8 Legal Blogging Mistakes To Avoid This Year

When you’re first starting your blog, it’s easy to get caught up in content creation, growing your audience, and trying to make money. But one area that often gets overlooked? Legal protection.

Whether you’re blogging as a hobby, side hustle, or full-time income stream, your site is a business. And just like any other business, there are legal boxes you need to check to protect yourself and to stay compliant.

Here are some of the most common legal blogging mistakes I see (and some I’ve made myself early on), and how to avoid them.

Legal Blogging Mistakes To Avoid — This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure for more info.

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Blogging Mistakes to Avoid (& Why)

Okay, let’s dive right in to the blogging mistakes you need to avoid, the legalities, and why they’re so important!

As a quick note, I’m based in the United States, so many of the things we will talk about revolve around the laws we have here. So don’t be afraid to do your research and make sure you’re following the laws and regulations in your own country if you’re outside of the U.S.

1. Not Having a Privacy Policy

If your blog collects any type of user information, even just through Google Analytics or an email opt-in form, you need a privacy policy.

A privacy policy tells your readers what personal data you collect, how it’s used, and how it’s protected. It’s legally required in many countries and states (like the GDPR in Europe and the CCPA in California). More importantly, it builds trust with your audience.

Even if you’re not collecting emails or selling products, if you’re using third-party tools like:

Google Analytics
Pinterest pixels
Affiliate links with tracking codes

…you’re collecting data, and you’re legally responsible for disclosing that.

You can write your own policy if you’re confident with legal language, but I recommend starting with a professional template built specifically for bloggers. It’s a small investment that protects you long-term.

2. Skipping a Disclaimer or Disclosure

If you’re sharing affiliate links, publishing sponsored posts, or making recommendations that earn you money, you must disclose that relationship.

Bloggers are legally required by the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) to clearly let readers know when they’re being compensated. That includes:

Affiliate links
Sponsored content
Free product exchanges
Paid partnerships

Don’t hide your disclosure in a footer or small print. It should be visible before any affiliate link, and it needs to be written in plain language.

An example of a compliant disclaimer:

“This post contains affiliate links. That means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you.”

This isn’t just about legality—it’s also about keeping your readers’ trust. They deserve to know when you’re being paid to promote something.

If you scroll back to the top of this post, I have my own disclaimer right under my featured image. This is super important to to do!

3. Using Images Without Permission

One of the fastest ways to get into legal trouble is by using photos or graphics you don’t own or have permission to use. That includes:

Google image search results
Instagram screenshots
Product photos pulled from other websites

Just because an image is online doesn’t mean it’s free to use. If you didn’t create it, license it, or get written permission, you can’t legally publish it on your blog.

To stay safe, use:

Royalty-free image sites like Unsplash, Pexels, or Pixabay
Paid stock photography from sites like Ivory Mix, Haute Stock, or Canva Pro
Your own original photography

Even one image used without permission can result in a cease and desist or a copyright fine. It’s not worth the risk.

4. Not Including Terms & Conditions

While a privacy policy covers how you collect and handle data, your terms and conditions outline how visitors can use your content, what your refund policies are (if you sell products), and how disputes are handled.

It’s especially important if:

You run a blog shop or sell digital products
You allow comments or user interaction
You offer downloadable freebies or tools

This is another area where a professional template can save you time and protect your business. Think of it as a legal fence around your blog. You’re setting the rules before anything goes wrong.

I have a terms and conditions page for Become a Pinterest VA as well as Diva Dog Bakery. Since I have products and courses on these sites, the terms and conditions protect my business and my sanity.

5. Not Registering Your Blog as a Business

If your blog is earning income, it’s more than just a creative project. It’s a business. That means you should treat it like one.

This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to form a corporation or an LLC right away, but it does mean you should:

Keep track of income and expenses
Set aside money for taxes
Use a separate bank account or payment processor
Understand your local business requirements

Eventually, you may want to register your blog as a sole proprietorship or LLC depending on how much you earn. But from the beginning, build good habits that make growth easier and protect you in the long run.

6. Not Including a Cookie Consent Banner

If your blog has readers from the EU, UK, Canada, or California, and you use cookies (like Google Analytics or a Facebook pixel), you may be legally required to show a cookie consent banner.

This is separate from your privacy policy. The banner needs to:

Inform users that your site uses cookies
Give them the option to accept or reject cookies
Appear before cookies are activated

And no, you don’t have to pay a fortune to do this. There are free and affordable plugins for WordPress that handle this, like CookieYes.

7. Sending Marketing Emails Without Consent

If you have an email list (and you should!), make sure you’re following email marketing laws like:

CAN-SPAM (US)
GDPR (EU)
CASL (Canada)

That means:

No adding people to your list without consent
Always include an easy unsubscribe link
Use a business mailing address in your footer
Don’t make false claims in subject lines

Email services like Flodesk, ConvertKit, and AWeber usually help you stay compliant, but it’s your responsibility to understand the rules if you’re growing an email list.

8. Not Having Guest Blogger or Contributor Agreements

If you ever feature a guest post or hire someone to create blog content for you, you need a written agreement in place. This should clarify:

Who owns the content
Whether you can edit or remove it
If it includes affiliate links
If any payment is involved
Liability for any legal issues (like copyright infringement)

Without this, you could end up publishing content you don’t legally own. Or worse, you could publish content that violates someone else’s rights.

These Are the Blogging Mistakes to Avoid

As your blog grows, the stakes get higher, and the legal risks do too. Whether you’re earning your first affiliate commission or planning to launch a digital product, the smartest thing you can do is protect your business from the start.

Don’t let legal mistakes hold you back. Get your policies in place, stay transparent with your readers, and make sure everything you publish is not just helpful, but fully compliant.

8 Legal Blogging Mistakes To Avoid This Year