Affiliate Marketing Disclosure Example: Templates and Tips

An affiliate marketing disclosure is a written statement telling your audience that you earn compensation when they click affiliate links and make purchases. Every website and social media account that participates in affiliate marketing needs a proper affiliate marketing disclosure example to follow, because federal regulations in the United States and consumer protection laws in other jurisdictions require it.

This tutorial provides ready-to-use disclosure templates you can copy, customize, and publish. The content here is educational and should not be treated as legal advice. Consult a qualified attorney for guidance specific to your situation.

What Is an Affiliate Marketing Disclosure?

An affiliate marketing disclosure is a transparency statement informing your audience that certain links on your site are affiliate links. When a reader clicks one of those links and completes a purchase, you receive a commission from the merchant. The disclosure makes this financial relationship visible.

Without a disclosure, a product recommendation looks like an impartial endorsement when it is actually a paid relationship. A complete affiliate marketing disclosure covers three elements:

• Your content contains affiliate links to third-party products or services
• You may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to the reader
• Your recommendations reflect your genuine opinions despite the financial relationship

Why the FTC Requires Affiliate Disclosures

The legal basis for requiring affiliate marketing disclosures in the United States is Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, which prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices in commerce. The FTC Endorsement Guides (16 CFR Part 255) provide specific guidance stating that "material connections" between endorsers and sellers must be disclosed clearly and conspicuously.

An affiliate commission is a material connection. The FTC has taken enforcement action against individuals and companies who fail to disclose affiliate relationships, with consequences including warning letters, civil penalties under Section 5, consent orders with ongoing monitoring, and corrective advertising mandates.

The FTC updated its Endorsement Guides in 2023, strengthening the requirements around disclosure placement and clarity. The updated guides explicitly state that disclosures must be "unavoidable," meaning they must appear where the endorsement is made, not on a separate page the reader might never visit.

Similar requirements exist internationally. The UK's Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, the EU's Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (2005/29/EC), Australia's Competition and Consumer Act 2010, and Canada's Competition Act all require disclosure of material connections in commercial endorsements.

Affiliate Marketing Disclosure Example for Websites

The following template works as a standalone disclosure page on your website. Link to it from your footer navigation so it is accessible from every page.

Affiliate Disclosure

This website contains affiliate links to products and services from third-party companies. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help support this website and allow us to continue creating free content.

We only recommend products and services that we have evaluated and believe will be valuable to our readers. Our editorial opinions are our own and are not influenced by affiliate compensation. Not all links on this website are affiliate links.

The presence of an affiliate link does not constitute an endorsement by the linked company, and we are not responsible for the products, services, or content of linked sites.

For questions about our affiliate relationships, contact us at [your email address].

Adjust the language to match your brand voice while preserving the three core elements: you have affiliate links, you earn commissions, and the reader pays no extra cost. If you need a full disclaimer page that covers affiliate disclosures alongside other liability statements, the TermsBox disclaimer generator can create a customizable document addressing affiliate relationships, general liability, and content accuracy in one page.

Inline Affiliate Disclosure Examples for Blog Posts

A standalone disclosure page is not enough on its own. The FTC requires that your disclosure appear before the reader encounters any affiliate link, which means every blog post containing affiliate links needs an inline disclosure near the top.

Short Inline Disclosure

Use this version when space is limited or when your blog post contains only a few affiliate links:

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Detailed Inline Disclosure

Use this version for product review posts, gift guides, or articles built primarily around affiliate recommendations:

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links to products I recommend. If you click a link and buy something, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I have personally used or thoroughly researched.

Placement Rules

The FTC's guidance on placement is specific:

1. The disclosure must appear before the first affiliate link in the content
2. It must be in the same format as the surrounding content (not hidden in a tooltip or expandable section)
3. The font size and color must be legible and consistent with the body text

A disclosure buried in the middle of a long article or tucked into a sidebar does not meet the "clear and conspicuous" standard.

Social Media Affiliate Disclosure Examples

Social media platforms present unique challenges because space is limited and content moves quickly. The FTC's updated 2023 Endorsement Guides specifically address social media disclosures.

Instagram, Facebook, and X Posts

Place the disclosure at the beginning of the caption, not after the "more" fold:

I use and love this product. Full disclosure: the links in this post are affiliate links, and I earn a small commission if you purchase through them. #affiliate

The FTC has stated that #affiliate or #ad alone may not be sufficient if the hashtag could be confused with a generic tag. Pair the hashtag with a brief explanatory statement.

