Affiliate Disclosure: FTC Requirements Every Blogger and Influencer Must Follow
If you recommend products on your blog, YouTube channel, social media, or website and earn a commission when someone makes a purchase through your link, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires you to disclose that relationship. Failure to do so can result in enforcement actions, fines, and reputational damage.
What Is an Affiliate Disclosure?
An affiliate disclosure is a statement that inform your audience you may earn a commission from purchases made through links on your site. It's fundamentally about transparency — letting readers know your recommendations may be financially motivated so they can make informed decisions.
Why Are Affiliate Disclosures Required?
- FTC Endorsement Guides: The FTC's guides require that material connections between endorsers and brands be clearly disclosed. If you receive payment, free products, or commission for recommending something, that's a material connection.
- Consumer protection: Readers deserve to know when recommendations are financially motivated. Undisclosed affiliate links are considered deceptive advertising.
- Amazon Associates requirement: Amazon's affiliate program specifically requires a disclosure statement. Failure to comply can result in account termination.
- International regulations: The EU, UK, Australia, and Canada have similar disclosure requirements under their consumer protection and advertising standards laws.
FTC Disclosure Rules — What You Need to Know
1. Disclosures Must Be Clear and Conspicuous
The FTC's standard is "clear and conspicuous." This means your disclosure must be:
- Easy to notice: Not buried in a footer or hidden behind a link. It should be near the affiliate links themselves.
- Easy to understand: Use plain language. "This post contains affiliate links" is better than legal jargon.
- Hard to miss: Use clear formatting — bold text, distinct paragraphs, or a visible banner.
2. Placement Matters
The FTC has emphasized that disclosures must appear before the first affiliate link, not at the bottom of the page. Best practices:
- Place a brief disclosure at the top of blog posts that contain affiliate links
- Include a more detailed affiliate disclosure page linked from your site's menu or footer
- On social media, include the disclosure in the post itself (not just in your bio)
- In videos, disclose verbally at the beginning and in the description
3. Every Platform, Every Post
Disclosures are required on every platform where you use affiliate links: blog posts, YouTube videos, Instagram stories, TikTok videos, Twitter threads, email newsletters, and podcasts. A disclosure on your website's about page doesn't cover your social media posts.
What a Good Affiliate Disclosure Looks Like
Here's a clear, concise example:
"Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase. I only recommend products I genuinely believe in."
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Only disclosing on one page: A single "affiliate disclosure" page is not enough. You must disclose on every page or post that contains affiliate links.
- Using hashtags instead of clear language: While #ad is acceptable on platforms like Instagram, #sponsored or vague hashtags like #collab may not be sufficient.
- Hiding disclosures: Placing disclosures in fine print, footer areas, or behind "read more" links violates FTC guidelines.
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