When you're building an online business, there are so many things to juggle: marketing, content, branding, client work, the list goes on. And so often I see that legal protection falls to the bottom of that list.
And while I can totally understand that the legal aspects of things can feel overwhelming and confusing, that doesn't mean that it should be something you ignore.
Failing to implement the right legal protections for your business can land you in a lotttt of trouble down the road, which is why everything I do at The Boutique Lawyer is aimed to help the legal things feel a little less confusing and a lot more doable.
Through my contract templates, free resources, The Legalzine, and of course my blogs (glad you're here!), my goal is to truly provide you with almost everything you need to protect your business from a legal standpoint in a way that feels accessible and maybe even… fun?!
In this blog post specifically, you'll learn about the one small but mighty contract that deserves a spot at the top of your legal to-do list: a disclaimer.
Disclaimers are a simple way to help limit your liability and set clear expectations when you're sharing advice, information, or results as a business owner. They're not just for giant corporations or complicated industries. If you're sharing content or selling offers online, a disclaimer is probably something you need.
To help you understand WHY a disclaimer is needed, I'll be walking you through 5 common real-world scenarios where a disclaimer can help protect your business AND share how to make sure you're covered.
Do Online Business Owners Need a Disclaimer?
Most online business owners who share advice, educational content, client results, or digital products should have a disclaimer in place. A disclaimer helps limit liability by clarifying that your content is educational and informational, not individualized professional advice, and that results shared are not guaranteed. The most common types for online businesses are a general disclaimer and an earnings disclaimer, and both can typically be added to your website, sales pages, and content platforms the same day you purchase them.
- General Disclaimer: clarifies that your content is educational, not professional advice, and does not guarantee specific outcomes.
- Earnings Disclaimer: states that income or results shared are not typical and that individual outcomes depend on many factors.
- Health and Wellness Disclaimer: makes clear that your content is informational and is not a substitute for professional medical or therapeutic advice.
What Is a Disclaimer (and Why Does It Matter)?
A disclaimer is a statement that limits your liability by setting expectations about what your content, products, or services are and what they are not. It helps draw a clear line between sharing helpful, educational information and providing individualized professional advice.
Disclaimers don't prevent every possible legal claim, but they do put you on stronger footing if someone tries to hold you responsible for how they used your content or what results they did or didn't get. Think of a disclaimer as one layer of protection in your overall legal foundation.
5 Scenarios Where a Disclaimer Helps Protect Your Business
1. You're a coach or mentor sharing income results
Let me guess… as a coach or mentor in the online business space, you've helped your clients grow their businesses and experience insane results, so naturally you want to share those wins!
SO, let's say you post testimonials on your sales page like, "Sarah hit her first $10k week after taking my program."
GO SARAH AND GO YOU FOR HELPING HER 👏🏼
This is an awesome win and of course it's something that you want to share for other potential clients to see so they can understand what could be possible for them when they choose to work with you.
But here's the thing: while this win might be true for your client Sarah, you're opening yourself up to liability if you don't make it clear that this result is not guaranteed for everyone.
➡️ How a disclaimer can help in this scenario: Income claims can be considered misleading, even when they're true, if you don't provide proper context. The FTC expects that earnings claims be truthful, not misleading, and accompanied by appropriate disclosures.
In this case, an Earnings Disclaimer helps clarify that the results shown are not typical, and that individual results may vary based on many factors!
2. You run a wellness or lifestyle blog sharing tips
Let's say you're a wellness creator and you've built a business from your blog where you share about nutrition, fitness, or natural remedies. You also include journal prompts, self-care routines, or mindfulness practices.
These posts are helpful and inspiring and your audience loves the content you share. After putting those things into practice, you might get messages like, "OMG I tried that new meal plan you shared and I lost 5 pounds in 2 weeks."
There's nothing wrong with the content you share, and your audience can absolutely experience results like this. But without a disclaimer, someone could interpret your tips as professional advice.
➡️ How a disclaimer can help in this scenario: If a reader follows your suggestions and experiences an unexpected reaction or claims harm, you could face liability concerns.
A Health and Wellness Website Disclaimer helps clarify that your content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, nutritional, or therapeutic advice.
An important distinction to keep in mind: sharing general educational content, like tips, frameworks, or strategies, is different from giving individualized professional advice tailored to a specific person's situation. A disclaimer helps reinforce that your content falls into the educational category, but it does not override professional licensing requirements if they apply to your field.
3. You're a business or marketing strategist sharing tactics
Hey marketing girlies, this one's for you!
You have a passion and have created a business around helping people grow their brand or boost their visibility. Through your work, you share different tactics for growing a social media following, growing email subscribers, or gaining more clients.
Nothing wrong with that! People love you for it. After following your tips, people might share how they gained 500 new email subscribers in just one week from doing XYZ.
Helllloooo social proof. This is information you want to share so your audience knows that what you're doing works. But remember:
➡️ How a disclaimer can help in this scenario: Even with the best intentions, not every strategy will work the same for everyone. If someone follows your advice and doesn't get the same result, or feels misled, you could face pushback or even a legal claim.
In this instance, an Earnings Disclaimer or General Disclaimer helps set clear expectations and help protect your reputation by setting realistic expectations for your audience.
