What Is an Affiliate Disclosure?
Affiliate marketing allows bloggers, website owners, social media creators, and online entrepreneurs to earn money by recommending products and services. When someone clicks an affiliate link and completes a qualifying purchase, the affiliate may receive a commission. However, there is something every affiliate marketer should understand before promoting products: affiliate disclosure.
An affiliate disclosure is a statement that tells readers, viewers, or followers that you may earn a commission or receive another benefit when they purchase a product through your recommendation. It helps people understand your relationship with the companies whose products you promote.
For example, imagine that you write a blog post recommending a website hosting service. You include a special affiliate link that allows the company to track referrals. If a reader clicks the link and purchases a hosting plan, you may earn a commission.
An affiliate disclosure informs the reader about this financial relationship before they decide whether to follow your recommendation.
Although it may seem like a small detail, an affiliate disclosure is an important part of building trust, maintaining transparency, and following applicable advertising rules. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) explains that affiliate relationships should be disclosed clearly and conspicuously so consumers can evaluate recommendations with the relevant information. (Federal Trade Commission)
Whether you are launching your first affiliate marketing website or already publishing product reviews, understanding affiliate disclosures can help you create more transparent and professional content.
In this guide, you will learn what an affiliate disclosure is, why it matters, where to place it, how to write one, and which common mistakes you should avoid.
What Does an Affiliate Disclosure Mean?
An affiliate disclosure is a short explanation of your financial or other relevant relationship with a company whose products or services you recommend.
In affiliate marketing, this usually means telling your audience that you may receive a commission if they purchase through certain links.
For example, a blogger might include this statement at the beginning of an article:
Affiliate Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
This statement explains three important things:
- The article contains affiliate links.
- The website owner may receive a commission from qualifying purchases.
- The reader generally does not pay an additional amount because of that commission.
The wording can vary depending on your affiliate arrangements, but the main purpose remains the same: helping your audience understand that you have a relationship with the companies you recommend.
An affiliate disclosure is not the same as an ordinary website disclaimer. A general disclaimer may explain the limits of your information or the risks associated with using your website. An affiliate disclosure specifically addresses your relationship with advertisers or merchants.
Similarly, an affiliate disclosure is not a guarantee that every product you recommend is suitable for every reader. It simply communicates relevant information about your relationship with the company.
Why Is an Affiliate Disclosure Important?
Affiliate disclosures offer several benefits for both website owners and their audiences.
1. It Builds Trust With Your Audience
Trust is one of the most valuable assets in affiliate marketing.
Readers often visit blogs because they want advice before purchasing a product. They may compare several options, read reviews, and rely on your explanations to make an informed decision.
If they later discover that you earn commissions from your recommendations but never disclosed the relationship, they may question your honesty.
On the other hand, openly explaining how your affiliate links work allows readers to understand your position.
For example, you might recommend a website-building tool and explain both its advantages and its limitations. When you also disclose that you may earn a commission, readers can evaluate your recommendation with greater transparency.
An affiliate disclosure does not automatically create trust, but it supports an honest relationship with your audience.
2. It Helps You Follow Advertising Requirements
Affiliate marketers may be subject to advertising and consumer protection rules, depending on their location, audience, and business activities.
In the United States, FTC guidance explains that material relationships between endorsers and brands should be disclosed when consumers would not reasonably expect the relationship and it could affect how they evaluate the endorsement. This can include affiliate commissions, payments, and certain free or discounted products. (Federal Trade Commission)
For bloggers who target U.S. consumers, this is particularly important.
Other countries may have their own advertising, consumer protection, and disclosure requirements. Therefore, you should consider the rules that apply to your location and the audiences you serve.
An affiliate disclosure is a practical way to communicate relevant relationships, but simply adding a disclosure does not make every marketing practice compliant. Your product claims, advertising methods, and other activities must also follow applicable rules.
3. It Explains How Your Website Makes Money
Some readers may wonder how a website earns revenue when its articles are available for free.
