FTC Affiliate Disclosure: What You're Actually Required to Do

Every affiliate marketer knows they're supposed to disclose their affiliate relationships. Most people do it because they've heard it's required. Fewer know exactly what the FTC actually says, where the requirements come from, or what the real consequences look like if you get it wrong.

The rules are more straightforward than the anxiety around them suggests. But there are also specific requirements from the affiliate networks themselves — Amazon, Awin, Rakuten — that go beyond what the FTC asks for. Getting compliant with both isn't hard once you know what's actually expected.

Where the Requirement Comes From

The FTC's authority here comes from Section 5 of the FTC Act, which prohibits "unfair or deceptive acts or practices." The specific guidance lives in a document called "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising" — 16 CFR Part 255. The current version was published on July 26, 2023, replacing the previous 2009 revision.

The core concept is "material connection." If you have a financial relationship with a company whose products you're recommending — which includes earning a commission through an affiliate link — the FTC says you need to disclose that connection. The idea is that a reader might weigh your recommendation differently if they know you're earning money from it.

What the FTC Actually Requires

The requirements boil down to three things:

1. Disclose the relationship. You need to tell the reader that you have a financial connection to the products you're linking to. The FTC's approved examples include straightforward language like "I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post" or simply "Paid link" next to an affiliate link. You do not need to disclose the exact commission rate or dollar amount — just the existence of the relationship.

2. Make it clear and conspicuous. The FTC defines this as "difficult to miss and easily understandable by ordinary consumers." That means near the affiliate link, not buried in a footer, not hidden behind a "read more" link, and not only on an About page. The FTC's own words: "The closer the disclosure is to your recommendation, the better."

3. Use plain language. The FTC specifically notes that "Paid link" works but "Commissionable link" probably doesn't, because ordinary consumers may not understand the term. Keep it simple and obvious.

What the FTC Does NOT Require

There's a lot of overcomplicated advice out there. Here's what you don't need to do:

You don't need a separate legal disclosure page. A clear statement near your affiliate links is sufficient. In fact, the FTC warns against relying on disclosures only on profile or about pages, since most readers won't see them.

You don't need to reveal how much you earn. The regulation (16 CFR 255.5) states that disclosure "does not require the complete details of the connection." You're disclosing the nature of the relationship, not the financials.

You don't need a lawyer to write it. The FTC-approved examples are plain English sentences. No legalese required.

Platform-Specific Rules

The FTC sets the legal floor, but the affiliate networks themselves often require more. Breaking network rules can get your account terminated and commissions forfeited, so these matter just as much in practice.

Amazon's requirement is the most specific. They don't just want you to say "this contains affiliate links" — they want their exact language on your site. If you're running Amazon Associates links, use their statement.

Social Media and Video

The same rules apply outside of blog posts, with some platform-specific considerations the FTC has addressed directly:

YouTube: The disclosure needs to be in the video itself — audio, on-screen text, or both. A disclosure only in the video description is not sufficient, because the FTC considers it too easy to miss.

Instagram Stories: The FTC says to superimpose the disclosure over the image and give viewers enough time to notice and read it. A disclosure that flashes by in one second doesn't count.

Live streams: Repeat the disclosure periodically, since viewers tune in and out throughout the stream.

Any platform's built-in disclosure tools (like "paid partnership" labels): The FTC's 2023 revision specifically noted that these built-in tools "might not be an adequate disclosure" if they're too small, poorly placed, or easy to miss. Don't assume the platform handles it for you.

What Actually Happens If You Don't Comply

The FTC's enforcement history shows a pattern. Most actions have targeted large influencers or egregious cases — like influencers secretly owning the companies they were promoting. The FTC has sent over 90 warning letters to influencers and issued Notices of Penalty Offenses to roughly 670 companies regarding endorsement practices.

Violations can carry civil penalties of up to $50,120 per violation. That said, a small affiliate blogger with a disclosure that's slightly out of place is not the FTC's primary target.

But here's the important part: there is no size exemption. The FTC has never stated that small publishers are exempt from these requirements. The guides apply to everyone. And even if the FTC isn't going to come after a site with 500 monthly visitors, your affiliate networks might. Amazon, Rakuten, and others actively require disclosure in their terms of service. Getting your Amazon Associates account terminated for a TOS violation has the same financial impact regardless of who enforced it.

A Simple Approach That Covers Everything

You don't need to overthink this. Here's a practical approach that satisfies both FTC requirements and network TOS:

On every page with affiliate links: Include a clear statement near the top of the content, before the first affiliate link. Something like: "This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you." If you run Amazon links, add their required language: "As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases."

On social media: Use "#ad" or "Paid link" near the beginning of the post, not buried in a stack of hashtags at the end.

On video: State the disclosure in the video itself, within the first minute or before any product discussion. Don't rely only on the description box.

That's it. This covers the FTC, Amazon, and every major network. Review your existing content to make sure older posts have disclosures too — a page published before you added your disclosure template is still a page without one.

Keeping Your Links and Disclosures in Sync

One thing that gets overlooked: disclosures only make sense if the affiliate links they refer to are still working. If your disclosure says "I earn commissions from these links" but half the links go to 404 pages, you're technically compliant but practically broken — no commissions are flowing even though you did the disclosure work.

Keeping your affiliate links functional is the other half of the compliance equation. Disclosure protects your legal standing. Working links protect your revenue. Tools like AffilGuard handle the link monitoring side automatically so you can focus on the content.

Both matter, and neither helps if you only do one.