Creating legal pages for your WordPress website

Legal pages might not be the most exciting part of setting up your site, but they're an important step! Pages like your Privacy Policy, Terms and Conditions, and Disclosures help build trust and keep your site compliant with federal laws.

Since every website has different needs, 17th Avenue WordPress themes do not come with predefined legal pages. The type of pages you'll need depends on how you use your site. For example, an online shop may need Terms and Conditions or a Return Policy, while a simple personal blog may only need a Privacy Policy.

This guide will walk you through a few helpful tools and plugins for creating these pages. Please note that this article is for informational purposes only and doesn’t constitute legal advice. If you're unsure about what's required for your website, we recommend consulting a legal professional.

Common Types of Legal Pages

Here are a few types of pages you might consider adding to your site:

  • Privacy Policy: Explains what personal data you collect (e.g. contact forms, analytics, newsletter sign-ups) and how it's used.
  • Terms and Conditions: Outlines your site's rules, limitations of liability, and user obligations.
  • Affiliate Disclosure: Required if you share affiliate links, explaining that you may earn commissions from purchases made through those links.
  • Cookie Policy: Details your use of cookies or tracking tools and allows visitors to manage consent preferences.
  • Return/Refund Policy: Common for online shops selling physical or digital products.

Creating Legal Pages

You can easily create these pages using one of the following options:

Online Legal Page Generators

If you don’t already have policies in place, there are many online tools can help you generate customized documents:

Each generator offers both free and paid options depending on your needs.

WordPress Plugins

There are plugins can that help you manage and display legal notices directly within WordPress:

  • WP AutoTerms – Helps you create and manage Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions, and Disclosure pages.
  • Complianz – Cookie consent banners and privacy compliance based on region.
  • CookieYes – Another excellent option for cookie and privacy consent management.

WordPress Privacy Policy Template

WordPress also includes a built-in Privacy Policy page generator under Settings > Privacy. This provides a basic starting point with suggested sections you can edit and expand to fit your site's specific needs.

Adding Legal Pages to Your Website

Once your pages are generated:

  1. Go to Pages > Add New in your WordPress dashboard.
  2. Paste your generated text and publish the page.
  3. Add links to these pages in your navigation menu or footer menu (most common) so visitors can easily find them.

Final Note

There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to legal pages, so start with what makes sense for your unique site and build from there. Having the right policies in place not only helps your visitors feel informed, but also keeps your site compliant with privacy and data regulations.