You’ve chosen a topic, published a few pages, and found products your readers might want to know about. Then comes the less exciting question: what legal information should your website include?
There isn’t one set of pages that fits every affiliate website. The answer can depend on where you live, where your readers are, how you earn commissions, and what your website does with visitors’ information.
Check the requirements where you live and in the regions you target. Website laws vary, and a rule that applies to one site owner may not apply to another. This article is a general guide, not legal advice, and some of it may not apply to your situation. Check local requirements or ask a qualified legal professional if you are unsure.
The short answer: pages worth reviewing
An affiliate website owner will usually want to review whether the site needs or would benefit from:
- An affiliate disclosure that explains commissions or other connections to brands
- A privacy policy that describes how the site handles personal information
- Cookie and tracking information, including consent controls where required
- Terms of use that explain rules for using the site
- Relevant disclaimers, such as statements about earnings or professional advice
- Clear contact and site-owner information
That list is a starting point, not a universal set of legal requirements. Some rules depend on where you and your readers are, what your site collects, and how your business works. And simply publishing a page may not be enough. An affiliate disclosure, for example, may need to appear near the recommendation it explains.
First, take stock of your website
Before drafting a policy, look at the website you actually have. It is easy to forget a plugin, embedded video, or form you added months ago. Policies need to match the site’s real practices.
Where do you live and operate your site?
Write down where you live and, if relevant, where your business is registered. These are useful starting points for finding local rules.
Where do you expect your readers to live?
Consider the countries or regions you intentionally serve. Do you write for readers in the United States, Germany, the Nordics, the wider European Union, or several places?
Your readers’ location can matter. European Commission guidance says GDPR rules may apply to an organization outside the EU if it offers goods or services to people in the EU or monitors their behavior there. So a website owner should check the rules that fit their own situation rather than assume that operating from one country settles the question. commission.europa.eu
What information and tools does the site use?
Walk through your site as a visitor would. Note every place someone might submit information or be tracked:
- Newsletter and contact forms
- Comments or user accounts
- Analytics tools
- Advertising pixels
- Embedded videos, social posts, or maps
- Affiliate networks and tracking links
- Payment or membership services, if you sell something yourself
This quick inventory can make the rest of the review much easier.
| Website feature | What to check |
|---|---|
| Affiliate links and product reviews | Can readers understand your relationship with the brand? |
| Newsletter or contact forms | What information is collected, and how is it used? |
| Analytics or advertising tools | What data or cookies do the tools use? |
| Comments, accounts, or memberships | Does the site store information about users? |
| Products, services, or downloads | Could these bring extra terms or consumer rules into play? |
Affiliate disclosure: be open about the commission
An affiliate disclosure tells readers that you may earn a commission—or receive another benefit—if they click a link or make a purchase. It gives them important context while they consider your recommendation.
A dedicated Affiliate Disclosure page can explain how your affiliate relationships work. Still, a reader may never visit that page. When a recommendation appears in an article, the disclosure should be easy to notice there too, if the rules that apply to you call for it.
For websites within its scope, FTC guidance says affiliate relationships should be disclosed clearly and conspicuously. It also advises placing the disclosure close to the recommendation; readers may not connect a review to a link if the two are separated. www.ftc.gov
A plain-language example might be:
I may earn a commission if you buy through links in this post. This does not change the price you pay.
That is an example to adapt, not wording guaranteed to meet every country’s rules or every situation. Don’t assume that “affiliate link” explains itself. Some readers may not know it means you could be paid.
A quick check: Open a product review on your phone. Can you see the disclosure while reading the recommendation and looking at the link?
Privacy policy: make sure it reflects how the site works
A privacy policy explains how a website collects, uses, stores, and shares personal information. What you need to include—and whether you need a policy in a particular form—depends on applicable law and what your site does.
Compare the policy with your actual setup. Where relevant, it may need to explain:
- What information you collect, such as an email address or contact message
- Why you collect it
- Which services help run the site, such as an email platform or analytics provider
- Whether information is shared with other organizations
- How long information is kept
- What choices or rights visitors may have
- How someone can contact you with a privacy question
If you add a newsletter, analytics tool, advertising service, or new form, revisit the policy. A copied template that describes a different website won’t accurately explain your own.
Cookies and tracking: check what loads on your site
Cookies and similar technologies can do different jobs. Some remember a visitor’s choices; others may be used for analytics or advertising. The rules and consent controls can depend on the technology, its purpose, and the locations involved.
For the EU, official guidance explains that some cookies may require prior consent, while certain cookies that are strictly necessary for a service requested by a visitor are treated differently. Where consent is required, people should receive clear information about the cookies and their purposes. europa.eu
Start by checking what your site loads. Include tools added by plugins, themes, and embedded content, not just the services you remember installing. Then check which local requirements apply. Cookie information can be included in a privacy policy or provided on a separate page, depending on your setup and applicable rules.
Don’t assume your site has no tracking because you didn’t add it yourself. A plugin, analytics service, advertising network, or video embed may introduce cookies or similar tools.
