Your Instagram and TikTok feeds are full of them…

The people showcasing their OOTD’s, day in the life and Amazon hauls. They share their favorite recipes, what they picked up at Target today and their current go-to Starbucks order. 

You either hate ‘em… or love ‘em. Or there’s a chance you ARE one of them.

The people in question? Bloggers and influencers.

The blogging and influencing industry has grown into a multi-BILLION dollar industry and what once started as something that appeared to be a hobby, has now transformed into a full on business.

From the outside looking in, you may not realize that the people you’re watching daily on the ‘gram are typically people who aren’t just doing this for fun anymore. 

Blogging and influencing is a business and, like any business, there are certain legal policies you MUST have in place. 

So, if you’re dabbling in the world of blogging and influencing or you’ve been at this for awhile, there are 4 main legal policies you want to have to protect your digital presence and your business… because while you might just identify as a blogger, you’re really a business owner. 💅🏻

Legal Policies Every Influencer and Blogger Needs On Their Website

1. Privacy Policy

If you’re selling products or services, tracking your website visitors with cookies, using affiliate marketing or even collecting email addresses, a privacy policy is a REQUIREMENT for your website!

And it’s not just to protect your customer or website visitor – it’s also to protect YOU as the business owner. 

Although the term “privacy policy” might sound like some scary legal jargon, I promise you it’s really not that complicated. 

A privacy policy is simply a detailed notice that is published on a website, typically found in the footer, that outlines how that specific website collects, uses and manages a user’s personal information.

Most privacy policies are fairly similar and include information such as:

• A detailed list of what personal information is collected – this typically includes name, email address, phone number, etc. 
• How that information is collected – this will sometimes vary based on the website and type of business, but information is most commonly collected through opt-in forms (including email sign up forms), product or service checkout pages, cookies for marketing or affiliate purposes 
• How that information is used – again, this may vary based on the type of business, but you can typically expect this to include processing orders, providing customer service, sending emails or targeting ads
• How that information is protected – the privacy policy is used to detail what specific security measures you have in place to protect the data from encryption or data breaches 
• What rights the user has to the information they share – including how they can access, update or delete the information given 

Without this type of notice on your website, you could potentially be fined up to $2,500+ per visitor to your site. 🤯

So, take the time NOW to protect yourself later. And if you don’t know how, I’ve made it pretty stinkin’ simple for ya with THIS customizable Website Privacy Policy Template.

2. Terms of Use

A Terms of Use agreement is what dictates how your consumers interact with your site and is the first layer of protection for your content that essentially says, “Hey! You can’t steal my stuff and here’s how you can use my website.”

This is a legally binding agreement between you and ALL of your website visitors that typically covers topics like if or how they can use your website images (including your logo), how they can backlink to your website and even how they can quote your blogs. 

This agreement also helps limit your liability for any possible errors, such as typos or technical glitches.

Similar to your Privacy Policy, your Terms of Use Agreement should be displayed in the footer of your site so that it populates on every single page. 

Without a Terms of Use Agreement on your website, you run the risk of people stealing your content or misusing your website and you’re left with no legal leg to stand on. 

This is a SUPER common issue for those in the blogging and influencing space, so take the necessary steps to protect yourself and avoid yet another legal headache.

Similar to our Privacy Policy template, you can grab our plug and play Terms of Use Template so you can implement this legal agreement with ease!

3. General Disclaimer for Affiliate Links

Many bloggers and influencers make a high portion of their income through affiliate links and these are often used on platforms, such as LTK (Like To Know It) and their personal websites. 

While making money through affiliate links is perfectly acceptable, what’s NOT acceptable is not disclaiming your earnings potential. 

If your website includes ANY affiliate links, you’re required to have a General Disclaimer that can be linked in the footer of your website along with your Privacy Policy and Terms of  Use. 

The main purpose of this disclaimer is to provide transparency and disclosure to your audience by letting them know that you can potentially earn commission from links throughout your site.

Like most legal policies required for your blogging business, I’ve also made this one very easy for you to implement with the General Disclaimer template.

4. Disclaim Affiliate Links in ALL Posts

In addition to your General Disclaimer, you want to make sure that you are disclaiming your affiliate links in ALL of your blog posts, Instagram stories and social media posts.

So, while this technically isn’t a structured legal policy, it IS a simple statement that can save you from legal trouble in the future. 

Failing to disclaim affiliate links, sponsored collabs and even gifted promotions, can land you in a lawsuit real quick and is one of the 4 most common legal mistakes that I see ALL business owners making. 

I am a huge supporter of affiliate marketing (I even participate as an affiliate myself in various programs) and I encourage you to pursue opportunities like this, but make sure you’re backing yourself up legally before doing so!

For blog and social posts, you can say something as simple as this:

“P.S. This blog post contains affiliate links, but I only ever recommend products or services that I love and use myself!”

Monetize Your Blog Legally

The moral of the story is this: don’t get so caught up in the fun of this business that you forget that it’s… well, a business.

When you have all of these legal policies in place, you can live your best influencer and blogger life with your Starbies in hand. 💁🏼‍♀️

And if you’re totally unsure of what exactly you need in place to monetize your blog legally, The Blog Protection Bundle was created with you in mind!

It’s tailor-made with love for creative bloggers who are ready to turn their passion into profit and includes:

• General Disclaimer (valued at $79) – this disclaimer is perfect for anyone using affiliate links or posting sponsored content by keeping everything transparent for your audience and adds a professional touch to your blog that people will appreciate!
• Website Privacy Policy (valued at $49) – this simple-to-adapt template helps you get across your privacy practices clearly and confidently. You’ll not only meet all those important legal requirements, but you’ll also build trust with your readers. Win-win, right?
• Website Terms of Use (valued at $49) – this handy template helps you protect your hard work, define what’s cool (and not so cool) on your site, and create a welcoming environment for your awesome community.

All 3 of those must-have templates for only $149!

The Blog Protection Bundle is what we consider to be the secret weapon every blogger needs when monetizing through affiliate links, sponsored posts or commissionable links.

Wave goodbye to legal headaches, and say hello to peace of mind, allowing you to focus on creating amazing content and growing your income! 👋🏼