Guide · 5 November 2026 · 6 min read
A website in Germany: what Turkish business owners should know
For Turkish business owners in Germany: what a website legally needs, how to build a bilingual site properly, and what to watch for when commissioning it.
You've started a business in Germany and need a website. A site built to Turkish habits can cause trouble here quickly: if the imprint is missing or the privacy policy is copied, competitors or associations can send a formal warning (Abmahnung). This guide explains plainly what is actually required.
1. Imprint: now under the DDG
Every commercial website needs an imprint. Since May 2024 this is governed not by the old Telemediengesetz (TMG) but by § 5 of the Digitale-Dienste-Gesetz (DDG). Many sites still cite the TMG, which looks out of date.
- Full name or company name and legal form (e.g. GmbH, UG, sole trader).
- An address where legal documents can be served, not a PO box.
- Quick contact: email and usually phone.
- If applicable: commercial register and number.
- If applicable: VAT ID.
- Depending on the profession, further details such as the chamber.
2. Privacy policy
Under the GDPR you must explain which data you process, why and for how long. What matters is that the text matches your site: contact form, map, video, payment or analytics must be covered if you use them.
3. A cookie banner isn't always needed
Consent is only required when non-essential cookies or trackers run (§ 25 TDDDG). Google Analytics, the Facebook Pixel and similar tools must not start without consent. A privacy-friendly site without trackers often needs no banner at all, which lowers risk and annoys nobody.
4. Bilingual done right
- German and Turkish as real pages with their own URLs, such as /de and /tr. Only then does Google find both languages.
- Properly written texts instead of an automatic translation plugin.
- A language switch visible on every page, with the visitor's choice remembered.
- Imprint and privacy policy in German; a Turkish version can be offered in addition.
5. What to watch for when commissioning
- 01
Domain and accounts in your name
Domain, hosting and email belong to your company, not the developer.
- 02
Fixed price and written scope
What's included, how many languages, which features: all in the written offer.
- 03
Hosting in the EU
Servers in Germany or the EU keep data protection simple.
- 04
Phone first
Most customers arrive on a phone, so check the mobile view first.
- 05
Google Business Profile
For local customers as important as the website: address, hours, photos and reviews.
Who to work with?
Someone who speaks Turkish and knows the German rules solves two problems at once: you explain your business in your language, and the result is legally sound and professional in Germany. How long a website takes and what it costs depends on scope; the best way is to clarify it in a free first call and get a written fixed price.
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