15+ Excellent Affiliate Disclosure Examples to Get Inspiration From

Navigating the legal landscape of affiliate marketing can be challenging without the right guidance. In this blog post, we explore some of the very best affiliate disclosure examples, clarifying their purpose and showing you how to use them effectively to maintain transparency with your audience.

When you enter the wonderful world of sales and marketing, you have to do so with caution.

It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement and prospect of earning piles of cash and neglect the less glamorous side of things, namely, the legal stuff.

I know, it’s boring, unsexy, and doesn’t make you any money. But, you know what? Getting your ducks in a row can save you a tonne of money. Why? Because being non-compliant with the law results in a hefty fine and – if you’ve been really naughty – can even get you prosecuted.

I’d be willing to bet all my money that that’s something you don’t want to happen. Thought so!

So here I call upon all affiliate marketers to get their legal stuff together. Do you have your affiliate disclosure in plain sight on your website? If not, you need to get it sorted, quicksmart.

Here’s all you’ve ever wanted (and needed) to know about affiliate disclosures and some perfect examples to draw inspiration from.

But first…

What Are Affiliate Disclosures and Why Do You Need Them?

what are affiliate disclaimers?

First, let’s get the basics out of the way. An affiliate disclosure is essentially a piece of legal text describing your affiliate relationships and how you benefit from them.

Whether you have a blog or a different type of website, it is a legal requirement for you to add this disclosure the moment you enter into any kind of affiliate marketing. If you don’t do this, you will have a legal liability on your hands.

The affiliate disclosure consists of text informing the reader that companies pay you for providing links to their products or services. 

You know how influencers on TikTok, Facebook, or Instagram have to declare when one of their posts is a paid promotion? An affiliate disclosure is basically the same thing for your website.

What this disclosure does is keep your activity transparent and allow your audience to understand and identify paid promotions. This, in turn, enables your readers to make informed decisions about the links they click on and the products they purchase.

Your affiliate partner (the company or service you promote) also requires you to convey the commercial relationship you have with them. For example, Newfold Digial Inc. (the parent company of Bluehost, HostGator, iPage, etc), their affiliate agreement states that:

We require all affiliates to comply with applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines, including, without limitation, those concerning advertising and marketing, which further include, as applicable, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) endorsement guides, which require that material connections between advertisers and endorsers be disclosed. This means that all affiliate sites that provide an endorsement or assessment of the provider’s services must clearly and conspicuously disclose the fact that you receive compensation for referred customers.

If you decide to promote anything on your website via affiliate links and you fail to add an affiliate disclosure before doing so, then you are breaking the law and/or your agreement with your affiliate partner – plain and simple.

15 Excellent Affiliate Disclosure Examples in 2024

Sometimes it’s easier to get to grips with something by seeing it in action. Affiliate disclosures are easy to come by. Simply head to your favorite blog or website and seek it out.

In the meantime, here are some stellar examples you can draw inspiration from, with a few critiques you can learn from.

1. Website Rating

Website Rating affiliate disclosure

Ahem, how could I not include my own affiliate disclosure? This stuff is important because I need my audience to understand how I make my money and why I use affiliate links. 

After all, my transparency and honesty about my business and my work are what keeps me in business.

I like to think I’ve gone to great lengths to make the disclosure as easy as possible to understand. I’ve written it in a friendly, conversational way, and note that I’ve split the content up into separate headings to make it more digestible. 

Website Rating affiliate link disclosure

And here, you can see the on-page disclosure that I include on any page that contains affiliate links. I place it very clearly underneath the article title, and I’ve kept it short and sweet, but readers can click through for the full info if they wish.

2. Babe on a Budget

Babe on a Budget

Babe on a Budget is a blog, course provider, and money-tool provider for all things about budgeting. This website has chosen to take a more formal and official-sounding tone. However, the text is still very readable and straightforward to follow.

One thing I like is the site owner has added a personal touch by thanking her audience for supporting her. It’s a nice way to finish off a bunch of legal jargon, for sure.

