The affiliate marketing world can be tricky.

If you’re not careful, you could end up in trouble with the FTC.

But don’t worry.

We’ll walk you through various affiliate link disclosure examples and show you what the big brands are doing so you can tweak and get inspiration from them.

What is an affiliate disclosure?

An affiliate disclosure is a simple statement that lets your audience know you’re earning a commission if they buy through your links.

It’s all about transparency.

🤔 For example, you might say, “As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases,” or “This post contains affiliate links, and I may earn a commission if you make a purchase.”

The goal is to be clear and upfront, so your audience understands your relationship with the products you’re promoting.

This helps build trust and keeps you in compliance with FTC guidelines.

Why do I need an affiliate disclosure?

Affiliate disclosures aren’t just a nice-to-have. They’re a legal requirement under the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) guidelines.

The FTC’s 2009 guidelines concerning endorsements and testimonials in advertising make it clear: If there’s a relationship between an endorser and a seller that might influence the endorsement’s credibility, this connection must be “clearly and conspicuously” disclosed.

This rule applies to any “material connection”. Anything from a financial incentive to free products or services, that could affect how the endorsement is perceived.

The key phrase from the FTC is:

“When there exists a connection between the endorser and the seller of the advertised product that might materially affect the weight or credibility of the endorsement (i.e., the connection is not reasonably expected by the audience).”

But it doesn’t stop there.

The FTC has been updating and expanding its guidelines to keep up with the digital age.

In 2020, the FTC proposed revisions to ensure these rules cover new forms of advertising, like social media endorsements and influencer marketing.

They emphasized that any material connection, such as compensation or relationships, must be disclosed in a way that’s hard to miss.

The FTC also updated its guidelines in 2023 to reflect modern advertising practices.

They clarified what “clear and conspicuous” means essentially, that your disclosure should be easily noticeable and understandable by your audience, no matter the platform.

For example, simply using “#ad” is often sufficient, but ambiguous tags like “#ambassador” might not be enough.

Moreover, in 2015, the FTC released a policy statement on deceptively formatted advertisements.

This statement warns against ads that are disguised as non-ad content, making it crucial that disclosures are clear to prevent misleading your audience.

This is particularly important for native ads and sponsored content, which can easily blur the lines between advertising and genuine content.

Specific examples of material connections include:

• Receiving payment for a positive review.
• Getting free products or services in exchange for a mention.
• Being an employee or relative of the seller.

In all these cases, you must disclose these relationships to stay compliant and maintain trust with your audience.

Who need to use an affiliate disclosure?

Anyone who earns money or receives benefits from promoting products or services online needs to use an affiliate disclosure.

This includes:

• Bloggers and website owners earning commission from affiliate links.
• Social media influencers getting paid to promote brands.
• YouTubers and podcasters mentioning products or using affiliate links.
• Email marketers including affiliate links in their newsletters.

Some people might think they don’t need a disclosure like those only receiving free products or offering “honest reviews” without pay.

But even in these cases, if there’s a material connection, the FTC requires a clear disclosure.

This transparency helps maintain trust and keeps you compliant.

Where to display affiliate disclosure?

When it comes to displaying your affiliate disclosure, the FTC emphasizes that it must be “clear and conspicuous.”

This means your disclosure should be easy to notice and understand, not buried at the bottom of your content or hidden in fine print.

👍 The best practice is to place your affiliate disclosure at the top of the page, before any affiliate links, ensuring that readers see it immediately.

In WordPress, displaying your affiliate disclosure even before the blog post content is crucial.

This can be done using hooks and filters.

For instance, if you’re using the Astra theme, you can utilize the Astra Hooks plugin to add the disclosure code at the top of your posts.

Similarly, with Elementor, you can use the Theme Builder to insert the disclosure in your single post layout, ensuring it’s the first thing readers see when they land on your page.

And also there are plugins like EasyAzon, AffiliateWP, and ThirstyAffiliates that can help with this.

This way, you ensure it’s always prominently displayed, keeping you compliant with FTC guidelines and maintaining trust with your audience.

Affiliate disclosure examples from 10 real-life brands

1. Wirecutter

Wirecutter is a product review website owned by The New York Times.

It provides in-depth, research-based reviews and recommendations for various consumer products, from electronics to home goods, to help users make informed purchasing decisions.

It has a one-liner disclosure statement with a link to learn more about their review methodology.

