If you are just getting started with your online business or blog, you need to have a number of rock solid contracts for your small business.

In this post I will share with you 8 of the top contracts for creatives that you need for your website, as well as some of the top clauses that you must include in those contracts to make sure your legal rights are protected.

Many small business and online entrepreneurs severely underestimate the importance of having legal contracts in their business.

But like it or not, almost every aspect of your business (or even your day to day lives) is governed by a variety of contractual relationships. 

Whether you are an independent artist or running multiple creative businesses, having a number of solid contracts in place is vital to your overall success as a creative entrepreneur.

But you don’t need to attend law school, or even hire a lawyer to get a well-drafted contract for your business (although as a lawyer, I typically recommend it).

That’s because there are a variety of really good legal templates that can be found online for a fraction of the cost of hiring a lawyer to draft a custom contract for you. So whether you are running a photography business or building out an e-commerce website, you can make sure you are protected.

Here are 8 of the legal contract templates you should be considering for your creative entrepreneurship business.

#1 Custom Contract for Professional Services

Most people that are just getting started online are still offering freelance and 1x1 client services. If you fall into this category, you must have a custom contract that you can use with your clients.

Many creative professionals completely neglect having a solid contract template that they can use to protect themselves in their business relationships. But purchasing a custom professional services contract (or even hiring a lawyer to draft one for you) is the best investment you can make in your business and will provide you with peace of mind that your creative work is protected and that you have a solid foundation for your creative business.

Not only does it make tremendous legal sense to have your own contract for your professional services business, a solid contract can increase your prestige in the market and potentially lead to lucrative partnerships that will pay for the investment in your custom contract many times over.

So if you are just getting started with your online business and you intend to bring on private clients, you absolutely must have a professional looking custom contract that you can send to potential clients on a moment’s notice.

#2 Independent Contractor Agreement

Once you start to build your online business, you may decide that you need to hire a graphic designer, a website designer, a virtual assistant or someone in any number of creative fields that you do not have an expertise in.

When this happens, you must be ready with an independent contractor agreement. An independent contractor agreement will outline what your contractors will do for you as their client, how much and how often you will pay them, and make sure that you own all of the intellectual property rights to their work.

Many creative entrepreneurs piece these contracts together with information they find online, but this is a huge mistake. There is nothing worse than a poorly written independent contractor agreement (or any other type of poorly written contract, for that matter).

A bad contract is not worth the paper it is written on, and if you ever get into a disagreement with your contractor it could actually be used against you in future legal proceedings. 

Here is an affordable independent contractor agreement template that you can put to use immediately in your business for all of your current and future contractor hires.

#3 A Privacy Policy for Your Website

I am amazed at how many websites I visit where businesses are collecting personal information from visitors, but still have not placed a privacy policy on their site.

It is truly baffling.

This is the single most important contract you need for your creative business because failing to include a privacy policy on your website is not only against the law in the United States as well as in the European Union, but it is just a bad business practice.

How could a potential client or customer take you seriously as a legitimate business if you don’t have even the most basic of contracts on your website in 2022?

If you are reading this and realize that you don’t have a privacy policy on your website, stop everything and download this privacy policy template today.

#4 An Operating Agreement for Your LLC

I highly recommend forming an LLC for your creative online business as soon as you can. Preferably before you even have clients or are generating any revenue.

And when you set up an LLC, you must have a proper Operating Agreement in place. This will allow you to open a bank account, take out a loan for your business, or even apply for a credit card. It is also vitally important in the unlikely event that your business gets into legal trouble.

Here is an LLC operating agreement template that you can put to use in your business today.

There are a number of reasons for why I recommend this, most notably because it is easier to set up a limited liability company (LLC) now than after your creative business gets busy. In addition, it will make you look more professional to have an LLC behind your website, and it will give you a mental shift that says “I have a legitimate online business” rather than just another side hustle or hobby.

If you would like to learn more about why I think it is important to set up your LLC from the beginning, watch this video:

 

 

The first thing you must do after you set up your LLC is apply for an EIN with the IRS. The second thing you need to do is write up an operating agreement template for your LLC.

Don’t skip this important contract!

#5 A Website Terms of Service

A website terms of service is almost as important as a privacy policy for your online business.

And while it is not legally required, it is vitally important as a way to protect your intellectual property and govern the use of your website by visitors.

Not to mention, it will provide a jurisdictional clause and important legal disclaimers in the event someone tries to sue you based on the information you provide on your website.

Here is a great website terms of service legal template that you can plug and play into your website.

#6 Social Media Policy and Disclaimers

Almost all creative entrepreneurs have a heavy social media presence. And while most social media platforms have their own terms of use, you may still want to include your own social media policies and legal disclaimers on your own website, and link to these policies in your social media bios.

So whether you are posting on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or even creating YouTube videos, having a social media policy in place is a smart move.

#7 Employment Contract

When you are ready to hire that first employee, you will want to make sure you have an employment contract in place. Many US states are employment at will states, meaning that you can fire someone (or they can quit) at any time for any reason that is not illegal.

