How to Write an Affiliate Disclosure (With Examples)

By the pprawat.com team

pprawat.com earns money from affiliate links in some of its guides and emails. If you buy through one, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Last checked 31 Oct 2026.

If you share affiliate links, you need to tell your readers. That short note is called an affiliate disclosure. It is one of the first things a new affiliate should get right, and it is also one of the easiest.

This guide covers what a disclosure is, why it matters, what to write, and where to put it on a blog post, a review page, and in your emails. You will also find copy-ready examples and a few wording traps to avoid.

One quick note before we start: this guide shares what official sources say. It is not legal advice. If you have a specific legal question, talk to a lawyer where you live.

What is an affiliate disclosure?

An affiliate disclosure is a short, clear statement that tells your reader you may earn something if they buy through your link.

That is it. It does not have to be long or formal. It just has to be easy to see and easy to understand.

Here is a simple example:

I earn a commission if you buy through the links in this post. It does not change the price you pay.

Why you need one

There are three good reasons.

1. The FTC expects it. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the US agency that sets the rules on endorsements. Its guidance says that when there is a connection between you and a brand that your audience would not expect, and that could affect how they judge your recommendation, “that connection should be disclosed clearly and conspicuously.” It adds that the same is usually true “if the endorser has been paid or given something of value to tout the product.” (Source: FTC, Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking, last checked 31 Oct 2026)

A commission is something of value. So an affiliate link counts.

2. Some affiliate programs require it, with exact words. Amazon Associates is the best-known example. Its Operating Agreement says you must “clearly and prominently” state this sentence, or a substantially similar statement Amazon has allowed before: “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.” (Source: Amazon Associates Program Operating Agreement, last checked 31 Oct 2026)

If you join a program, read its terms for disclosure rules. Some programs ask for specific wording. Some just point you to the law.

3. It builds trust. Readers are not upset that you earn a commission. They are upset when they find out later and feel tricked. A plain, honest note up front tells them you have nothing to hide.

Does it matter if your review is honest?

Yes, you still need to disclose. The FTC’s guide for content creators says it directly: “Make disclosures even if you think your evaluations are unbiased.” (Source: FTC, Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers, last checked 31 Oct 2026)

The same guide also points out that “Financial relationships aren’t limited to money.” If you got a free product, a free account, or anything else of value to mention a product, that is also something to disclose. (Source: FTC, Disclosures 101, last checked 31 Oct 2026)

Where to put your disclosure

Placement matters as much as wording. A great disclosure that nobody sees does not do its job.

The FTC’s Q&A page says the guiding principle is that a disclosure “has to be clear and conspicuous,” and adds: “The closer the disclosure is to your recommendation, the better.” (Source: FTC, Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking, last checked 31 Oct 2026)

The same page warns about a few spots that do not work well on their own:

The bottom of the page. “Consumers may miss a disclosure at the bottom of a blog or page.”
Your home page only. “A single disclosure on your home page won’t be sufficient.”
A link to a separate disclosure page. A button that says DISCLOSURE and links somewhere else “is easily avoidable.”
The comments. “A disclosure in the comments to a post is easily avoidable and thus not clear and conspicuous.”

(Source for all four: FTC, Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking, last checked 31 Oct 2026)

The FTC’s creator guide adds that disclosures “are likely to be missed if they appear only on an ABOUT ME or profile page,” at the end of a post, or anywhere a reader has to click MORE to see them. It also says: “Don’t mix your disclosure into a group of hashtags or links.” (Source: FTC, Disclosures 101, last checked 31 Oct 2026)

A simple placement plan for a blog

Here is a setup that covers the common cases:

A short line near the top of every post that has affiliate links. Put it before the first link, so readers see it before they can click. The same goes for a bridge page.
A short note next to key recommendations. If you have a big “My top pick” box or a “Buy now” button, add a few words right beside it, such as “(affiliate link, I earn a commission)”.
A full disclosure page (optional). You can have a longer page that explains how your site earns money. Treat it as extra detail, not a replacement for the notes on each post.

