Here you can learn why, how and when to be approved as a doTERRA certified site. If you have a doTERRA website of any kind that’s not the free virtual office everyone has, it needs to be certified and have the doTERRA certified site seal on every page. If you don’t already have a doTERRA blog separate from the free one, click here to learn why and how to get started with that.
The seal looks like this (notice how you can click on it and verify it’s actually certified and someone didn’t just put the seal on without it actually being approved?):
Why should I be a doTERRA certified site?
- First of all, per doTERRA’s policy manual12.D.9b, you may not link to your doTERRA replicated website until you are a doTERRA certified site.
- The seal certifies that you are approved to use the dōTERRA trademark on your website and that your site is fully compliant.
- When you have the seal on your site, doTERRA regularly scans your site to make sure it’s compliant. I like this because it’s really hard to be 100% compliant and every once in a while someone will comment or I’ll say something that’s not totally compliant and it feels good knowing that doTERRA has my back and lets me know so I can hurry and fix it before I get in trouble with the FDA or a reader.
- All doTERRA sites should want to be certified to show the FDA that we are trying to be compliant so that doTERRA corporate doesn’t get in trouble for not being compliant and cause something drastic to happen to doTERRA or all essential oil companies.
It comes with these privileges:
- You are able to use doTERRA trademarks in any way you would like on your site. This means you are able to include pictures of the oils, talk about our trademarked blends using their name rather than a generic name, and help people know which brand you love and trust the most.
- You can share your my doTERRA link on your website which helps build your team and give them a friend to learn and grow from.
- The Certified seal on your site also gives you the ability to link to your Facebook and Instagram pages so that all of your online presence is linked and easy for your followers to find.
- Having the seal also gives you permission to post videos to YouTube or Vimeo discussing the benefits of the oils, as long as it’s compliant, of course.
- Being in the program puts you on the Weekly Drops of Wisdom email list from doTERRA with ideas to help you be able to boost your content in a compliant way. Unfortunately, after you get on the mailing list, you don’t get access to all the great emails corporate sent in the past, so I’m in the process of putting them on my blog for you. You can see them all here.
There are a few guidelines you need to follow to be a doTERRA certified site:
- You only NEED to be a certified site if you are in the United States. If you are not, it is still a good idea to submit your site and have doTERRA look at it. They will look it over and give you some guidelines to follow.
- You cannot use the word doTERRA or any of its trademarks, such as Slim & Sassy or CPTG in the title, subtitle or header of your site. It needs to be very clear that you are a Wellness Advocate and not doTERRA corporate.
- It needs to have completely compliant language on the entire site, including the comments, videos, email list, etc. You can learn more about compliant language here – How to Be Compliant When Selling doTERRA Essential Oils
- You are welcome to sell through your personal online store. This means you may purchase the product directly from doTERRA at wholesale prices and not alter it in any way, including separating it from a kit, and resale it for at least wholesale plus 10% (see doTERRA’s minimum advertised price policy for more details on pricing). You are responsible for the shopping cart, taking payment, communicating with the customer and shipping the item.
- dōTERRA is not able to approve homemade products following section 5 J of our policies which state: Repackaging Prohibited. Wellness Advocates may not print their own labels or repackage dōTERRA products. Products are to be sold in their original packaging only. For instance, Wellness Advocates may not resell individual parts of a kit separately from the original kit packaging unless the Company has established a wholesale price for the individual part. Similarly, Wellness Advocates may not advertise the use of dōTERRA oils as ingredients to non dōTERRA products, such as components of a separate product or ingredients in food recipes, without the written consent of the Company. The use of the dōTERRA name by a Wellness Advocate is governed by Section 12 of this Policy Manual.
- Wellness Advocates are welcome to share their own recipes for our products for home use, but should not sell or attribute those finished products as dōTERRA products.
- You must include a disclaimer and privacy policy and may not spam.
- You may not give away any free gift that is in addition to any doTERRA corporate promotion, because this devalues doTERRA’s products and creates an unfair advantage.
See the policy manual 12.D.9 for complete details of all the policies. If anyone has specific questions, feel free to send their concerns to [email protected]
When should I apply to become a doTERRA certified site? Should I put generic stuff on my blog until it’s all done, then apply and switch to doTERRA-brand information?
First of all, per doTERRA’s policy manual12.D.9b, you may not link to your doTERRA replicated website until you are a doTERRA certified site.
doTERRA prefers you apply for registration or approval prior to using their name or products photos, but they will approve your website if it already has doTERRa information, as long as your website is compliant. It’s best to apply for approval or certification first before you start writing about doTERRA. Then they have your site in their database. You will get approved. Then you can start talking about their products, use their images, and link to your doTERRA replicated website.
At least at the time I applied, it only took them a few days to approve it. And then once they approve it, they scan it regularly and check all your new posts and make sure they are good, so there’s no reason to wait.
How do I apply?
Apply here to get your seal and be certified – https://doterracertifiedsite.com/registration
Does this also count for Instagram accounts?
As far as I know, the only thing you need to do for Instagram accounts is not using any doTERRA branding or trademarks in your Instagram name and make sure and always use compliant language in all your posts.
So you’re saying: write an article or two or three. Use the Doterra in your content. Show photos of Doterra products. Do NOT link to your Doterra provided store. In other words, break two rules (Using Doterra products, using the name Doterra) and give away information about the products, but don’t give anyone a way to buy them from you. Then apply to be a Doterra Certified site. Get permission to link to your Doterra-provided website so people can order; use the badge.
That’s the way to do it?
I have written one article using words like “Protective Blend” instead of On Guard. I am linking to my online Doterra provided site and then I will apply for certification. Will that work?
It is so dang confusing! 🙂
Thank you!
There’s basically no way to do it without breaking doTERRA’s own rules. It’s pretty crazy. How you’ve done it should be fine.
Thank you… I FINALLY found someone to talk to. I emailed the company, then finally got a response and even a phone call from them. Officially, they told me that they prefer you apply for registration or approval prior to using their name or products photos, but that they will approve you if you are not making non-compliant claims. The woman I spoke with said that it’s best to apply for approval or certification first, before you start writing about Doterra. Then they have your site in their database. You will get approved. Then you can start talking about their products, use their images, and link to your site.
They have software which actually scans the site for non-compliant verbiage on a regular basis.
Boy, it’s so complicated, but in a lot of ways it’s not. 😛
Thank you! 🙂
Thanks so much for figuring this out and telling me. I’m sure it will help other people!
Does your website need to only be about oils? I have another blog that isn’t oil related (but the two topics go together). I was thinking of just adding a new section. But if I want to have it certified, maybe I need an entire new blog?
Your website can definitely have other things besides oils on it. In fact, it can be a good way to draw in people with common interests. doTERRA will just ignore the blog posts that don’t talk about oils. I would definitely stick with one blog.