3 Legal Pages You Need To Have On Your Blog: Keeping Your Blog Protected
This post may contain affiliate links where I may make a commission on purchases made through those links. For full details please see disclosure page.
This post is all about knowing how to legally protect your blog by explaining which pages you need and where to get them.
Quick disclaimer: I am not a lawyer and this post is for educational and informational purposes only. I am just sharing what I have learned and passing on the knowledge to make sure you and your blog are covered! If you have any further questions, please contact your own Lawyer for any specific legal advice or questions.
Keeping yourself and your blog legally protected is so important.
Often new bloggers don’t realise they need these 3 legal pages on their blog, or they don’t realise the importance of the pages, but it isn’t something that should be missed out or skipped over.
If you are brand new to blogging, you may not know that there are certain pages you need on your blog to keep everything above board.
We will go over the top 3 legal pages to keep your blog protected in this post below.
A quick Google search will show you which pages you need but won’t often tell you where to get the ones you ACTUALLY need.
You may be tempted to grab free templates online, making the pages up yourself or skipping one or all of them altogether. While this may sound like the easier option initially, it will take a lot more time in the long run to then rectify those pages once you realise that the free templates aren’t sufficient.
It may sound scary or daunting thinking about where you can get these pages, but there are easy ways to get all the legal pages you need for your blog.
You can then personalise them to you and your blog, and can get them live on your blog very shortly after.
Protecting yourself, your blog, your business and your hard work is crucial. The earlier you can get those pages up and in place, the better!
Let’s get into exactly what legal pages you need for your blog and where to get them.
Who exactly needs to have Legal pages on their blog?
Legal pages are essential for anyone who owns/runs a blog or website. It’s important regardless of its size or niche!
These pages help protect both yourself and your visitors by clearly outlining the terms and conditions of using your site, privacy policies, disclosures, disclaimers, and any other legal information required by law.
Please double check what is required in your country as it can vary around the world!
Bloggers: No matter whether you’re a hobby blogger or want/have a blogging business, having legal pages is crucial to establish transparency and protect yourself as a content creator.
Business Owners: If your blog is associated with a business, whether it’s a sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation, legal pages are necessary to outline the terms of doing business with your company.
Affiliate Marketers: If you participate in affiliate marketing programs and earn commissions through affiliate links on your blog, you are required to disclose this relationship to your audience, typically in a disclaimer or affiliate disclosure page.
This also requires a little research between companies you are an affiliate for but often you can get a plugin or add in a disclaimer at the start of each post that contains affiliate links.
This is super important to have on the page BEFORE any affiliate links show up.
This can then either link or direct people back to your disclosure page for further information.
E-commerce Websites: If your blog sells products or services directly to consumers, you must have legal pages that outline the terms of sale, refund policies, shipping information, and other relevant details.
Content Creators: Anyone who creates and publishes various types of content, such as articles, videos, podcasts, or digital downloads, should have legal pages to protect their intellectual property rights and establish usage guidelines for their content.
Email Marketers: If you collect email addresses from your blog visitors for marketing purposes, you need to comply with email marketing laws, such as the CAN-SPAM Act in the United States, by including an email marketing disclosure and privacy policy.
Bloggers with Sponsored Content: If you collaborate with brands or receive compensation for promoting products or services on your blog, you must disclose these relationships to your audience to maintain transparency and trust.
Basically, anyone who owns or operates a blog or website and interacts with visitors, customers, or subscribers in any capacity should have legal pages to ensure compliance with applicable laws and protect both parties’ rights and interests.
So let’s get into it…
Which Pages Exactly Do You Need?
There are 3 main pages you must have on your blog.
These are:
Privacy Policy Page
A Privacy Policy is a legal document that outlines how your website collects, uses, discloses, and protects the personal information of your visitors. Personal information can include names, email addresses, IP addresses, and any other data that can be used to identify an individual.
Terms and Conditions Page
Terms and Conditions (Ts&Cs) are the rules and guidelines that users must agree to abide by in order to use your website or service. These terms cover a wide range of topics, including copyright, user conduct, disclaimers and more.
Disclaimer Page
A Disclaimer is a statement that limits your liability for the information presented on your website and advises users to seek professional advice or assistance when necessary. Disclaimers can cover various topics, such as the accuracy of information, the suitability of advice, and the risks associated with following your content.
You will also need a disclosure page if you choose not to buy a bundle with the disclosures included into the disclaimer page.
Please be aware that if you blog about anything legal, medical/health-related, or indeed anything that you do not want to be held responsible – for example financial advice, then you may need a dedicated Disclaimer Page.
Where Do You Get These Important Pages For Your Blog?
There are a few places you can get these pages for your blog.
If you’re a Lawyer you can of course draw these pages up yourself!
