEO, Google Ads, social media and other marketing services, search engine rankings, ad platform performance and social media outcomes are influenced by factors outside our control, including algorithm changes, competitor activity and market conditions. Unified Marketing does not guarantee specific rankings, traffic levels, lead volumes or return on investment. Any projections, examples or case studies referenced in our marketing materials are illustrative and not a guarantee of similar results for any specific Client.

11. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by South African law, Unified Marketing's total liability to the Client for any claim arising out of or in connection with our Services shall not exceed the total fees paid by the Client for the specific Service giving rise to the claim in the three months preceding the claim. Unified Marketing shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental or consequential loss, including loss of profits, revenue or business opportunity, except where such exclusion is not permitted under the Consumer Protection Act or other applicable law.

12. Confidentiality

Both parties agree to keep confidential any proprietary or sensitive business information shared during the course of the engagement, and not to disclose such information to third parties without consent, except where required by law.

13. Third-Party Platforms and Services

Our Services may involve the use of third-party platforms, including but not limited to Google Ads, Google Business Profile, Meta (Facebook/Instagram), WordPress, WooCommerce, and payment gateways such as PayFast, Peach Payments, Yoco or Ozow. Use of these platforms is subject to their own respective terms of service, and Unified Marketing is not responsible for outages, policy changes, or account actions taken by these third-party platforms.

14. Data Protection

Unified Marketing processes personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). Please refer to our Privacy Policy for full details on how we collect, use and protect personal information.

15. Termination

Either party may terminate a service agreement in accordance with the cancellation terms in Section 6, or immediately in the event of a material breach of these Terms by the other party that remains unresolved for 14 days after written notice of the breach.

16. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any disputes arising from these Terms or our Services shall be subject to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the South African courts. Nothing in this Section limits either party's rights under the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, 25 of 2002, or the Consumer Protection Act, 68 of 2008, where applicable.

17. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in our services or legal requirements. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page indicates when it was last revised. Continued use of our website or Services after changes are published constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

18. Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms & Conditions, please contact us: