Monetizing your blog is an exciting step, but as your lawyer bestie, I need you to hear me loud and clear: the MINUTE you start earning money from your blog, it’s not just a hobby anymore, okay? 📣
It’s a BIZNAS and it has to be treated as such, which meanssss you now have some legal responsibilities you have to adhere to!
And let me be clear - when I say “earning money,” I don’t just mean from your blog itself. It could be through ads, affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, or selling your own products.
Earning money = running a business and every business needs legal protections to avoid potential liabilities and ensure compliance!
The only problem is that sometimes when you start something for fun, you don’t really think about this part of the equation, so it can be really hard to know what to do when the time comes.
But that’s where I come into play. 👋
At The Boutique Lawyer, it’s my mission to help you have true legal protection without the hassle and headaches. With my contract template shop, I help business owners and service providers get the contracts and legal agreements they need to ensure their business is protected from top to bottom.
And I have something designed specifically for you, too!
The Blog Protection Bundle is a tailor-made bundle of resources for creative bloggers who are ready to turn their content into a source of revenue and it includes the 3 must-have legal agreements you need to start making money legally:
1. General Disclaimer
A General Disclaimer protects you from liability for the information you share on your blog. Whether you’re offering advice, tutorials, or product recommendations (looking at all those affiliate links here), there’s always a risk that readers may misinterpret your content or experience undesired outcomes from acting on your advice.
❓Why It Matters: Let’s say you’re a fitness blogger and a reader follows your workout plan but injures themselves, they could hold you responsible. A General Disclaimer sets clear boundaries, stating that the content on your blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. This is especially important if your blog covers topics like health, finance, or legal advice.
✅ How It Protects You: A general disclaimer clarifies that you’re not liable for outcomes based on your content, states that readers should consult professionals for specific advice tailored to their needs, and provides transparency about your role and limits your legal exposure.
2. Website Privacy Policy
In today’s digital age, data privacy is non-negotiable. A Website Privacy Policy is a legal requirement in many regions, including the U.S., the European Union (under GDPR), and California (under CCPA). It informs visitors about how you collect, use, and protect their personal data.
❓Why It Matters: If your blog collects any form of personal information, such as email addresses for a newsletter, analytics data, or payment details, you’re legally obligated to disclose this with your audience. Failure to comply with privacy laws can result in hefty fines and damage to your reputation.
I go into wayyyyy more detail about privacy policies here in case you’re interested in the nitty gritty!
✅ How It Protects You: A privacy policy keeps you compliant with global data privacy regulations, builds trust with your audience by showing transparency in your data practices, and reduces your risk of legal action related to privacy breaches.
3. Website Terms of Use
And lastly, a Website Terms of Use set the rules for how visitors can interact with your site. This legal agreement acts as a contract between you and your users, outlining their rights and responsibilities while protecting your content and intellectual property.
❓Why It Matters: Without clear terms, users might misuse your content, submit inappropriate comments, or even attempt to steal your intellectual property. For example, a competitor could copy your blog posts and republish them as their own without legal consequences if you don’t have protections in place and trust me – that’s a headache that you DON’T want to deal with.
✅ How It Protects You: A Website Terms of Use defines acceptable and unacceptable use of your site, protects your intellectual property by prohibiting unauthorized use of your content, and provides a framework for resolving disputes with users, including jurisdiction and governing law.
The Ultimate Blog Protection Legal Agreement Bundle for Lifestyle Bloggers and Influencers
Overall, it IS possible for you to earn money as an influencer with a blog, but just like anything else in business, you want to make sure that you’re going about it LEGALLY.
With the Blog Protection Bundle, you don’t have to spend hours googling what to do or what to implement – you can simply download your legal agreement templates, customize the sections to fit your specific brand and trust that you’re in compliance right from the start!
CLICK HERE to grab the bundle and take your influencing hobby from “cute” to “converting” like you deserve!