Babe on a Budget affiliate link disclaimer

I like to think I’ve gone to great lengths to make the disclosure as easy as possible to understand. I’ve written it in a friendly, conversational way, and note that I’ve split the content up into separate headings to make it more digestible.

And here, you can see the on-page disclosure that I include on any page that contains affiliate links. I place it very clearly underneath the article title, and I’ve kept it short and sweet, but readers can click through for the full info if they wish.

3. Apartment Therapy

Apartment Therapy affiliate disclosure

Apartment Therapy is a blog for home buyers, so it contains a lot of affiliate links for home furnishings, decor, and design. I like how the disclosure is segmented into sections for easy reading and includes a section about sponsored posts and how they work. They also detail how product reviews are conducted and what the reader should expect.

Apartment Therapy affiliate link disclosure

The on-page disclosure is in small italic text underneath the post title and image. This is a good spot, but I feel the font size should be a little larger to make it stand out more.

4. The DIY Playbook

The DIY Playbook affiliate disclaimer

The DIY Playbook is a website dedicated to DIY home renovations and interior design. As such, it features a lot of paid partnerships and affiliate links to products the author uses.

As you can see, you instantly understand whether a blog post is sponsored or not. All the disclaimers are noted right underneath the article titles in the same font and text as the rest of the article. Typically they also include a link to the sponsor’s website.

One big critique here is that I could not find the dedicated disclaimer page, so it’s either missing or very well hidden. This could pose an issue for this website since it lacks vital details by not having one.

5. The Points Guy

The Points Guy affiliate disclosure

The Points Guy is a site dedicated to airline miles and collecting them. Since many air miles are collected via credit cards, there are a lot of articles about these too.

Anything financial needs to be extra clear, and The Points Guy really goes above and beyond to prove that it is a trusted source.

Rather than have a dedicated disclosure page, all the affiliate and sponsorship information is included on the standards and ethical guidelines page. This is where the site owner has gone into great detail to make readers understand exactly how the business operates and why it is a trusted source of information.

The Points Guy affiliate link disclaimer

The on-page affiliate disclosure is right underneath the article title and is super easy to spot, thanks to the “Why trust us” mini-heading. It provides ample information in two short lines about how the site makes money, along with three helpful links (one of which is for the page detailed above).

While it is not usually recommended to include multiple links, in this case, they are necessary because it shows the readers how the site comes to conclusions in its review articles.

6. Outdoor Gear Lab

Outdoor Gear Lab

Finally! A site that places its affiliate disclaimer in the footer. If you scroll to the bottom of any page of Outdoor Gear Lab’s website, you will see the disclaimers very clearly displayed.

Outdoor Gear Lab affiliate links

This is a site built around product reviews and recommendations, so it has made darn well sure that its disclaimer is placed on all relevant articles.

In my opinion, it could be placed in a more conspicuous location, and the text could be made more obvious, but it’s there nonetheless.

how Outdoor Gear Lab makes money

Rather than have a dedicated affiliate disclosure page, the information is included on its About Us page. Everything is arranged into neat headings, including one that details how the site makes money.

All in all, a great example to use for your own site.

7. The Wirecutter

The Wirecutter

The Wirecutter is a NY Times-owned website that focuses on product reviews and lists. This is the first website on our list with affiliate disclosure on its homepage. So, the moment you land on the website, you know precisely how it earns its money.

wirecutter affiliate link notification

Each article also features the affiliate disclosure prominently displayed right at the top of the page – even above the article heading. You can’t miss it.

wirecutter affiliate partnerships

There are two places to learn more about the site’s affiliate partnerships. One is on its “Partnerships and Advertising” page, and the second is on its “About Us” pageBoth offer comprehensive insights into how the site conducts its reviews and the relationships it has with its affiliates.

It’s extremely clear, obvious, and one of the best examples in this article.

8. Making Sense of Cents

Making Sense of Cents

Making Sense of Cents is a blog about budgeting, making money, and saving money. It has a lot of financial information and contains a lot of product and service recommendations.

As such, the affiliate disclosure is nice and obvious in clear text right underneath each article heading. Better still, it’s written in caps making it stand out even more.

