How to Copyright a Website (Content, Code & Design)
A website is a bundle of copyrightable parts — text, images, code, and design — each protected automatically. Here's what you can protect, what you can't, and how to keep dated proof of your work.
A website is many works at once
Copyright applies separately to the original elements of a site:
- Written content (articles, copy) — literary works.
- Images, graphics, and layout/design — visual works.
- Source code — protected as a literary work too.
What copyright doesn't cover: the underlying ideas, functionality, or general layout conventions, and your domain name (that's a registration/trademark matter, not copyright).
Registering a website
You can register site content with the U.S. Copyright Office at copyright.gov — text on Form TX, visual elements on Form VA. Because sites change often, people typically register a significant version or specific high-value content rather than every update.
Timestamp versions as proof
Websites are scraped and cloned constantly. A blockchain timestamp lets you prove a specific version of your content or code existed on a date. Export your content or zip your codebase and timestamp it with BlockchainSign — hashed in your browser, recorded on Ethereum, returned as a lifetime certificate. It's a lightweight way to keep dated proof across redesigns without re-registering each time.