Terms and Conditions

This document refers to the Terms and Conditions displayed on this site prior to May 2013. For the latest terms and conditions please visit this page.

Last Modified: 1 March 2012.
An earlier version of the terms and conditions is available for your convenience.

By using the website, products and services provided by Majestic-12 Ltd (a company incorporated in England, hereinafter referred to as Majestic-12), or other groups, entities or organisations authorised by, and on behalf of Majestic-12, both parties agree to be bound by the following Terms and Conditions.

We bring your attention to the Majestic SEO Privacy Policy, which forms part of the Terms and Conditions.

1. Jurisdiction. All parties agree to submit to the sole jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
2. Survivability. Should any part of this agreement be rendered invalid, the remaining terms shall remain in force.
3. Alteration. Majestic-12 retains the right to vary this agreement. Should Majestic-12 seek to make use of this right it will post a modified version of the Terms and Conditions on the Majestic SEO website. (See section entitled "Changes to Terms and Conditions" for details.)
4. Lack of Warranty. The services and information are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without any warranty.
   1. Majestic-12 releases information based on data sourced from a distributed network. The client accepts that the gathering and source of this information is outside of Majestic-12's direct control and thus the client will take appropriate action and accept sole responsibility for the verification of any information received from Majestic-12.
   2. All parties accept that, given the information is sourced, via a distributed network, from the Internet, it is not practically possible for said information to be manually inspected prior to release.
   3. Majestic-12, to the maximum extent permitted in law, may not be held liable for the contents of any information or data contained in or forming its services and products.
5. Liability. Should an event (or events) occur that is determined by the court to place a liability on Majestic-12, the parties agree that:
   1. Should the event (or events) be related or associated with a given period of time, the liability of Majestic-12 will be limited to the monies received by Majestic-12 from the client for the provision of services and products during said period of time.
   2. The maximum liability of Majestic-12 in any event shall be the monies received by Majestic-12 from the client, for the given service or product giving rise to any dispute.
6. Rights. Majestic-12's Database Anchor index is covered by the EU's Database Right as a work that shows originality in its selection, coordination and arrangement.
   1. This Majestic SEO website and the software developed to analyse data are covered by the copyright owned by Majestic-12.
   2. By allowing you to use our system we do not convey to you any ownership rights.
7. Use of information sourced or derived from any product or service provided by Majestic-12.
   1. The information is provided on the understanding that it will be used for research, such as the investigation of techniques used to understand how to optimise your own website or websites of your clients.
   2. The information may not be used to engage in "black hat" SEO, specifically spamming of any kind.
   3. The information may only be obtained by using authorised methods.
      1. Users are authorised to access our services using the methods described on our website - specifically when using a mainstream, standards-compliant browser.
      2. Users should not attempt to take advantage of any feature that a reasonable person would consider an obvious omission or error on the website.
      3. Users may not attempt to bypass any functionality or access features on the website directly by using custom http (or other) calls, or attempt to manipulate the website, or access it in a manner other than in a way in which a reasonable person would consider normal permitted use of a website.
      4. Users are not permitted to query the Majestic-12 database or servers using any automated tools without getting prior written permission from us to do so. An exception is granted to search engines, who may use automated tools to crawl our site so long as they obey robots.txt commands.
   4. The products or services provided by Majestic-12 are to be used for internal purposes only.
      1. You are not allowed to create any derivative works or resell data that use our information without prior written permission.
      2. If you are buying information on behalf of your client, then your client is also bound by these conditions. If in doubt please contact us to confirm whether the use of data that you plan is acceptable or not.
      3. Should the intended use of the data not be expressed within these terms and conditions it is the responsibility of the client to contact Majestic-12 for approval prior to any use of said data.
