The boring side of blogging. Every blog needs a few legal pages — privacy policy, disclosures, terms of service. Missing them isn’t only a legal risk; it hurts ad network approvals, trust signals, and sometimes SEO. This post is the practical checklist.

Short answer: Every blog needs Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy (if EU traffic), Disclosure Policy (if you do affiliates / sponsored content), Terms of Service (optional for hobby blogs, essential for stores/memberships). Use templates from reputable sources or services like Termly. Place links in the footer. Update annually.
A blog footer showing Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, Disclosure, and Contact links

Why these pages matter

  • Legal compliance (GDPR, CCPA, FTC, others).
  • Ad network approval (AdSense, Mediavine require them).
  • Affiliate program requirements (Amazon Associates requires disclosure).
  • Trust signals to readers.
  • Protection if disputes arise.

You don’t get to “wait until later” on these.

Privacy Policy

The most important one. Required by GDPR (EU), CCPA (California), and many other laws.

What it covers

  • What data you collect (analytics, email signups, comments, etc.).
  • How you collect it (cookies, forms, server logs).
  • What you do with it.
  • Who you share it with (analytics providers, email tools, ad networks).
  • How long you keep it.
  • User rights (access, deletion, opt-out).
  • How users contact you about data.
  • Children’s data handling (COPPA in US).

What it shouldn’t be

  • Generic template not tailored to your blog.
  • Copy-pasted from another site (their data flows differ from yours).
  • Out of date (review annually).

Cookie Policy

If you have EU visitors (most blogs do), you need explicit cookie consent.

What’s required:

  • Banner appearing on first visit.
  • Options to accept all, reject non-essential, or customize.
  • Cookie policy page explaining each cookie category.
  • Compliance with consent before loading non-essential cookies (this is the part many sites skip).

Plugins: CookieYes, Complianz, Iubenda, Cookiebot.

Affiliate / Disclosure Policy

If you use affiliate links, sponsored posts, or product reviews where you received free product:

FTC requirements (US)

  • Disclose affiliate relationships “clearly and conspicuously.”
  • Per-post disclosure when affiliate links appear.
  • Disclosure should be near the affiliate links, not just on a separate page.

Acceptable disclosure phrases

  • “This post contains affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may earn a small commission at no cost to you.”
  • “Disclosure: I’m an Amazon Associate; this post contains affiliate links.”

Don’t bury it in a footer. Put it at the top of posts with affiliate links.

For sponsored content

“Sponsored by [brand]” or “Paid partnership with [brand]” — clear, unambiguous.

For gifted product

“I received this product for free in exchange for an honest review.”

Disclosure page

Beyond per-post disclosure, have a dedicated page covering:

  • Which affiliate programs you participate in.
  • How sponsored content works.
  • Your editorial independence statement.
  • How readers can contact you with concerns.

Terms of Service / Terms of Use

Optional for pure content blogs. Required if:

  • You have user accounts.
  • You sell products or memberships.
  • You allow user-generated content (comments are a gray area; most blogs don’t need ToS just for comments).

What it covers

  • Acceptable use rules.
  • User account responsibilities.
  • Payment terms (if applicable).
  • Refund policy (if applicable).
  • Intellectual property (your content rights).
  • Limitation of liability.
  • Dispute resolution / governing law.
A privacy policy page showing data collection categories, third party sharing, and user rights sections

Comment Policy

Not legally required but useful.

States:

  • What kind of comments are welcome.
  • What gets moderated or removed.
  • How users can contact you about moderation.

Makes moderation decisions easier.

Editorial Policy

Optional. Builds trust.

Covers:

  • How you choose topics.
  • Your standards for accuracy.
  • How you handle corrections.
  • Your relationship with sponsors / affiliates.
  • Your stance on editorial independence.

Builds reader trust, especially in YMYL niches (health, finance).

About / Contact

Technically not “legal” pages but expected:

  • Real name (or stated pseudonym).
  • Photo.
  • What the blog is about.
  • Your experience / credentials.
  • How to reach you (email, contact form).

Ad networks check About pages. So do affiliate program reviewers.

Tools for generating legal pages

Termly

  • Free tier with basic policies.
  • Paid tiers ($10–$20/month) for more comprehensive.
  • Updates as laws change.

Iubenda

  • Privacy and cookie policy generator.
  • €7+/year basic.
  • Multi-language support.

WPLegalPages

  • WordPress plugin generating policies.
  • Free + Pro tiers.

Complianz

  • WordPress plugin generating cookie policy + privacy policy + consent banner.
  • Free + paid tiers.

DIY templates

Free templates exist from many sources. Caution:

  • Templates aren’t tailored to your specific data flows.
  • Outdated templates miss new requirements.
  • Free templates often lack updates as laws change.

Use as starting point, modify for your actual situation.

Real lawyer

For sites selling products / services or in regulated niches: worth $200–$500 for a lawyer-reviewed set.

Page placement

Standard practice:

  • Footer links: Privacy, Terms (if applicable), Disclosure, Contact.
  • Cookie banner on first visit.
  • Per-post affiliate disclosure at top.
  • About / Contact accessible from main navigation.

Updating policies

Review annually:

  • New data flows (added a new analytics tool? new email integration?).
  • Law changes (GDPR amendments, new state privacy laws).
  • New affiliate programs.
  • Sponsored content arrangements.

Note the “last updated” date on each policy. Some laws require notifying users of material changes.

GDPR specifics

If you have any EU visitors:

  • Privacy policy compliant with GDPR.
  • Cookie consent before non-essential cookies.
  • Right to access / deletion (must honor requests).
  • Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) with vendors handling user data.
  • Lawful basis for data processing (consent, legitimate interest, contract, etc.).

CCPA / CPRA (California)

California Consumer Privacy Act applies to many sites, even outside California.

  • “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” link.
  • Disclosure of what data is collected.
  • User rights to access / delete.

Often handled by the same plugin / policy that handles GDPR.

Email list compliance

If you collect emails:

  • Clear opt-in (single or double).
  • Mention what they’re signing up for at signup.
  • Unsubscribe link in every email (CAN-SPAM in US, GDPR in EU).
  • Honor unsubscribes promptly.

Children’s privacy (COPPA)

If your audience includes anyone under 13 (US):

  • Don’t collect personal data from under-13s without parental consent.
  • Specific COPPA-compliance steps if you do target kids.

Most adult-targeted blogs handle this with a statement that the site isn’t intended for under-13s.

Common mistakes

  • Copy-pasting another site’s privacy policy.
  • Never updating policies.
  • Affiliate disclosure only on a hidden page (not per-post).
  • Cookie banner that doesn’t actually block cookies until consent.
  • Promising “we never share your data” while using analytics that share it.

The honest summary

Legal pages are unsexy but essential. Privacy Policy is mandatory; tailor it to your actual data flows. Cookie consent if EU traffic. Per-post affiliate disclosure required by FTC. Use Termly, Iubenda, or Complianz to generate compliant pages. Update annually. Footer links to all of them. About / Contact pages aren’t legal documents but are checked by ad networks and affiliate programs. The setup takes a couple of hours; the protection lasts years.