An affiliate disclosure helps explain one possible source of income.
For example, your website might publish tutorials, product comparisons, and buying guides without charging readers to access them. You may earn revenue when visitors purchase products through your affiliate links.
By explaining this arrangement, you help readers understand your business model.
This can also make your website appear more professional because visitors can see how your recommendations may generate income.
4. It Encourages Honest Product Recommendations
Affiliate commissions can create a financial incentive to recommend particular products. A disclosure makes that relationship visible.
However, transparency should extend beyond the disclosure itself.
You should avoid recommending products solely because they offer high commissions. Instead, consider their quality, usefulness, price, limitations, and suitability for your audience.
If a product has disadvantages, explain them honestly.
For example, a software review could describe the features that make a tool useful while noting that its advanced subscription may be expensive for beginners.
Readers are more likely to benefit from balanced recommendations than from articles that present every product as perfect.
5. It Helps Readers Make Informed Decisions
People deserve to understand relevant factors that may influence a recommendation.
When readers know that an affiliate relationship exists, they can consider that information alongside the review, comparison, or tutorial.
They can still decide whether to follow your advice, compare alternatives, or purchase from another company.
The purpose of a disclosure is not to discourage purchases. It is to give readers important context so they can make their own decisions.
Where Should You Place an Affiliate Disclosure?
Knowing what an affiliate disclosure is matters, but knowing where to put it is equally important.
A disclosure that visitors cannot find may not serve its purpose. It should be easy to notice, easy to understand, and placed where readers can see it before or while considering your recommendation.
The FTC advises that disclosures should be clear and conspicuous. Hiding them on a separate About Us page or placing them where readers are unlikely to notice them may not be sufficient. (Federal Trade Commission)
Here are some practical places to include an affiliate disclosure.
1. At the Beginning of a Blog Post
For blog articles containing affiliate links, placing a short disclosure near the beginning is a practical approach.
For example:
Affiliate Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We aim to recommend products that are relevant and useful to our readers.
This statement tells visitors about the relationship before they read the recommendations.
Avoid placing the disclosure so far down the page that readers must scroll through the entire article before seeing it.
2. Near Affiliate Links
You should also consider placing a disclosure close to product recommendations or affiliate links, particularly when the links appear separately from the main review.
For example, suppose you write an article comparing three website hosting companies. Each company has a separate recommendation and affiliate link.
A general disclosure at the top may help explain the relationship, but a brief reminder near a recommendation can provide additional clarity when necessary.
The goal is to make the connection between the recommendation and the affiliate relationship easy to understand.
3. On Social Media Posts
Affiliate disclosures are also important when you promote products through social media.
If you share an affiliate link on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, or another platform, make the financial relationship clear in the post itself.
For example:
“Affiliate link: I may earn a commission if you purchase this website hosting plan through my link.”
You should not assume that followers will visit your profile or read your biography to discover your affiliate relationships.
The FTC recommends placing disclosures alongside the endorsement and making them difficult to miss. Depending on the platform and format, you may also need to consider how disclosures appear in images, stories, captions, or videos. (Federal Trade Commission)
4. In YouTube Videos
If you promote affiliate products in a video, disclose the relationship in a way viewers can notice and understand.
You might say:
“Some links in this video’s description are affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you purchase through them.”
You can also include a written disclosure near the relevant links in the video description.
If you demonstrate a product and include affiliate links, do not rely only on a disclosure hidden at the bottom of a long description. The FTC recommends making relevant disclosures within the video as well as near affiliate links in the description when appropriate. (Federal Trade Commission)
5. On Your Website’s Affiliate Disclosure Page
Creating a dedicated affiliate disclosure page can help explain your website’s affiliate marketing practices in greater detail.
This page can describe how affiliate links work, how commissions may be earned, and how your website approaches product recommendations.
You can link to this page from your website footer so visitors can find it easily.
