Adding Legal Pages (Privacy Policy, Terms, Cookie Policy)
Learn how to add essential legal pages to your website to protect your business, meet legal requirements, and build trust with your visitors. This lesson explains the purpose of each page, what to include, and how to add or generate them in WordPress.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the purpose of legal pages and why every website needs them.
- Know what to include in Privacy Policies, Terms & Conditions, and Cookie Policies.
- Create legal pages using templates or built-in WordPress tools.
- Link legal pages correctly in your footer and compliance banners.
- Ensure your site meets basic GDPR and privacy standards.
Why Legal Pages Matter
Legal pages protect your business and inform visitors how their data is handled. They are required in most countries if you collect any personal data—including contact forms, analytics, or cookies.
Legal Pages Help You:
- Comply with laws such as GDPR, CCPA, and global privacy regulations.
- Build trust with users by being transparent.
- Clarify rules for using your website or purchasing services.
- Avoid fines, penalties, or disputes.
The Three Legal Pages Every Website Needs
1. Privacy Policy (Required by law)
Explains how you collect, use, store, and protect personal data.
Typically includes:
- What information you collect (forms, cookies, analytics)
- How that information is used
- Who you share data with (e.g., hosting providers, email services)
- User rights (access, deletion, correction)
- Cookie usage disclosure
- How to contact you for privacy requests
2. Terms & Conditions (Optional but recommended)
Sets the rules for using your website, services, or products.
Typically includes:
- Website usage rules
- Intellectual property and content ownership
- Disclaimers (no guarantees, not liable for damages)
- Payment or refund terms (if applicable)
- Governing law
3. Cookie Policy (Required for sites using cookies)
If your site uses cookies (analytics, ads, tracking), you must disclose this.
Typically includes:
- What cookies are used on the site
- Why they are used (analytics, personalization, ads)
- How users can opt out or manage cookies
- How long cookies last
How to Generate Legal Pages in WordPress
WordPress has a built-in Privacy Policy generator you can use as a starting point.
To Create a Privacy Policy:
- Go to Settings → Privacy.
- Click Create or Use Page.
- Review the generated template and customize it.
- Publish the page.
For Terms & Conditions and Cookie Policy:
WordPress does not auto-generate these pages, but you can:
- Use a legal page generator (example: built-in from your theme, plugin tools).
- Use templates provided by privacy or cookie plugins.
- Hire legal help for custom pages if needed.
Recommended Plugins for Legal Pages & Compliance
These tools make compliance easier:
- Complianz (Full cookie + privacy solution)
- CookieYes (Cookie banner + policy)
- Termly (Hosted legal policies + banners)
- WP AutoTerms (Basic legal page templates)
Most offer built-in generators for Privacy Policy, Terms, and Cookie Policy.
Where to Place Legal Pages on Your Site
Legal pages should always be easy to find.
Best Placement Options:
- Footer Menu: Standard placement for all legal links.
- Cookie Banner: Link to Cookie Policy.
- Contact Page: Link to Privacy Policy near forms.
- Checkout or Forms: Consent checkbox linking to Privacy Policy.
Important: Never hide or bury legal pages—they must be accessible from every page.
Basic GDPR-Friendly Practices
- Use an SSL certificate (https://).
- Add a consent checkbox to forms.
- Disclose third-party tools (Google Analytics, fonts, email providers).
- Allow users to request deletion or correction of their data.
- Add a cookie consent banner if using cookies.
Starter Templates You Can Use
Privacy Policy (Short Intro)
“This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our website. By accessing our site, you agree to the terms described below.”
Terms & Conditions (Short Intro)
“By accessing and using this website, you accept and agree to be bound by the following terms and conditions. Please read them carefully.”
Cookie Policy (Short Intro)
“This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, how we use them on our site, and how you can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings.”
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Copying legal text from another website.
- Publishing legal pages but not linking them anywhere.
- Not adding a privacy checkbox to forms.
- Using analytics or cookies without a cookie banner.
- Failing to update policies when tools or services change.
Activity: Add Legal Pages to Your Website
- Create your Privacy Policy using WordPress’s built-in generator.
- Create or upload a Terms & Conditions page.
- Create a Cookie Policy using a plugin or template.
- Add all three pages to your footer menu.
- Enable a cookie banner using a plugin like Complianz or CookieYes.
Deliverable: Submit links to your three legal pages and a screenshot of your cookie banner.