If you are not a Lawyer, you can either get your own Lawyer to draw up these pages for you, specifically tailored to yourself and your blog, or you can buy the pages from a Lawyer who has specifically written them as templates that you can customise and tailor to suit your needs.
The second option is by far the simplest, quickest and cheapest way to get all the legal pages you need and get your blog protected as quickly as possible.
The cheapest way you can get these pages is through a Legal Bundle. A legal bundle is a bundle of templates of the key pages you need, specifically made to be customised and added to your blog/website.
Included in this Starter Legal Bundle you will find all three of the above required pages, with the disclosures included.
Often a variety of bundles will be offered to suit your own needs, but for any blogger just starting out or anyone wanting to cover their blog/website without the hassle, a Starter Legal Bundle is perfect.
You can of course buy the pages individually if needed, but it may cost you more doing it this way.
Depending on your site’s needs you may need a larger bundle or extra pages to add on but for most newer/smaller sites, the Starter Legal Bundle is ideal!
The exact bundle I bought and still use is this Starter Legal Bundle.
After doing lots of research I found that this bundle had all the pages I needed, could be easily customised to suit myself and my blog, and could be edited and live in less than half an hour (for all 3!).
What exactly does the Starter Legal Bundle include?
The Starter Legal Bundle I mentioned above includes all 3 legal pages which can then be easily tailored and customised to suit your/your blogs needs.
From the website directly itself it states:
“THIS IS THE LEGAL BUNDLE YOU NEED TO MAKE YOUR WEBSITE LEGALLY COMPLIANT IN THE NEXT 15 MINUTES WITH NO STRESS AND OVERWHELM!”
Here’s a quick rundown of the pages included:
Privacy Policy
Why it’s important to have it written by a lawyer:
Privacy laws vary from country to country, but they all often have stringent requirements for how blogs and websites handle personal data. A lawyer can ensure that your Privacy Policy aligns with these laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union or the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the United States.
Terms and Conditions
Why it’s important to have it written by a lawyer:
A lawyer can draft Terms and Conditions that protect your website from legal disputes and liabilities. This includes disclaimers of warranties, limitations of liability, and clauses that govern user behaviour to minimise the risk of legal action against your website.
Legal language can be complex, and poorly drafted terms may be ambiguous or unenforceable. A lawyer can ensure that your Terms of Service are clear, understandable, and legally binding, reducing the likelihood of misunderstandings or disputes with your users.
Disclaimer
Why it’s important to have it written by a lawyer:
A well-crafted Disclaimer can help protect you from legal claims arising from errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in your content. By clearly outlining the limitations of your advice or information, you can reduce the risk of liability for any adverse consequences experienced by your users.
Certain industries or types of content may have specific legal requirements for disclaimers. A lawyer can ensure that your Disclaimer meets these requirements and provides adequate protection for your website.
How Much Is The Stater Legal Bundle?
As of the time of writing this, the bundle is still only $197 as there is currently over $100 off!
You can of course buy the page templates individually but this is a more pricey way to do it!
The amazing part of this bundle is that as it’s a customisable template written by a Lawyer, not only will you be protected with the pages you need, but if you have more than one website, you only have to buy the bundle once!
What Happens If You Don’t Have These 3 Legal Pages On Your Blog?
It may be so tempting to skip these pages but if you fail to have the 3 essential legal pages (Privacy Policy, Terms and Conditions, and a Disclaimer) on their website, they could potentially face several negative consequences, including:
Legal Non-Compliance
Many countries have legal requirements mandating the presence of certain policies on websites. This is particularly regarding data protection and user rights. For instance, laws like the GDPR in the European Union or the CCPA in California require websites to have a Privacy Policy disclosing how they collect, use, and protect users’ personal information. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in legal penalties, fines, or enforcement actions from regulatory authorities!
Risk Of Lawsuits
Without clear Terms and Conditions and/or a Disclaimer, you may be leaving yourself vulnerable to lawsuits from users or third parties. For example, if a user relies on advice or information provided by your blog and experiences negative consequences, they may attempt to hold you liable for damages.
Similarly, if your blog contains copyrighted material or user-generated content, without proper Terms and Conditions outlining the rights and responsibilities of users, the blogger could face legal disputes over intellectual property rights.
Loss Of Trust and Credibility In Your Blog
A lack of legal pages can also harm trust and credibility with your users. Internet users are becoming increasingly aware of their rights regarding privacy and data protection, and they may be hesitant to engage with a website that does not provide clear information about how their personal data is handled.
Alongside that, users may view the absence of legal pages as a sign of unprofessionalism or lack of commitment to ethical standards, damaging your blog’s reputation which isn’t great!
Missed Opportunities
Beyond legal and reputational risks, the absence of the 3 essential legal pages may also lead to missed opportunities for collaboration or monetisation.
