Every affiliate link you post without a proper disclosure is a potential FTC violation. The rules aren’t complicated, but most affiliates are still getting them wrong, either skipping disclosures entirely, burying them where no one sees them, or writing language that doesn’t actually meet the standard. Here’s exactly what you’re required to say, where to say it, and how to say it.

What the FTC actually requires

The Federal Trade Commission’s disclosure rules for affiliate marketers come down to one core principle: if you have a “material connection” to a product you’re recommending, meaning you get paid, get the product for free, or have any financial relationship with the seller, you have to tell your audience before they click.

The FTC published its endorsement guidelines in 1980 and has updated them several times since, most recently in 2023. The 2023 updates were the most significant in decades. The rules now explicitly cover social media posts, video content, and AI-generated endorsements in addition to blog posts and email. If you promote affiliate offers through any channel, the rules apply to you.

There are three things the FTC looks for in a compliant disclosure. First, it has to be clear, no legal jargon, no industry-speak, no vague language like “partner links.” Second, it has to be conspicuous, placed where a reader will actually see it before engaging with the link. Third, it has to be in close proximity to the claim or recommendation being made, not in a footer or on a separate disclosure page.

The FTC’s 2023 endorsement guide updates changed the rules significantly for social media, video, and AI-generated content. If you haven’t reviewed your disclosures since then, you may already be out of compliance. The full breakdown of what changed is in this post on the FTC endorsement guide updates and what they mean for affiliates and affiliate programs.

Where to place your disclosure

Placement is where most affiliates get tripped up. The FTC has been explicit: disclosures placed in footers, on separate disclosure pages, or at the bottom of a long post do not meet the standard. The disclosure has to appear where a reader will see it before they click the link or act on the recommendation.

For a blog post, that means the disclosure goes at the top, before any affiliate links appear in the content. A single disclosure at the top of the post is sufficient to cover all affiliate links throughout that post, as long as the language makes clear that the entire post may contain affiliate links.

For a social media post, the disclosure has to appear in the post itself, not hidden behind a “see more” click, not buried at the end of a long caption, and not in your profile bio. Instagram and YouTube have their own built-in disclosure tools (the “paid partnership” label and the “includes paid promotion” toggle), but those only cover sponsored content. For affiliate links, you still need to include your own disclosure in the caption or description.

For email, the disclosure should appear before the first affiliate link in the email body. If you’re writing an email that’s dedicated to a single offer, a disclosure in the first sentence or two is the cleanest approach. If it’s a newsletter with multiple links, one disclosure at the top is fine.

For video content, both the spoken disclosure (said in the video itself) and a written disclosure in the description are the safest approach. The FTC has indicated that video disclosures need to appear at the start of the content, not at the end after viewers have already acted on a recommendation.

What your disclosure language needs to say

The FTC doesn’t mandate specific wording, but the language has to be plain enough that a typical reader understands the financial relationship. Industry shorthand like “AD,” “sponsored,” or “partner” can meet the standard in some contexts. The FTC has said “AD” is acceptable for social media posts. For blog posts and email, plainer language is safer.

Here are disclosure examples that meet the standard:

For blog posts:
“This post contains affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you.”

For social media captions:
“#ad” or “#affiliate” at the start of the caption (not at the end)
“This is an affiliate link. I earn a commission if you buy through it.”

For email:
“Some links in this email are affiliate links. I earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no added cost to you.”

For video descriptions:
“Some links in this description are affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may earn a commission. I only recommend products I’ve personally used and believe in.”

A few things to avoid. Don’t say “this post may contain affiliate links,” because the word “may” implies uncertainty and weakens the disclosure. If the post has affiliate links, say it has them. Don’t use phrases like “I’ve partnered with” without explaining that the partnership involves compensation. And don’t write your disclosure in a smaller font size than the rest of your content or in a color that blends into the background.

One note on link cloaking: if you use a plugin to shorten or mask your affiliate URLs, your disclosure obligation doesn’t change. You still need to disclose. For more on how link cloaking works and when to use it, see this post on whether you should cloak your affiliate link.

Disclosures on specific content types

Review posts, comparison posts, and resource pages each have their own quirks when it comes to disclosures.

For review posts, the disclosure has to be prominent. These posts are specifically designed to influence purchasing decisions, so the FTC pays closer attention. If you’re writing a product review that includes an affiliate link, put the disclosure in the first paragraph, not just above the fold. A reader who skims to the rating or verdict section and clicks without seeing the disclosure creates potential liability. If you want to write reviews that convert without running into compliance problems, here’s how to succeed at affiliate marketing using product reviews.

For resource pages, the standard practice is to include a disclosure at the top of the page that covers all links. Something like: “This page contains affiliate links. I earn a commission when you purchase through links on this page, at no cost to you.” A resources page is one of the best income-generating tools an affiliate can have. For a full breakdown of how to build one that converts, see this guide to creating a resources page that’s crazy profitable.

For comparison posts, the same rules apply as for reviews. Disclosure at the top, before any affiliate links appear.

For email sequences and newsletters, think about disclosures at the sequence level, not just per-email. If you have an onboarding sequence that includes affiliate promotions, new subscribers who opt in later might not have seen your original disclosure email. Adding a short disclosure to any email that includes affiliate links is the cleanest approach.