8. Credits. Majestic-12 ceased the sale of "Credits", a legacy charging system, in December 2009. The vast majority of current users are unaffected by this legacy offering.
   1. For any matters relating to "Credits", The section relating to "Credits" in the version of these terms last modified 23 August 2010 remain in force.
9. Subscriptions. Majestic-12 may permit the optional purchase of subscription packages which may facilitate access to services and data as and when such services are available.
   1. Allowance period
      1. In each allowance period, Majestic-12 grants access and use of resources to the client. Unless otherwise stated, access to and use of these resources terminate at the end of each allowance period
      2. Due to real world constraints, such as, but not limited to, server availability and the reliance on third party services and products, the client accepts that it is not possible for Majestic-12 to provide a set time or day on which one allowance period will lapse, and another begins. The client accepts that any description of allowance periods should therefore be expected to be approximate.
      3. The client should ensure that any resources will be used evenly throughout the allowance period.
   2. Cancellations
      1. Cancellations by Clients. Cancellations are subject to a minimum contract term, specified when the subscription began. Whilst the client is free to cancel at any time, Majestic-12 will honour the agreement until the end of the said period, and no refunds will be given for any period for which the client may perceive the service as unused.
      2. Cancellations by Majestic-12. Majestic-12 may cancel a subscription for any reason by giving notice equivalent to or greater than the allowance period where the allowance period is less than a month, or a month in other circumstances. This clause does not limit the rights of Majestic-12 to cancel the agreement for any other reason expressed in these conditions.
      3. At the beginning of every allowance period the client becomes liable for the fees for the said allowance period.
   3. Billing
      1. Majestic-12 operates different billing systems.
      1. For subscriptions processed by the Paypal system, the subscription is managed by Paypal. At the beginning of every allowance period the client becomes liable for the fees for the said allowance period. Paypal will be instructed to bill the client at the start of said period.
      2. Credit Card orders. Majestic-12 may sell subscriptions consisting of multiple allowance periods. The client prepays for a number of allowance periods. An annual subscription will typically be formed of 12 monthly allowance periods.
      2. For Customers liable to European Sales Tax ( VAT ), the Majestic SEO website may grant clients from countries exempt from VAT the opportunity to purchase subscriptions with no added VAT. Should a client misuse this facility and purchase a subscription where VAT is liable, Majestic-12 reserves the right to cancel the subscription without notice and seek to recover any associated costs, including administrative costs, from the client.
   4. Variation of Charges
      1. Majestic-12 may vary the subscription charges to reflect changes in taxation as applicable.
      2. Majestic-12 may choose to defer or absorb changes due to taxation for a period at Majestic-12's sole discretion.
10. Cancellation of Service.
    1. Majestic-12 may cancel or suspend any services offered without notice, at any point, to any user, if any of the following events occur, have been found to occur previously, or in the opinion of a reasonable person will in all likelihood occur:
       1. The user breaks these Terms and Conditions.
       2. The user acts in such a way that a reasonable person would consider as likely to damage the reputation or commercial prospects of Majestic-12.
       3. Majestic-12 has received a request to do so by law enforcement agencies.
       4. The user acts in such a way that can be demonstrated to be outside of normal usage patterns, which may in turn:
          1. increase Majestic-12's cost of operations;
          2. limit Majestic-12's ability to deliver services;
          3. otherwise affect the normal running of the business of Majestic-12, or the business of its clients, suppliers or partners.
    2. Should the service be suspended or cancelled due to a breach of terms by the client, the client will be liable for reasonable costs which may have been incurred by Majestic-12, or parties acting on behalf of or in conjunction with Majestic-12, either as a result of the user's actions, during any investigation of the user's actions, and during any subsequent dialogue, action or event relating to the cancellation or provision of any product or service to the user.
    3. In the event of cancellation due to a breach of terms by the client, the client will be expected to:
       1. cease the processing of any information, product, or derived data sourced from Majestic-12;
       2. remove all copies in their possession of any information, product, or derived data sourced from Majestic-12;
       3. make all reasonable steps to remove such information from their clients' possession;