And without an employment contract in place, you likely will have no protections against that employee stealing your intellectual property and the creative works they made for your business. You may also have trade secrets, business processes and systems and other things that you want to retain privacy rights over. Not to mention that you may want to prohibit an employee from going to work for a competitor (or even starting their own business that competes with you) and steals your clients. 

An employment contract can assist you in protecting these rights and allow you to obtain injunctive relief against a former employee that is looking to rip you off or violate your employment policies.

Click here for an employment contract you can use in your business.

#8 Podcast Guest Agreement

Are you running a podcast? Do you have guests on that podcast?

If so, then you likely will need a podcast guest agreement.

Again, this is a contract that will protect your intellectual property and says to the guest that they can use their name and likeness in promoting your podcast. Without this contract, if your relationship with the guest breaks down, then you could have legal issues. 

Here is a podcast guest agreement that you can use for your podcast.

#9 Social Media Management Agreement

Are you a social media manager? If you're running someone's Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook account, you're essentially the voice of their brand. A social media management agreement outlines exactly what you're responsible for, how many posts you’ll create per week, who provides the content or images, how metrics will be tracked, and most importantly, how you’ll get paid. It also helps avoid that awkward moment when a client thinks they’re hiring you for everything but only wants to pay you for 2 posts a month.

#10 Content Creation Agreement

Content creators and ghostwriters—this one’s for you. Whether you’re writing blog posts, filming b-roll for Youtubers, or ghostwriting LinkedIn content, this agreement should define the scope of your work, deadlines, payment terms, and ownership rights. It’s especially helpful when you’re creating content for a brand but don’t want to lose credit (or control) of your work.

#11 Podcast Guest Release Form

Starting a podcast? Thinking about having guests on your show? Don’t skip this important document. A guest release form gives you permission to record, edit, and distribute interviews with your guests. It also gives your ownership and control over the copyright to your podcast and protects you if someone decides they want their episode pulled after the fact or doesn't like how the interview went. A simple one-page contract can save you a LOT of headaches later on.

#12 Photography Services Agreement

Whether you shoot weddings, families or babies - as a photographer you don’t want start a shoot without this signed document. A photography agreement should clarify what you're shooting, how many images the client will receive, when they’ll get them, and what happens if something goes wrong (weather, cancellations, etc.). It’s also where you specify whether clients get print rights or commercial usage. You can also include clauses that dictate how many edits the client is entitled to and what the fees for those edits or prints will be. And like the podcast release form, you will want to make sure the client signs away their copyright rights to you, and gives you permission to use their photos for future promotions or on your website.

#13 Brand Ambassador Agreement

More and more brands are working with micro-influencers and brand ambassadors. If you’re promoting a company in exchange for free products, commissions, or fees, you need a contract. This agreement defines the relationship, content requirements, payment terms (or perks), FTC compliance, and how long you’re tied to the brand.

#14 Graphic Design Contract

Designers are some of the most ghosted creatives I know. A solid graphic design agreement includes project timelines, fee deadlines based on milestones (so you don't do a bunch of work without getting paid), limits on the number of revisions, file types, and what’s included in your scope of work. Bonus: it gives you leverage when clients try to squeeze "just one more logo tweak" out of you.

#15 Digital Product Licensing Agreement

Selling templates, ebooks, or stock photos? This agreement defines how your digital product can be used (personal vs. commercial use), whether reselling is allowed, and what happens if someone violates your terms. It helps protect your passive income from people who think “digital” means “free.”

#16 Speaking Engagement Agreement

If you’re hosting webinars as a co-presenter or joint venture, appearing at summits for a fee, or flying to speak at events, you need a speaking agreement. It spells out your speaking fee, travel reimbursements, recording and copyright rights, and what happens if the event gets canceled or postponed. It also helps prevent any “you said you'd speak for 90 minutes!” confusion.

#17 Virtual Assistant (VA) Agreement

VAs are the backbone of many online businesses. This contract sets expectations around task delivery, communication methods (hello, boundaries), response times, and hourly or retainer-based fees. It's especially important when you’re handling sensitive logins or confidential business info.

#18 Course Creator Agreement

Creating a course with a partner or for a brand as a consultant or online business manager? This agreement outlines content ownership, revenue sharing, branding rights, and what happens if someone wants out of the partnership later on. It’s also a must-have if you’re ghost-creating a course for someone else.

#19 Affiliate Agreement

Running your own affiliate program or joining someone else’s? An affiliate agreement sets the rules for commissions, tracking, payout schedules, and what kind of promotions are allowed. It’s the fine print that protects your brand and keeps your affiliates happy (and compliant).

#20 Retainer Agreement

If you offer ongoing services—like monthly design support, website maintenance or weekly copywriting—a retainer agreement helps lock in consistent revenue and protects your time. It defines how many hours are included, what happens to unused hours, and whether your retainer auto-renews. Predictable income, here you come.