Many businesses, advertisers, and affiliate programs require websites to have certain legal protections in place before entering into partnerships or agreements.
Without these safeguards, bloggers may be excluded from valuable opportunities to monetise their content or collaborate with brands.
Neglecting to have important legal pages on a blog can have serious consequences, ranging from legal penalties and lawsuits to damage to reputation and missed opportunities for growth!
I hope this post on the 3 Legal pages you need to have for your blog has helped you realise the importance of keeping your website and your readers protected!
Having the right legal pages on your blog is crucial for protecting yourself and your audience. By clearly outlining your terms and policies, you establish transparency and trust, while also ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations!
Remember to include essential pages such as the Privacy Policy, Terms and Conditions, Disclaimer, and/included Disclosure to cover all bases.
If you’re unsure where to start or what to create, there are online resources and templates available to help you create these pages efficiently and affordably such as the Starter Legal Bundle.
Don’t overlook or ignore the importance of legal compliance—investing time and effort into setting up proper legal pages now can save you from potential headaches and legal issues down the road!
Speak soon!
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27 Comments
Meagan Greenaway
I didn’t know this stuff, very informative. Thanks for sharing! I’ll have to add these!
Katherine McLee
They are so important!!
Tetyana
excellent blog post! thanks for sharing! I am sure that many people will benefit from it.
Katherine McLee
Thank you so much! 😀
Tracy McHugh
Thank you so much for all the information and resources you continually provide. I am actually combining my blog with my business, so this is a great resource for me to have in real time.
Katherine McLee
Thank you so much! I’m really glad it’s helpful! 😀
Cleo Brass
Thank you so much for this, this has been super helpful!
Katherine McLee
Thank you so much!
Laura
This is so helpful! Thank you.
Laura
Lots of great information! Thanks for sharing!
Katherine McLee
Thank you so much!
Katherine McLee
Thank you! 😀
Debbie
I used a free version plugin for legal pages when I first started. Then, the plugin crashed my main site (it took a team of people from my hosting service to figure it out.) That’s when I invested in the Starter Legal Bundle and use it on three of my websites. Great suggestion!
Katherine McLee
Getting the proper legal pages bundle is definitely the right way to go! That must have been scary that the plugin crashed your site so badly!
Henri
Oh these are super helpful. The last thing I want as a new blogger is legal headaches. Do the bundle templates work internationally?
Katherine McLee
It gives such peace of mind when it’s all set up and live on your site as you then know you’re covered! They do! Direct from the website it says “These legal templates are comprehensive to ensure your compliance with the laws such as all the different privacy laws in the EU, US, Canada (GDPR, CCPA, CPRA, VCDPA, and others!)” – hope this helps! 🙂
Katherine McLee
Absolutely! You can check the website for specifics but the bundle is customisable where you can take out the parts that aren’t relevant to your site etc!
Catherine Kay
Protecting your blog legally is crucial, and this post does an excellent job of outlining the essential legal pages every blogger needs. Thanks for the valuable insights!
Katherine McLee
Absolutely! The Starter Legal Bundle was one of the best investments and every blogger should make sure their site is protected!
Amanda
This is one everyone should pay attention to! So important! As always, you laid it out in an easy to understand way and full of essential info!
Katherine McLee
Absolutely as it’s SO important! Thank you! 🙂
Ann
I’m really glad I came across this post about the importance of legal pages for bloggers. It’s a crucial reminder for anyone who blogs, whether as a hobby or professionally, to protect themselves and maintain transparency with their audience. This information is incredibly important for all content creators. Thank you for sharing it!
Katherine McLee
They really are SO important and I really don’t think they are talked about enough! Thank you! 🙂
Nicole m
This is such important information! As a blogger, it’s crucial to have the necessary legal pages in place to protect yourself and your content. I’ll definitely be updating my blog with these pages ASAP. Thank you for sharing this valuable advice!
Katherine McLee
Absolutely!! When I started blogging years ago I had no idea about getting legal pages and always just assumed that the free templates would work – really not a good idea!! Bundles are the easiest and cheapest way to get fully covered so I recommend this bundle to everyone now!
Charli Dee
Really important post. What stood out to me is that you mentioned whether the bloger had a large following or a small blog or whether a blogger is blogging for money or blogging as a hobby it doesn’t matter. The blogger still needs legal pages. I’m a little worried about not having legal pages i]on my blog. One of the reasons I don’t have legal pages on my blog is the same reason I’m on a free website builder: I’m not sure I can afford them. The more I read about building a blog, the more expensive it seems. .
Katherine McLee
I completely understand that and it can feel expensive but the plus side of the legal pages is that it’s a one off payment and you can use the same templates (modified) over all websites you have and you then know you’re safe. Don’t let it worry you though!! I just always want to share things with people who maybe hadn’t realised how important they are <3