Terms of use: explain the rules for using your site
A Terms of Use or Terms and Conditions page can explain how visitors may use your website. It might cover:
- Who owns the site’s original content
- Acceptable use of the website
- Links to other websites
- How visitors can report a problem
- What the site does and does not promise to provide
Don’t assume the same terms are required for every website, or that a generic template fits your business. Check local requirements and consider whether features such as user accounts, paid services, or visitor-submitted content call for tailored terms.
Disclaimers: set clear expectations
A disclaimer can help readers understand the scope of your content. Depending on your site, it might explain that:
- Some links may earn a commission
- Results from a product or business model can vary
- Information is general and may not suit every reader
- A guide is not a substitute for professional advice, where that distinction is relevant
A disclaimer doesn’t automatically fix an unclear disclosure or make every claim acceptable. Keep your statements accurate, and check whether your location or subject area calls for specific notices.
Contact and site-owner information: give people a way to reach you
A Contact page can help readers, brands, and service providers get in touch. An About page can explain who runs the site and what visitors can expect from it.
These pages don’t replace a privacy policy or affiliate disclosure. They can, however, make a site easier to understand and give people a clear place to ask a question. Check whether the rules that apply to you require particular business or contact details.
New website features can mean new requirements
The pages you need to review may change as your site grows. Take another look if you:
- Sell your own products, courses, or services
- Accept payments or create user accounts
- Send newsletters or other marketing emails
- Allow comments, reviews, or other visitor-submitted content
- Run a giveaway or contest
- Publish content in a sensitive or regulated subject area
- Start intentionally serving readers in new countries
A new feature can change what information you collect or which rules apply. Revisit your policies when the site changes, rather than waiting until the pages are obviously outdated.
A practical way to review your legal pages
You don’t have to solve everything in one sitting. Work through the site in a clear order:
- List your locations. Note where you live or operate and the regions you target.
- List your tools. Include forms, email services, analytics, ads, plugins, embeds, and affiliate networks.
- Review the relevant pages. Check your affiliate disclosure, privacy policy, cookie information, terms, disclaimers, and contact details.
- Compare the wording with your real setup. Update anything that no longer describes the site accurately.
- Check where information appears. Make disclosures easy to notice near recommendations and link policies where visitors may need them.
- Test on a phone. Check that text is readable, links work, and any consent controls are usable.
- Look up local requirements. Use official guidance for your location, audience, and website activities.
- Review again after changes. New tools, forms, markets, or business models may affect what you need to explain.
If you are still planning the website itself, continue with a guide to how to create a niche website that makes money. If you are collecting email subscribers, read how to make money with an email list without spamming your subscribers.
Mistakes that can leave readers confused
Treating the checklist as a universal legal answer
This list helps you identify what to review. Your location, audience, and website features determine what applies to your situation.
Hiding the affiliate disclosure in the footer
A footer link to an Affiliate Disclosure page can be useful, but readers may also need a notice near the recommendation itself. FTC guidance for affiliate relationships within its scope emphasizes clarity and proximity. www.ftc.gov
Using a generic policy that doesn’t match your tools
If your privacy policy says you don’t use analytics but your site loads an analytics tool, the two no longer match.
Assuming all cookies work the same way
Requirements can depend on a cookie’s purpose and the rules that apply to your site. Check the tools you use before deciding what your policy or consent setup should say.
Forgetting to update the pages
A policy can become outdated when you add a plugin, change email providers, use advertising, or start targeting another region. Set a reminder to review it when your site changes.
Questions site owners often ask
“Do all affiliate websites need the same legal pages?”
No. There isn’t one list that applies to every affiliate website everywhere. What you need to review depends on where you live, who your site serves, what information it handles, and how it earns money. Use a checklist to identify questions, then verify the requirements that apply to you.
“Is an Affiliate Disclosure page enough?”
Not necessarily. A separate page can explain your affiliate relationships, but readers may also need a disclosure close to the recommendation. The FTC’s guidance for affiliate links in the United States emphasizes clear disclosure near the recommendation.
“Does every website need a cookie banner?”
There isn’t one answer for every site and visitor. It can depend on the cookies or similar technologies your site uses, their purpose, and the rules that apply. EU guidance, for example, distinguishes certain strictly necessary cookies from some that require consent.
“Can I use a free policy template?”
A template can help you see which topics to consider, but it may not fit your location, tools, or business model. Check that it matches your website and verify local requirements before using it.
“Do I need a lawyer to create these pages?”
That depends on your situation. If your site handles sensitive information, serves several regions, sells products, or uses complex tracking, professional advice may help you understand your obligations. For straightforward questions, start with official guidance from the relevant authorities in your location.
“How often should I review my policies?”
Revisit them when you change your tools, forms, advertising, affiliate relationships, products, or target regions. It’s also useful to check periodically that the pages still describe how the website works.
Products / Tools / Resources
- FTC guidance on affiliate links and endorsements — U.S. guidance on explaining affiliate relationships and placing disclosures.
- European Commission: Application of the GDPR — Official information on when GDPR may apply to organizations inside or outside the EU.
- Your Europe: Cookies and online privacy — EU guidance on cookie purposes, consent, and visitor information.
- Your local data-protection or consumer-protection authority — Check for rules and guidance specific to where you live and the regions you serve.
- Your site’s plugin and service list — Review your WordPress plugins, theme, analytics, email platform, advertising tools, embeds, and affiliate networks to see what your policies need to describe.