Video Content (YouTube, TikTok)

Video disclosures require both verbal and written elements:

• State the affiliate relationship verbally within the first 30 seconds
• Include a written disclosure in the video description above the fold
• Use the platform's built-in paid promotion tools as a supplement, not a replacement

Email and Newsletter Affiliate Disclosures

Email newsletters containing affiliate links need the same disclosure treatment as web content. Place the disclosure at the top of the email body, before any affiliate links:

Note: This email contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a commission at no cost to you. This supports our ability to provide free content.

Key guidelines for email disclosures:

• Place the disclosure before the first affiliate link, not in the email footer
• Use bold text or slightly larger font size so it stands out
• If the entire email is affiliate content, make the disclosure the opening line

Program-Specific Disclosure Requirements

Beyond the FTC's general requirements, individual affiliate programs often have their own mandatory disclosure language.

Amazon Associates

Amazon requires this specific statement on your website:

"As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases."

This language is mandated by the Amazon Associates Program Operating Agreement. Failure to include it can result in account termination and forfeiture of unpaid commissions. You can expand on this language, but you must include the exact phrase.

Other programs like ShareASale, CJ Affiliate, Rakuten Advertising, and Impact each have their own disclosure mandates. Always read the terms of service for every affiliate program you join. Some programs update their disclosure requirements periodically, and non-compliance can lead to account suspension regardless of whether you comply with FTC rules.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Affiliate Disclosures

Many affiliate marketers make disclosure errors that expose them to regulatory risk. Avoid these common problems.

The most common errors include:

• Hidden placement: Footer-only disclosures, sidebar widgets, or expandable sections that require user interaction. These are not considered conspicuous.
• Vague language: Terms like "partner links" or "sponsored links" do not clearly communicate the financial relationship. The FTC specifically warns against using terms the average reader may not understand.
• Inconsistent application: Disclosing on some posts but not others creates a pattern that draws scrutiny. Apply disclosures to every piece of content containing affiliate links.
• Relying only on platform tools: YouTube's "paid promotion" label and Instagram's branded content tag supplement your disclosure but do not replace a clear written or verbal statement.

Building a Standardized Disclosure Policy

Rather than writing disclosures from scratch each time, create a standardized disclosure policy page. Include a general statement about your participation in affiliate programs, an explanation of how affiliate links work, a statement that commissions do not influence your editorial opinions, and contact information.

Link this policy from your website footer (alongside your privacy policy and terms of service), your "About" page, and your social media profile bios. If your site collects user data through affiliate tracking cookies, you may also need a cookie policy that discloses those tracking technologies.

How Affiliate Disclosures Fit Into Broader Website Compliance

Affiliate disclosures are one part of a larger web compliance picture. Websites running affiliate programs also need to address privacy regulations because affiliate links use cookies and tracking pixels to attribute purchases.

Under the GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive, affiliate tracking cookies require user consent before being set. Under CCPA, you must disclose the sale or sharing of personal information, which may include data collected through affiliate tracking. Penalties for non-compliance are substantial: up to 20 million EUR or 4% of annual global turnover under Article 83 of the GDPR, and $2,500 to $7,500 per violation under the CCPA.

Your privacy policy should disclose that you use affiliate tracking technologies, which third-party networks may collect data through your site, what data is collected for purchase attribution, and how users can opt out. Your terms of service should also include a clause explaining that outbound links lead to third-party websites over which you have no control.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is an affiliate marketing disclosure legally required?

Yes, in the United States. The FTC Endorsement Guides (16 CFR Part 255) require anyone who receives compensation for recommending products to clearly and conspicuously disclose that material connection. The FTC can pursue enforcement actions, warning letters, and civil penalties under Section 5 of the FTC Act for non-disclosure. Similar requirements exist under UK, EU, and Australian consumer protection laws.

Where should I place my affiliate marketing disclosure?

Place your disclosure in two locations: a dedicated disclosure page linked from your site footer, and an inline disclosure at the top of every page or post that contains affiliate links. The FTC requires the disclosure to appear before the reader encounters any affiliate link. Placing it only in a footer, sidebar, or separate page that requires clicking is not considered conspicuous enough.

What should an affiliate disclosure say?

An effective affiliate disclosure should state three things: that your content contains affiliate links, that you may earn a commission if readers make purchases through those links, and that the reader pays no additional cost. Use plain language that any reader can understand. Avoid burying the disclosure in legal jargon or using vague terms like 'partner links' without further explanation.

Do I need separate disclosures for different affiliate programs?

You do not need a separate disclosure for each affiliate program, but your disclosure must be broad enough to cover all your affiliate relationships. A general statement that you may earn commissions from links on your site is sufficient for most situations. However, specific programs like Amazon Associates require their own mandated language, so check each program's terms of service for additional requirements.