Review posts are one of the highest-converting content types in affiliate marketing, and they get extra scrutiny from the FTC because they’re designed to influence purchases. If you’re writing review posts, Review Post Pro is an AI tool trained on 300+ top-ranked review posts that helps you write posts that rank on Google and convert, with the right structure built in from the start.

Common mistakes that put you at risk

The FTC has levied fines and issued warning letters for disclosure violations, and the cases that tend to get attention share a few common patterns.

Putting the disclosure at the bottom is the most frequent mistake. Readers don’t scroll that far, and the FTC knows it. If you’ve been placing your disclosure at the end of posts, move it to the top.

Using vague language is the second most common problem. “This post uses affiliate links” is compliant. “This post may use affiliate links” is not. If you have them, say you have them. “Some links may be sponsored” is too vague about what “sponsored” means to a lay reader.

The third common mistake is disclosing on a separate page and linking to it. A dedicated “disclosure policy” page is a good thing to have, but it doesn’t substitute for per-post or per-email disclosures. The FTC’s position is that readers shouldn’t have to go looking for information that’s material to the recommendation in front of them.

Forgetting disclosure on social platforms is the fourth problem. A disclosure on your blog doesn’t cover a social media post promoting the same link. Each piece of content with an affiliate link needs its own disclosure.

Finally, some affiliates assume that promoting a product you believe in, or one you purchased yourself, eliminates the disclosure requirement. It doesn’t. The FTC rule applies whenever there’s a financial relationship. It doesn’t matter how much you love the product or whether you paid for it. If you’re unsure about this situation, here’s how to handle promoting an affiliate product you haven’t personally used.

Affiliate email is one of the areas where disclosure mistakes show up most often, and where the FTC has been increasing scrutiny. Affiliate Email Pro is an AI tool trained on 2,000+ high-performing affiliate emails that helps you write communications that are positioned correctly and convert, saving 3 to 10 hours per week on email copy.

What happens if you don’t comply

The FTC’s enforcement approach has evolved. In the early years of affiliate marketing, the agency issued mostly guidance and warning letters. In recent years, enforcement actions have included fines reaching into the tens of thousands of dollars, and the agency has made clear it’s focused on repeat violators and those where non-disclosure is clearly intentional.

For most affiliates who are making a good-faith effort but have minor disclosure issues, wrong placement or slightly vague language, the more likely outcome of an FTC complaint is a warning letter requiring correction, not an immediate fine. But that doesn’t mean the risk is worth taking, particularly as affiliate marketing has become a larger and more visible industry.

The more practical risk for most affiliate marketers isn’t a government fine. It’s audience trust. Readers who feel misled about the financial relationship behind a recommendation don’t come back. In an environment where people have more choices than ever about who they follow and who they buy from, transparency is a competitive advantage, not just a compliance requirement.

Finding affiliate programs worth promoting is a separate skill, but once you’re in them, disclosure is non-negotiable. See this post on how to find affiliate programs and get accepted for a look at vetting programs before you commit.

If you’re building a real affiliate income and want a step-by-step system for getting started, the Affiliate Marketing QuickStart Guide is a free download that covers how to monetize without your own product, how to get accepted into affiliate programs, and copy-paste email templates to get you moving fast.

A ready-to-use disclosure template

Here are ready-to-use disclosures you can copy for each content type. Feel free to adjust the language to match your voice, but keep the core information, that you earn a commission and that it doesn’t cost the reader anything extra.

Blog post (place at top, before any affiliate links):
“This post contains affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I believe in.”

Short-form social post (Instagram, Facebook, X):
“#ad | ” and the #ad or #affiliate must appear at the very start of the caption, not tucked at the end.

Email (first line or before first affiliate link):
“Quick note: this email contains affiliate links. If you buy through one of them, I earn a small commission, no extra cost to you.”

YouTube video description:
“Some links below are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.”

Resource or tools page:
“Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. When you purchase through links on this page, I earn a commission. This doesn’t change the price you pay or my recommendations.”

Frequently asked questions about affiliate disclosure

Do I have to disclose on every post, or just once on my site?
Every post, email, video, and social post that contains affiliate links needs its own disclosure. A sitewide disclosure policy page is good to have but doesn’t substitute for per-content disclosures.

Does the disclosure apply if I didn’t get paid yet (like if no one has bought through my link)?
Yes. The disclosure requirement is triggered by the existence of the affiliate relationship, not by whether a commission has been paid. If you have an affiliate link in your content, you need to disclose it.

What if I got the product for free but I’m not being paid a commission?
You still need to disclose. Getting a free product is a material connection under FTC rules, even if no cash changes hands.

Can I use a small disclaimer in the footer of my website to cover all my posts?
No. The FTC’s position is that a footer disclosure is not conspicuous enough, because readers don’t typically scroll that far before clicking. Each piece of content needs its own disclosure at or near the top.

Is “#affiliate” or “#ad” enough for Instagram or Facebook?
The FTC has said that “#ad” at the start of a social post is acceptable. “#affiliate” is also acceptable. The key is placement. It has to be at the beginning of the caption or post, not buried at the end after hashtags.

Does my disclosure need to say I earn a commission, or is “affiliate link” enough?
“Affiliate link” alone is technically acceptable, but only if your audience is familiar enough with affiliate marketing to understand what that means. For a general audience, explicitly stating that you earn a commission is clearer and safer.