       4. indemnify Majestic-12 from any claim made by any other party as a result of the cancellation or arising event.
    4. Majestic-12, may, at its sole discretion, choose to issue a warning to the client implying that cancellation may occur. Any such warning in no way affects any of the rights given to Majestic-12 under this agreement, including those related to cancellation in terms of the event giving rise to the said warning, or other contractual breaches.
11. Changes to Terms and Conditions. Majestic 12 reserves the right to change these terms and conditions at any time.
    1. Majestic-12 may change the terms and conditions by placing an updated copy of the terms and conditions on the Majestic SEO website.
    2. When Majestic-12 places an updated copy of the terms and conditions on the Majestic SEO website they shall be deemed issued and received by the client.
    3. The client accepts that it is reasonable for the client to accept full responsibility for the periodic checking of the Majestic SEO website for the presence of alterations to the terms and conditions.
    4. Should the terms and conditions be altered, the client shall be deemed to have accepted them after a period of two weeks (subsequently to be referred to as the "reasonable notification period") has passed following the updated Terms and Conditions being placed on the Majestic SEO website by Majestic-12.
    5. It is the client's responsibility to contact Majestic-12 within the reasonable notification period should the client have any uncertainty as to the meaning of any part or the whole of the revised terms and conditions.
12. Privacy. Majestic-12 recognises that its clients operate in a competitive market place. It is the policy of Majestic-12 not to divulge customer information to third parties, except when necessary.
    1. Occasions when Majestic-12 will deem it necessary to release client information include but are not limited to:
       1. when requested to do so by law enforcement agencies;
       2. when obliged to do so under law;
       3. for the purpose of pursuing outstanding debts or liabilities;
       4. when given permission to do so by said client;
       5. by using our services the client permits Majestic 12 to share limited information to enable the provision of products or services by Majestic-12 for the client. For example, Majestic-12 may utilise third party services to process billing and charge customer cards for which we will need to pass certain details to said third party.
       6. when a reasonable person would consider it necessary to do so in order to safeguard the operations or future operations of Majestic-12, its suppliers, its clients, or its partners.
    2. Majestic-12 may contact clients to make them aware of significant changes to services or products.
       1. In addition, Majestic-12 may send out regular email bulletins ("the newsletter"). Clients may opt out of the newsletter at any time, by using the facilities on the Majestic SEO website.
       2. Majestic-12 may contact clients regardless of their privacy settings in response to queries made directly or indirectly to Majestic-12 that may or may not be related to the services and products Majestic-12 offers.
       3. Majestic-12 may use cookies and third party systems for enhancing the functionality of its services and marketing.
13. Contacting Majestic-12 . Majestic-12 may be contacted by email at [email protected].
    1. All parties accept that Majestic-12 works on a number of different projects, many of which it may not be in Majestic-12's commercial interest to disclose.
       1. By contacting Majestic-12, the client grants Majestic-12 a worldwide, non-exclusive perpetual right to any ideas, designs, information or other material contained in any communication, except when the client has obtained prior written consent from the Majestic-12 board.
       2. The client agrees not to convey to Majestic-12 any commercially sensitive information and data about their own operations.
       3. The client accepts that it will not under any circumstance consider information sent to Majestic-12 to be subject to any form of non-disclosure agreement, except when the client has obtained prior written consent from the Majestic-12 board.
    2. All parties accept that email is not a secure, guaranteed medium of communication. Emails should only be deemed received by Majestic-12 upon the client receiving a manually created response.
    3. With the exception of the above points, all discussions over email are taken to be of informal nature, and should only be taken as binding when indicated as such by the Majestic-12 board.
    4. Any suggestions, reference or mention of any alteration to past, present or future contractual terms by Majestic-12 should be regarded purely as speculative until such time that the client is in possession of written confirmation by the Majestic-12 board.
14. Reasonableness. The client confirms that they have taken impartial advice on the contents and nature of this agreement, and as such considers it fair and reasonable.