Many site builders and themes let you add a reusable block. Set up your disclosure line once, then drop it into each new post so you never forget it.

What to write: examples you can copy

The FTC does not require exact words. Its Q&A page asks, “Is there special wording I have to use to make the disclosure?” and answers, “No.” (Source: FTC, Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking, last checked 31 Oct 2026)

What matters is that a normal reader understands it at a glance. Plain words beat clever ones.

Short lines for the top of a post

“This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you.”
“I may earn a commission if you buy something through links on this page.”
“Heads up: some links below are affiliate links, which means I get paid if you buy.”

Lines for next to a link or button

“(I earn a commission if you buy.)”
“Paid link: I earn a commission on purchases.”
“Affiliate link. I get a commission if you buy through it.”

Notice that each of these explains what the link means. The phrase “affiliate link” on its own is common, but many readers do not know what it means. Adding “I earn a commission” removes the guesswork.

A line for a review where you got the product free

The FTC’s creator guide says simple explanations like “Thanks to Acme brand for the free product” are often enough if placed where they are hard to miss. (Source: FTC, Disclosures 101, last checked 31 Oct 2026)

You might write:

“The company gave me a free account to test for this review. I also earn a commission if you buy through my links.”

Amazon Associates line

If you are in the Amazon Associates program, use the required sentence (or a substantially similar one Amazon has allowed):

“As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

(Source: Amazon Associates Program Operating Agreement, last checked 31 Oct 2026)

You can place it alongside your general disclosure. For example: “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I also earn commissions from some other links on this page.”

Want short, plain emails on affiliate marketing like this guide? Get the free emails. Free, and you can unsubscribe anytime with one click.

Words and tricks to avoid

The FTC’s creator guide is clear about vague terms: “Don’t use vague or confusing terms like ‘sp,’ ‘spon,’ or ‘collab,’ or stand-alone terms like ‘thanks’ or ‘ambassador.'” (Source: FTC, Disclosures 101, last checked 31 Oct 2026)

The FTC’s Q&A page also lists several hashtags it calls unclear, such as “#ambassador” or “partner,” which it describes as “ambiguous and confusing.” (Source: FTC, Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking, last checked 31 Oct 2026)

A few more habits to skip:

Tiny gray text. If you have to squint to read it, so do your readers.
Hiding it in a list of links or tags. It blends in and gets skipped.
Legal jargon. “Material connection” is FTC language. Your readers will understand “I get paid if you buy” much better.
Relying on a tool’s label only. The FTC’s creator guide says: “Don’t assume that a platform’s disclosure tool is good enough.” (Source: FTC, Disclosures 101, last checked 31 Oct 2026)

The same rules apply when you share an affiliate link on a social platform. The FTC’s creator guide says “The disclosure should be placed with the endorsement message itself.” For an endorsement in a picture on a platform like Instagram Stories, it says to “superimpose the disclosure over the picture and make sure viewers have enough time to notice and read it.” It also lists terms like “advertisement,” “ad,” and “sponsored” as clear options. (Source: FTC, Disclosures 101, last checked 31 Oct 2026)

Examples you can adapt:

Instagram post caption (first line): “Ad: I earn a commission if you buy through the link in my bio.”
Instagram Story: put “Ad, paid link” as text on the Story frame itself, next to the link sticker.
Pinterest Pin description: “Affiliate link: I earn a commission if you buy.”
X post: “Ad: I earn a commission from this link.” near the start, not after a row of hashtags.

Many platforms also have their own paid partnership or branded content labels. The FTC’s guide says to use them in addition to your own disclosure, not instead of it.

Outside the US

The FTC is a US agency, so its guides cover US rules. Other countries have their own. In the UK, for example, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and CAP publish an “Influencers’ guide to making clear that ads are ads,” developed with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), and it includes guidance on affiliate marketing. (Source: ASA, Influencers’ guide, last checked 31 Oct 2026) If many of your readers live outside the US, read the guidance for their country too.

