What Is an Affiliate Disclosure?
An affiliate disclosure is a transparency statement that informs your audience you may earn commissions when they click on certain links and make purchases. Required by the FTC in the United States and by similar regulatory bodies worldwide, it ensures readers understand the financial relationship between publishers and the products or services they recommend.
Without proper disclosure, content creators risk fines, legal action, and loss of audience trust. This generator builds a clear, compliant disclosure statement tailored to your specific affiliate programs, revenue model, and brand voice — in under a minute.
How to Use This Tool
- Enter your website details — Provide your site name and URL. This personalizes the disclosure language so it reads naturally on your pages.
- Select your affiliate programs — Choose from common programs like Amazon Associates, ShareASale, or CJ Affiliate, or add custom program names.
- Configure the disclosure style — Choose between a short inline statement, a detailed full-page disclosure, or both. The tool generates appropriate language for each format.
- Export and add to your site — Copy the text or download as a file. Place the inline version near affiliate links and the full version on a dedicated disclosure page linked from your footer.
Tips and Best Practices
- → Place it above the fold. The FTC guidelines specify that disclosures must be clear and conspicuous. A link buried in the footer doesn't meet this standard. Put an inline disclosure near the top of any post containing affiliate links.
- → Use plain language. Avoid legal jargon. "We may earn a commission if you buy through our links" is clearer and more trustworthy than dense legalese. Readers appreciate honesty over formality.
- → Update it when programs change. If you join or leave an affiliate program, update your disclosure to reflect current partnerships. Outdated disclosures can be as problematic as missing ones.
- → Create a full disclosure page. In addition to inline statements, maintain a dedicated disclosure page linked from your site footer — right next to your Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an affiliate disclosure?+
An affiliate disclosure is a statement informing your readers that you earn commissions from some links on your website. It's required by the FTC in the United States and by similar regulatory bodies in other countries to ensure transparency in online marketing.
Where should I place the disclosure?+
Place it prominently — ideally near the top of any page containing affiliate links, within the content itself, or in a clearly visible banner. A buried footer link alone is generally not sufficient for FTC compliance.
Is this required by law?+
In the US, the FTC requires bloggers, influencers, and publishers to disclose material connections with brands. Similar rules exist in the EU, UK, Canada, and Australia. Failure to disclose can result in fines and legal action.
Can I customize the language?+
Yes. The tool generates disclosure text based on your inputs — website name, affiliate programs, and revenue types — and you can edit the output to match your brand's tone and legal requirements.
Does it cover multiple affiliate programs?+
Absolutely. You can list individual affiliate programs (Amazon Associates, ShareASale, Impact, etc.) or use broader language covering all affiliate partnerships on your site.
Is my data stored on a server?+
No. Everything runs in your browser. Your website name, program details, and disclosure text are never sent to or stored on any external server.
Where on my page does an affiliate disclosure need to appear?+
The FTC guidance is that disclosure must be clear and conspicuous, meaning placed before or alongside the affiliate link rather than buried in footer fine print. For blog posts containing affiliate links, the disclosure should appear at the top of the post before the first link. For YouTube and social media, the disclosure should be in the video itself (spoken or on-screen text) and in the description. Email newsletters need the disclosure in the email body, not only in a linked terms page.
Does Amazon Associates have specific disclosure requirements?+
Yes. The Amazon Associates Operating Agreement requires you to clearly state your participation in the program, using specific approved language. The generator includes the current approved Amazon disclosure verbatim alongside generic FTC-compliant disclosures for other affiliate networks. Putting an Amazon-required disclosure on a non-Amazon affiliate link will not satisfy other networks; each network should be disclosed appropriately when its links are used.
Built by Derek Giordano · Part of Ultimate Design Tools
Privacy Policy · Terms of Service