#21 Web Design Agreement

Just like graphic design projects (or really any project that relies on a subjective deliverable), web design projects can get messy without clear expectations. This agreement lays out your deliverables (number of site pages, plugins, mobile responsiveness), revision rounds, project phases, and tech handoffs. It’s also where you clarify whether you’ll provide ongoing support post-launch of your client's website.

#22 Email Marketing Services Agreement

Email marketers are in high demand—and high risk if something goes wrong. This contract covers campaign responsibilities, A/B testing, platform access, and list privacy. It also helps define success metrics upfront (because open rates don’t always tell the full story).

#23 Testimonial Release Form

Using a glowing client testimonial on your website? Make it official. A testimonial release form gives you permission to publish your client's name, photo, and a quote. It’s short, sweet, and protects you in case they later want their kind words taken down.

NOTE: I wrote this post as a list that I will use to create all of the above contract templates for sale. So if there is no link listed currently, please notify me and we will create a template for you at a discounted rate.

Important Contract Terms for Your Legal Templates

Whether you decide to purchase one of the legal templates listed in this post or attempt to draft your own legal contracts, there are certain clauses and contract terms that are best practice to include in any legal document. Here are just a few elements of a good contract, with a brief explanation of what they do.

Choice of Law Provision

Every jurisdiction (i.e. state or country) has its own set of laws. There can frequently be conflicts between what the law says in one state versus what the law says in another state. A choice of law clause states what law governs the interpretation of your contract.

It will frequently sound like this:

“The validity, interpretation and/or enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of [STATE], including its recognition of applicable federal law, but excluding such jurisdiction’s choice of law rules.”

Cancellation Clause or Termination Provision

A cancellation clause is just what it sounds like. It is a clause that indicates under what conditions or circumstances the contract can be terminated.

You can write these clauses such that it is difficult to terminate a contract, or easy to terminate a contract. 

Force Majeure

These clauses became all the rage at the beginning of the COVID pandemic because many in person events had to be canceled for completely unexpected reasons, i.e. the pandemic.

Many existing contracts did not list a pandemic in their force majeure clause, and some contracts didn’t include a force majeure clause at all.

A force majeure clause outlines what happens when a contract cannot be performed as a result of a specific event or specific problem that was unanticipated or beyond the control of the parties to an agreement. These could include acts of war, acts of God (i.e. storms, earthquakes, fire, etc.), and yes, a global pandemic.

Here is an example of a force majeure clause that you can use in your contracts:

“Neither party shall be held liable or responsible to the other party nor be deemed to have defaulted under or breached this Agreement for failure or delay in fulfilling or performing any obligation under this Agreement when such failure or delay is caused by or results from causes beyond the reasonable control of the affected party, including but not limited to fire, floods, embargoes, war, acts of war, insurrections, riots, strikes, lockouts or other labor disturbances, or acts of God; provided, however, that the party so affected shall use reasonable commercial efforts to avoid or remove such causes of nonperformance, and shall continue performance hereunder with reasonable dispatch whenever such causes are removed. Either party shall provide the other party with prompt written notice of any delay or failure to perform that occurs by reason of force majeure.”

Source: American Bar Association

What Happens if there are Late Payments or Breach?

Many contracts are written such that one person or party will perform certain services in exchange for monetary compensation. 

But what happens when the person or organization that is supposed to pay is habitually late with their payments or stops paying altogether?

Typically, this would be considered a breach of the contract. But there are times when non-payment is excusable, such as if the person providing the services stopped providing them. Or if the services were unsatisfactory. 

You should have a clause in your contract that indicates what happens if payments are late or if they stop altogether.

How to Purchase Legal Templates for your Creative Business

The One Stop Legal Contract Shop is a great place to start and get all the contracts you need for your online business. We sell legal templates that are different from the types provided by other online contract shops.  

Most online contract shops will sell you a word document that has multiple clauses and instructions contained within the document itself.

When you purchase a legal template from One Stop Legal, you will receive some instructions as well as a link to an online contract template form. 

This form will allow you to enter all of the information needed to complete your contract, and give you options to include the clauses you need, and keep out the clauses you don’t. Once you finish the online form, you will be able to download a legal document that is 95% of the way completed. All you need to do is read it over, make sure all the information is correct, and then upload it to your favorite contract software or convert it into a PDF document that you can use with your clients, employees, or contractors.

Hiring a contract attorney or other legal professionals will frequently cost you many thousands of dollars, and while we won’t discourage you from hiring our sister law firm if that is what you need, we also want you to have the right contracts at the right price for where you are as a business.

This is not Legal Advice

I realize it goes without saying, but One Stop Legal is not a law firm, and no attorney-client relationship is formed just because you have read this post. This post is for informational purposes only, and if you require additional legal support or advice you may click here to schedule a strategy session with a lawyer from The Hart Law Firm, P.A.

If you require additional legal expertise or legal resources, please contact our sister law firm for expert contract negotiation skills and assistance with any of your business related legal needs. Stop worrying about the legal stuff and hire a business lawyer instead.