4. You sell templates, courses, or other digital products
Next up, maybe you sell templates (like me!), online courses, or other digital resources that are designed to help your customers get results. You believe in the value of what you offer, but there's always the risk that someone doesn't use the tools as intended, or doesn't get the outcome they expected.
For example, someone might buy a contract template and forget to customize it properly, or they might use a business strategy course without fully implementing the steps.
When this happens, they can feel like you as the educator are at fault for them not experiencing the results that you've talked about others experiencing before.
➡️ How a disclaimer can help in this scenario: Disclaimers remind users that your materials are intended to educate or guide, not guarantee specific results. They also reinforce that success depends on how the buyer applies the material.
This is why it's best to include a General Disclaimer anywhere you sell or distribute educational digital products to help reduce your exposure if a buyer claims your product didn't deliver the results they expected.
(P.S. While a General Disclaimer is a great starting point, if you sell digital products, there are a few other legal documents I highly recommend.)
5. You speak on podcasts, do guest trainings, or post on social media
As a business owner, it's super common to speak on podcasts, do guest trainings inside courses or memberships, and post on social media to market your business.
Through all of these avenues, you share your story and expertise to help others. But your words can carry legal weight if someone reasonably relies on them as professional advice.
For example, if you offer a quick productivity tip on Instagram and someone applies it in a way that negatively impacts their business or health, they could claim harm based on your advice, even if that wasn't your intention.
➡️ How a disclaimer can help in this scenario: It's easy for people to take your content out of context, especially in short-form content. A disclaimer helps protect you from people assuming your content is a substitute for professional, financial, medical, or legal advice.
A short version of your General Disclaimer can be included in your podcast intro, show notes, at the top of your blog posts, or even in your social media bios and stories to help reduce this risk.
Where to Put Your Disclaimer
Having a disclaimer is important, but it only helps if people can actually find it. Here's where to place your disclaimers depending on where you show up online:
| Where You Show Up | Where Your Disclaimer Goes |
|---|---|
| Website | Dedicated disclaimer page linked in your site footer, and referenced on relevant sales pages |
| Blog | Brief disclaimer statement at the top or bottom of blog posts, linking to the full disclaimer page |
| Sales pages | Earnings disclaimer near testimonials or income claims; general disclaimer linked near checkout |
| Podcast | Verbal disclaimer in your intro or outro, plus written version in show notes |
| Social media | Short disclaimer in your bio or link-in-bio page; reference it when sharing results or advice |
| Digital products and courses | Disclaimer on the checkout or enrollment page, inside the product welcome materials, and in your Terms of Purchase |
| Guest trainings | Include a verbal disclaimer at the start and ask the host to add it to the training description |
Get Your Disclaimer in Place Today
Disclaimers are more than just a legal safety net that's "nice to have." They're a practical way to run your business with integrity and transparency, helping you educate and inspire while reducing your exposure to unnecessary risk.
My hope is that through these real-world scenarios, you can see why implementing a disclaimer is worth moving to the top of your legal to-do list. And lucky for you, it doesn't have to be complicated.
With TBL's General Disclaimer Template and Earnings Disclaimer Template, you can add a disclaimer to your business as soon as today so you can feel more confident that you've taken an important step to help reduce your liability.
Already have a disclaimer and wondering what other legal protections your business needs? Browse the contract template shop to see what else might be missing.
If you're a licensed or regulated professional, such as a therapist, dietitian, financial advisor, or similar, you may have additional disclosure and disclaimer obligations specific to your industry. A general disclaimer is a strong starting point, but it's worth confirming what your licensing board or regulatory body requires.
FAQ: Disclaimers for Online Business Owners
Is a disclaimer legally binding?
A disclaimer is not a contract in itself, but it can carry legal weight, especially when it's clearly visible, written in plain language, and the user has reasonable notice of it (such as on a website footer, checkout page, or course enrollment page). Courts may consider whether the disclaimer was conspicuous and whether the user had an opportunity to review it. Having one puts you on stronger footing than not having one at all.
What's the difference between a disclaimer and terms of service?
A disclaimer limits your liability by clarifying what your content or products are and are not (for example, "this is educational, not professional advice"). Terms of service, or what TBL calls Website Terms and Conditions, are the rules visitors agree to when using your website or purchasing from you. They cover things like acceptable use, intellectual property, payment terms, and dispute resolution. Most online businesses benefit from having both.
Do I need a separate disclaimer for every platform I'm on?
Not necessarily. Many business owners create one comprehensive disclaimer on their website and then use a shorter version or reference link on other platforms like social media bios, podcast show notes, and blog posts. The key is making sure your disclaimer is accessible and that your audience has reasonable notice of it wherever you share content or sell products.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR, AMBER GILORMO – ATTORNEY AND FOUNDER OF THE BOUTIQUE LAWYER
Amber Gilormo is the cool lawyer behind The Boutique Lawyer – a one-stop contract template shop for creative entrepreneurs, online business owners, coaches, and service providers.
From client agreements to digital product terms and everything in between, our lawyer-drafted templates take the guesswork out of staying legally protected online (no legal jargon required).
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