The Benefits of Making Your Blog an LLC
With today’s widespread internet usage, blogging remains a popular form of self-expression, where anyone can talk about things that pique their interest. Tumblr alone hosted roughly 500 million blogs as of April 2020, while WordPress boasts more than 200 billion monthly page views on its platform.
For some people, blogging might have started out as a personal hobby. But as your online presence grows, you’ll find that more and more considerations start popping up, such as how to monetize your website or how to get your own domain name. Eventually, you may want to start treating your blog as a full-fledged business, and that entails dealing with paperwork and all the legal implications that follow.
This can be overwhelming at first, so it’s best to take it step-by-step. To start, you’ll need to decide on a business structure for your blogging business. Many bloggers opt for a limited liability company structure or LLC. And we’ve outlined a few reasons why:
LLCs offer asset protection
Creating unique content for the internet may seem enjoyable at first. However, some bloggers fail to realize that once you become more established and start forging partnerships with brands, there’s an increased chance of instigating legal action against your blog. Selling services, affiliate marketing, or even just writing a product review can all become reasons for someone to sue you.
One of the main benefits of an LLC is that you protect your own assets from legal damages by treating the blog as an entirely separate entity. In other words, any liability will fall on the business itself, and not its owner.
LLC registration improves reputability
With the sheer number of bloggers in various niches littering cyberspace, registering your blog as an LLC can be a good way to distinguish yourself from the crowd.
Doing so means you’ve taken the time to complete the requirements and pay the necessary fees to properly organize your website’s business structure. Presenting your blog as a business adds credibility and professionalism that most potential advertisers would find attractive, possibly leading to more future partnerships.
In line with maintaining your blog’s reputability, it’s also important to protect the original content you’ve produced. There’s no shortage of content grabbers on the internet who would steal your hard work in order to profit themselves. Luckily, some social media platforms have made it easier to file copyright disputes to ensure credit for media like images and videos go to the rightful owners.
LLCs help you stay in good government standing
Once your blog has been registered as an LLC, you can now apply to get your Employer Identification Number or EIN. This is the business equivalent of a Social Security number and is required by many brands that may want to work with you.
To obtain an EIN, you’ll need to complete a quick interview-style online application. Apart from showing that your business is duly registered, getting an EIN also helps ensure that you stay on top of your tax returns to maintain a good government standing.
Making an income through blogging isn’t for everyone. It takes plenty of dedication, grit, and research to start earning from a website. But if you’re determined enough to follow through on your plans, you’ll be rewarded with a job you enjoy that also pays the bills.