2. CNET

CNET is a technology news and reviews website that covers the latest trends in tech, gadgets, software, and services.

Here as well they have presented the disclosure with a link to their ethics statement, but it feels like it’s under the section called “Our experts”. I guess it’s by design.

3. Goodhousekeeping

Good Housekeeping is a lifestyle and consumer advice magazine that covers topics like home, food, health, beauty, and product reviews.

I really like how they have the disclosure statement, higher up the page. It screams transparency.

4. Outdoor Gear Lab

Outdoor Gear Lab is a review site for outdoor equipment like footwear, hiking gear, bikes, paddles, and travel gear.

They buy and test all the products themselves and are transparent about their process. They also mention that they may earn a commission, which supports their testing, and include a link to their product testing methodology.

5. Thepointsguy

The Points Guy is a travel website focused on maximizing airline miles and credit card points.

It also offers tips, news, reviews, and guides to help travelers optimize their rewards and experiences.

Although this is not an affiliate disclosure, if you have partners who may compensate you or publishing sponsored posts, this may be a good option for you.

6. Techradar

TechRadar is a technology website that provides news, reviews, buying guides, and features on a wide range of tech products and services.

Similar to the Wirecutter, they have a simple disclosure statement with a link to learn more.

7. Bob vila

Bob Vila is a home improvement website named after the famous home improvement expert.

It offers DIY guides, expert advice, and product reviews related to home renovation, maintenance, and construction.

8. Nerdwallet

NerdWallet is a personal finance website that offers expert advice, reviews, and tools to help consumers make smart financial decisions.

It also covers topics like credit cards, mortgages, insurance, investing, and loans.

Along with the affiliate disclosure statement they have included a link to all their affiliate partners and a detailed guide on how they make their money. This may matter more as they are in the fintech.

9. Tom’s guide

Tom’s Guide is a technology and consumer electronics website that provides news, reviews, buying guides, and how-tos.

Classic affiliate disclosure statement with a link to learn more on how it works.

10. The Shop Files

The Shop Files is a business resource website that offers advice, tutorials, and tools for small business owners, particularly those with online stores.

It mainly focuses on e-commerce, marketing, and social media strategies to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses.

I really like the personality and transparency injected into the affiliate disclosure statement.

Examples of some affiliate disclosures

Some general ones

• “This post may contain affiliate links. If you click and buy, we may make a commission at no additional cost to you.”
• “Clicking on an affiliate link below? It won’t cost you extra, but it might help me buy a coffee!”
• “This blog is supported by readers like you. When you buy something we recommend, we may earn a small commission.”
• “Some links in this post are affiliate links, meaning if you purchase, we could earn a small commission.”
• “Support the site! If you purchase through one of these affiliate links, I might earn a small fee.”
• “The links in this post are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a commission if you buy—thanks for the support!”
• “Friendly reminder: Clicking on affiliate links here means I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.”

Examples with some humor

• “Support my snack habit! Click on an affiliate link, and I might earn enough for a bag of chips.”
• “I recommend products I love, and if you buy them, I might love them even more because I’ll get a small commission!”
• “These affiliate links are like finding a penny—small, but they add up! If you buy, I might earn a shiny commission.”

Trust building

• “This article contains affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase through these links, I may earn a commission. This helps me continue providing valuable content at no additional cost to you.”
• “Please note that this post includes affiliate links. If you buy through these links, I may receive a small commission, which goes towards maintaining this website and creating more helpful content for you.”
• “In the spirit of transparency, some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase, I may receive a small commission, which helps me keep this site running smoothly.”

Niche-specific

• “As a content creator, I earn commissions through affiliate links. Your support allows me to [DO SOMETHING].”
• “This post includes affiliate links to products I use in my design work. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission, which helps me keep the [CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING]”
• “In the spirit of full disclosure, some links in this post are affiliate links. If you invest through these links, I may earn a commission, which helps me provide more [NICHE] insights.”
• “This article contains affiliate links to [NICHE] tools I recommend. If you purchase or invest through these links, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.”

Conclusion

All in all, an affiliate disclosure is not optional.

It’s a must.

Especially for those who rely on affiliate marketing as a profession, particularly in these challenging times where for some suing is a profession!

Your disclosure should be clear and concise, with a touch of humor or authenticity to keep it engaging.

Not only does this comply with legal requirements, but it can also enhance your affiliate conversions by building trust through transparency.