Affiliate disclosures in your emails

If you send affiliate links by email, the same idea applies: tell people near the link that you earn a commission.

Emails also come with their own US law, the CAN-SPAM Act. The FTC’s compliance guide says it “covers all commercial messages.” For commercial email, it says “you must disclose clearly and conspicuously that your message is an advertisement,” and “your message must include your valid physical postal address.” (Source: FTC, CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business, last checked 31 Oct 2026)

The same guide says you must give people a way to opt out, and “You must honor a recipient’s opt-out request within 10 business days.” (Source: FTC, CAN-SPAM Act guide, last checked 31 Oct 2026)

Here is a simple way to handle disclosure inside an email:

Set expectations in your welcome email. Tell new subscribers that you sometimes recommend products and that you will always say when a link earns you a commission.
Add a note right by each affiliate link. For example: “Here is the course I mentioned (affiliate link, I earn a commission if you join).”
Keep your footer complete. Your postal address and unsubscribe link go there. Most email tools add the unsubscribe link for you.

Example email snippet:

The checklist template I use is here: [link]

Quick note: that is an affiliate link. If you buy, I earn a commission. It costs you the same either way.

If you include Amazon links in email, check Amazon’s rules first. Its Program Policies say you may include Special Links in emails “provided, that such communications are solicited (i.e., opted into by the receiving customer)” and otherwise follow the agreement. (Source: Amazon Associates Program Policies, last checked 31 Oct 2026)

A full disclosure page: sample template

A full page is a nice extra. Link it in your site footer. Here is a short template to adapt:

How this site earns money

Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you click one and buy something, we may earn a commission. You pay the same price.

We only recommend products we have looked at closely and think could help our readers. A commission never decides what we write about.

Some companies give us free access to their products so we can review them. When that happens, we say so in the review.

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. (Only include this line if you are in the program.)

Questions? Email us at [your address].

Remember: this page is a backup. The short note on each post is the one that does the real work.

Quick checklist before you publish

Run through this list for every post or email with an affiliate link:

Is there a disclosure before the first affiliate link?
Does it use plain words, like “I earn a commission”?
Is it the same size and color as the main text, or close to it?
Is there a short note next to big buttons or “top pick” boxes?
Did you add any program-required wording, such as Amazon’s sentence?
If you got a free product or account, did you say so?
For emails: postal address and unsubscribe link in the footer?

If you can tick every box, you are in good shape.

FAQ

Do I need a disclosure if I only have one affiliate link?
Yes. The FTC guidance is about the connection, not the number of links. One link with a commission behind it still calls for a clear disclosure.

Can I just put the disclosure in my site footer?
On its own, no. The FTC says consumers may miss a disclosure at the bottom of a page, and a single disclosure on your home page won’t be enough. Put a short note near the top of each post and near key links. (Source: FTC, Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking, last checked 31 Oct 2026)

Is “#ad” enough?
The FTC’s creator guide says it is fine, but not necessary, to include a hashtag such as #ad with your disclosure. On a blog or in an email, a plain sentence is usually clearer than a hashtag. (Source: FTC, Disclosures 101, last checked 31 Oct 2026)

Do I need different wording for each affiliate program?
Usually one general line covers you, but some programs require their own wording. Amazon Associates is one that does. Read the terms of each program you join.

Does a disclosure hurt my clicks?
Many readers already expect that a review site earns commissions. A short, friendly note tends to read as honest. Hiding it is far more likely to cost you trust over time.

Is this guide legal advice?
No. It summarizes official FTC and program pages as of the date checked. Rules can change, so check the linked pages yourself and speak to a lawyer if you have a specific legal question.

Wrap-up

A good affiliate disclosure is short, plain, and easy to see. Put a line near the top of each post, add a note by your main links, use any wording your programs require, and tell email readers the same way. Do that, and your readers always know where they stand.