However, a dedicated page should not be your only disclosure when individual articles, posts, or recommendations contain affiliate links. Readers should not have to search through your website to discover a relevant financial relationship.
How Do You Write an Affiliate Disclosure?
Writing an affiliate disclosure does not need to be complicated.
The best approach is to use straightforward language that explains your relationship with the company.
Here are a few examples you can adapt to your website.
Example 1: A General Blog Disclosure
Affiliate Disclosure: This website contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. We aim to provide useful information and recommend products relevant to our readers.
This version is suitable for a blog that regularly publishes product recommendations.
Example 2: A Product Review Disclosure
Disclosure: This review contains affiliate links. If you purchase the product through one of these links, I may earn a commission. My goal is to provide an honest assessment of the product, including its potential benefits and limitations.
Use this wording only if it accurately reflects how you approach your reviews.
Example 3: A Social Media Disclosure
Affiliate link: I may earn a commission if you buy through this link. Thank you for supporting my content.
This is a concise way to explain the relationship in a social media post.
Example 4: A Software Recommendation Disclosure
Affiliate Disclosure: Some software links in this article are affiliate links. If you sign up or purchase through an eligible link, we may receive a commission. Please review each provider’s features, pricing, and terms before choosing a service.
This version may suit a website that reviews business tools, software, or digital services.
Example 5: A Website-Wide Disclosure
Affiliate Relationships: Our website may participate in affiliate marketing programs. This means we may earn commissions when visitors purchase eligible products or services through certain links. These commissions help support our content. Affiliate relationships do not remove our responsibility to provide accurate and useful information.
Before publishing any example, adjust it to reflect your actual business arrangements. Do not claim that you test every product personally or that commissions never influence your recommendations unless those statements are accurate.
What Should You Avoid When Writing an Affiliate Disclosure?
Even if you include a disclosure, unclear wording or poor placement can make it less useful.
Here are some common mistakes to avoid.
Using Vague Language
A phrase such as “Some links may be special” does not clearly explain that you may earn money from purchases.
Instead, use direct wording such as:
“I may earn a commission when you purchase through these links.”
The FTC advises using language that ordinary consumers can easily understand. Its guidance also explains why terms such as “commissionable link” may not communicate the relationship clearly enough. (Federal Trade Commission)
Hiding the Disclosure
Do not place the only disclosure in a location that readers are unlikely to see, such as a distant footer, an obscure policy page, or the bottom of a long article.
Make the disclosure visible near the relevant content.
Relying Only on the Phrase “Affiliate Link”
Some readers may not understand that an affiliate link can generate a commission for the person sharing it.
A clearer statement explains what happens when someone makes a purchase through the link.
For example:
“I may earn a commission if you purchase through this link.”
Assuming Every Reader Understands Your Business Model
Even if you have been publishing affiliate content for years, new visitors may not understand how your website earns money.
Do not assume that readers already know about your affiliate relationships.
Use clear wording whenever the relationship is relevant.
Making Misleading Product Claims
A disclosure does not give you permission to exaggerate a product’s benefits or make unsupported promises.
For example, disclosing an affiliate relationship does not make it acceptable to promise that a financial product will guarantee investment profits.
Your recommendations should remain truthful, accurate, and appropriately supported.
Is an Affiliate Disclosure Required by Law?
Whether an affiliate disclosure is legally required depends on the laws that apply to your business, your audience, and the type of relationship you have with the company.
For website owners targeting U.S. consumers, FTC guidance is particularly relevant. The FTC explains that a financial relationship, such as earning affiliate commissions, may need to be disclosed when it could affect how consumers evaluate an endorsement and they would not reasonably expect that relationship. (Federal Trade Commission)
Other jurisdictions may have different requirements. If your website serves an international audience, you should review the rules that apply to your location and the markets you target.
