Important! The 3 Legal Documents Every Blogger Needs in 2023
This Post May Contain Affiliate Links, Which Means I’ll Receive A Commission If You Purchase Through My Link, At No Extra Cost To You. Please READ FULL DISCLOSURE HERE.
When you’re creating content online and you own your website, you must have several legal documents created in separate pages, that are easily accessible to your visitors.
Before you hit publish on your first blog post, create and write your privacy policy, disclaimer policy and terms and conditions pages.
Do not DIY these pages and do not copy them from another blog’s website. You MUST have specific pages that cater to your blog’s niche, topics, income goals and more.
And depending on your published content, you may need to have several other disclosures, like an Affiliate Disclosure.
Does your blog have the necessary legal documents needed to protect you and your visitor?
Sure you can find free templates online, but they won’t legally cover you. I can help steer you in the right direction.
Legal Pages Every Blogger Must-Have
You’ll be needing a Privacy Policy page to inform users about how their personal information is collected, used, and stored.
A Terms And Conditions page to set out the rules and guidelines for using your website.
A Disclosure and Disclaimer Statements page to disclose any potential conflicts of interest and limit your liability for the information provided on your website.
There are a few more things every blog should have, but these three are the must-haves.
It’s often recommended to consult a legal professional to ensure your website complies with all applicable laws and regulations.
But when you’re first starting out, that might be a little tough to do, as lawyers can get expensive, fast!
Legal Page Templates I Use
I first heard about Amira when I was doing my research on starting a strategic, intentional blogging website for my business. I could instantly see why other well-known bloggers recommended her.
But like everything else, I took my time and did my due-diligence. I found her to be impressive and her templates to be incredibly thorough.
I purchased the Comprehensive Legal Bundle which came with everything I needed (plus some that I hadn’t thought of) and it made an otherwise daunting task feel easier to do.
Recommended For My Clients
Not only do I go to Amira for the legal templates I need, as my business grows, but I also recommend her to my brand strategy and web design clients.
And they have the same feedback, when sending me their finished legal pages for me to add to their final website design.
“That was so much easier than I thought it would be!”
As a website designer, I’m not able to add ANY legalities for my client. They must do that themselves, so Amira also helps me in that way, which I appreciate so much.
One of my biggest regrets when I first started creating online blogs and publications.
My biggest regret when I first got started online years ago, is not protecting my blog legally with lawyer-built templates, that I could customize to fit my blog and my growing business.
I found free, DIY templates, but they honestly were super basic and come to find out, didn’t cover me legally, at all.
Once I educated myself on those legal pages and the things I needed for my specific niche blog, I knew I needed something that could help legally protect me, if ever I found myself in a tough situation.
Don’t make the same mistake I did, no matter how enticing the words “free template” are. There could be very real ramifications if you do, especially if you’re blogging in 2023.
FAQ: How can I legally protect my blog?
At the bare minimum, you need to have a clearly written and clearly defined Privacy Policy, Disclaimer Policy and Terms And Conditions page.
These are the 3 legal documents every blogger needs, that will protect your visitors and protect YOU, as the hostess.
Think of your new blogging website as your online, virtual home. What things should you do, to be a great hostess?
The first thing that comes to my mind, is making sure my guest feels safe and welcomed.
The ambiance is important (i.e. how your website looks and how your blog functions), but so is the safety. This is where writing specific, legal documents is vital.
It should never be overlooked and having them linked on your website before you even launch, is recommended for ultimate success.
If you’ve already gotten started blogging, don’t worry. You can and should add these pages now.
FAQ: What if I plan on using affiliate links on my new blog?
A lot of bloggers who want to make money from their posts will often look to affiliate marketing as an income stream.
If done correctly, it can be incredibly lucrative.
In short, you definitely need a main affiliate disclosure on your blogging website.
Bonus tip: if you join any affiliate programs, you should also read and learn what each company’s rules are.
Some will require extra steps, like the Amazon Associate’s Program does.
FAQ: Where should my affiliate disclosure be on my blog?
Your Affiliate Disclosure should be included and easily found on the Disclaimer Policy page.
What I love about Amira’s Comprehensive Legal Bundle is that the templates are very specific and allow you to easily figure out what your blog needs for these legalities.
She also tells you EXACTLY where to place things like the affiliate disclosure.
I cannot recommend this template back more. Seriously.
FAQ: Will my new WordPress blog be legal with a Privacy Policy alone?
NO. You definitely need three separate pages that lay out all the basics, which are pretty detailed. This is why a free resource most likely won’t cover you legally.
And in fact, it’s BEST if you consult a lawyer as soon as you start earning a steady income with your blog.
When making money with your blog, you’ll most likely want to do things like change from a sole proprietorship or DBA to an LLC.
Perhaps you’ll go even deeper with business legalities like hiring an employee and offering digital products in an official shop or store.
I’m skipping ahead here, but my point is this, when you are first starting a blog and you intend to publish and share that blog publicly, definitely start with legal templates, made by an actual, licensed lawyer, who specifically caters to bloggers and online creators and influencers.
Use those in-depth, easy to follow instructional templates to write incredible documents that are specific to your blog.
As soon as you’re earning money and your blog is growing into a business, consult a local lawyer or work with Amira herself, and make sure all your legalities are up to date and that you are fully covered as an official business.
Do I need anything else before I hit publish on my first blog post?
There are a lot of things you should do before hitting publish on your first blog post, however, it can be incredibly overwhelming when someone gives you this big list of items to check off.
I personally think that once you’ve designed your branding, set-up a website (choosing a professional, but easy to navigate and read template), you should write your legal pages, link them in your website’s footer, add your copyright disclaimer and then start blogging.
You can keep adding things that you need, as you go. And if you find your blog growing and making money, definitely revisit Amira’s legal shop for the single legal templates you need, as you reach those incredible milestones!
Her single templates are perfect for beginning bloggers on a budget.
What I'm personally buying next for my Blogging business
As a blogger who has been sponsored by luxury brands and have worked with over one hundred other brands (big and small) over the years, I have to make sure I’m covered with a Sponsored Posts Contract, when the time comes for me to work with a brand for this blog.
Another goal I have is to be a guest blogger on another blog and host a guest blogger on this blog.
Having a Guest Blogger Agreement is something I’d have MY guest sign that covers my exact rules and specifications so we can work together without any questions or what-if’s.
It also covers me because the content they create needs to give me permission to publish it, as the hostess.
A Media Release is pretty important too, if using ANY other person’s words, voice, photo and video content.
I use my own images or attribution-free images through Canva and Unsplash, but if I ever wanted to use someone else’s images, I’d need their permission first.
Good luck on your blogging business!
I’m in love with being a quiet creator (off social media) through strategic blogging (I’ve had this blog for just over a year now) and I’m even more in love helping other women brand and design their own blogging websites.
If you’re just getting started yourself, I wish you all the luck in the world!
Just remember to take it slow, have realistic expectations, set goals both big and small and most importantly, protect yourself legally! I’m totally rooting for you.
Post Disclaimer: I am sharing personal advice based on years of being an entrepreneur, owning several businesses and being an online content creator. I have worked as a creator, an influencer, a service based business, a product based business and online marketing house.
I’ve worked with other influencers, bloggers and have even earned 5 figures from ONE brand partnership with a large corporate brand. The exact above products have been purchased myself and I highly recommend them to others who are just starting out in their blogging adventures.
Please do your own research and consult a lawyer, as I am not one, myself.
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