It is also important to understand that an affiliate disclosure and an affiliate program’s own requirements are not necessarily the same thing. A merchant may have specific rules about how affiliates disclose their relationships, where links can appear, and which promotional methods are allowed.
For example, an affiliate program might require you to follow its operating agreement and advertising policies in addition to complying with applicable laws.
To protect your website, read the terms of every affiliate program you join and make sure your disclosures accurately describe your relationship with the merchant.
If your business has complex legal or regulatory obligations, consider seeking advice from a qualified professional.
How Can You Add an Affiliate Disclosure to Your Website?
If you run a blog or affiliate marketing website, adding a disclosure can be a straightforward process.
Follow these steps to get started.
Step 1: Create a disclosure statement. Write a short explanation of how your affiliate links work and whether you may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
Step 2: Add the disclosure to relevant articles. Place it near the beginning of posts that contain affiliate links. Where necessary, add a clear statement near individual recommendations.
Step 3: Create a dedicated disclosure page. Explain your affiliate relationships and link to the page from your website footer. Remember that this page should supplement, not replace, disclosures near affiliate recommendations.
Step 4: Review your social media content. If you share affiliate links on social platforms, make sure your disclosure appears with the relevant promotional content.
Step 5: Check your affiliate agreements. Review each program’s rules to confirm that your wording and promotional methods meet its requirements.
Step 6: Review your disclosures regularly. If your affiliate relationships or promotional methods change, update your disclosures so they remain accurate.
These steps can help you establish a consistent approach to transparency across your website and other marketing channels.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What Is an Affiliate Disclosure in Simple Terms?
An affiliate disclosure is a statement explaining that you may earn a commission when someone purchases a product or service through your affiliate link. It helps readers understand your financial relationship with the company you recommend.
2. Do I Need an Affiliate Disclosure on Every Blog Post?
You should disclose affiliate relationships clearly wherever they are relevant to your recommendations. If a particular article contains affiliate links, a disclosure near the beginning is often a practical approach.
If the recommendation and affiliate link appear in separate places, additional disclosures may be appropriate. A general disclosure page alone may not be enough.
3. Can I Use the Same Affiliate Disclosure for My Entire Website?
You can create a general disclosure statement for your website, but you should make sure readers can see it when they encounter affiliate recommendations.
For example, you can publish a dedicated disclosure page and include a short version near affiliate links in individual articles.
Adapt your wording if different programs have different commission arrangements or requirements.
4. Does an Affiliate Disclosure Affect My Earnings?
An affiliate disclosure does not automatically reduce your earnings.
Some readers may pay closer attention to recommendations when they understand how your website earns money. Others may appreciate the transparency.
Your results will depend on factors such as audience trust, product relevance, content quality, and how effectively you help readers make decisions.
5. Is Saying “Affiliate Link” Enough?
It may not be clear enough on its own because some readers may not understand that you can earn a commission from the link.
A more informative statement would be:
“This is an affiliate link. I may earn a commission if you purchase through it.”
Clear wording helps readers understand the relationship without having to guess.
6. Do I Need to Disclose Free Products?
You may need to disclose when a company provides free or discounted products, services, or other benefits in connection with your recommendation.
The appropriate disclosure depends on the circumstances. If you receive both a free product and a commission, make sure your disclosure communicates both relationships when relevant. The FTC’s endorsement guidance explains that free products and other benefits can constitute material connections that should be disclosed. (Federal Trade Commission)
7. Should I Include an Affiliate Disclosure in My YouTube Videos?
If you promote products through affiliate links in a video, make the relationship clear to viewers. A spoken disclosure and a written statement near the relevant links can help communicate the information.
Do not assume that a disclosure buried at the end of a long description will be noticed by everyone.
8. Where Can I Find More Information About Affiliate Disclosure Requirements?
If you target U.S. consumers, start with the Federal Trade Commission’s official guidance on endorsements and affiliate marketing.
You should also review the terms of the affiliate programs you join and consult the relevant authorities for other countries where you operate or target customers.