Note that it states the site has “affiliate links” but then goes on to explain in plain English what that means.

The link through to the dedicated disclosure page then brings up a “dear reader” style letter. It doesn’t go into much detail – it doesn’t need to (in my opinion) – but you get a clear idea of what the disclosure is about.

This is one of the most concise and clearly written examples. If you have a tendency to waffle on, use this site’s disclosure as a template.

9. Driven By Decor

Driven By Decor

Driven by Decor does a lot of home decor reviews and has a dedicated page for the current favorites. Here you will find the affiliate disclosure displayed at the very top of the article list.

Note that it lacks detail. The disclosure does not state that the site owner makes money from commissions.

Driven By Decor sidebar affiliate disclaimer

However, despite the above issue, the full affiliate disclosure can be found in the sidebar on the right-hand side of every single page, so the site is actually compliant.

This website, in particular, is an Amazon affiliate. If you use Amazon for your affiliate link disclosures, you have to include specific text, as seen here and as detailed later on in this article.

amazon affiliate link disclosure

The dedicated page is one of the shortest on this list, but it does include everything that Amazon requires you to include, so no shortcuts have been taken here.

10. Smart Passive Income

Smart Passive Income

This site actually sells courses on how to do affiliate marketing, so one would expect that the site adheres to all the rules and regulations that go with it.

And indeed, it does. Smart Passive Income has extremely obvious and clear disclosure statements on all (recent) posts that you immediately notice. Located under the article title, the disclosure distinguishes itself from the rest of the text by being italicized.

SPI affiliate links

Clicking through to the full affiliate disclosure brings up something interesting. The site admits there is too much material to include a disclosure in all its articles.

The site was established in 2008 – well before affiliate disclosures were a “thing.” Therefore, it has covered its bases by instructing readers to assume that all links are affiliate links and that a commission will be earned if you purchase a product or service via one.

11. Tech Radar

techradar affiliate disclosure example

Tech Radar is one of the biggest affiliate sites going and a highly-respected and trusted source for all gadget and software reviews. Of course, such a large site will have all its legal ducks in a row.

And while it provides an affiliate disclosure on every page, it’s not the most obvious one. It appears right at the tippy-top, above the article title, and in small text, so it’s easily missed. In my view, it would be better placed below the title and the author’s info.

techradar affiliate advertising disclosure

Its dedicated affiliate page appears alongside the “About Us” information. It’s short but to the point with no fluff. However, if you want all the legal jargon and in-depth detail, it has a link to where you can find it.

12. The Shop Files

The Shop Files

The Shop Files is a website dedicated to e-commerce tools, tips, and recommendations. It has plenty of reviews for various software and products, so it must include a disclaimer.

And you can find the affiliate disclaimer, but it takes a bit of searching. Instead of placing it along the top of the page or directly under the page title, it’s instead found partway through the article underneath an image.

Remember that one of the key requirements for a good disclaimer is that it should be prominent and not displayed near any distracting elements. Well, in this case, the site owner has failed. Furthermore, it does not contain a link to the dedicated disclaimer page.

You can find the disclaimer page if you care to look – it’s located among the terms and conditions.

Ultimately, while there’s nothing wrong with the language used for the affiliate disclaimer, in fact, it’s pretty good. But overall, it probably isn’t compliant due to its placement.

13. Grow a Good Life

Grow a Good Life

Grow a Good Life recommends all things gardening and, as such, has a lot of affiliate links going on.

At the top of every post is a clearly written disclaimer, prominently displayed and easy to spot. This is also a great example of a disclaimer that fulfills Amazon’s requirements.

amazon affiliate link example

Clicking through to the dedicated disclosure page can be done via the on-page link so it’s quickly found. And what is nice here is that they’ve detailed each way they make money in a very clear and concise way.

Since the site uses a variety of affiliate methods, this is important for the reader to understand.

14. Website Planet

Website Planet

Website Planet is one of those rare web hosting review sites that take the care to place its affiliate disclaimer on every single page – including the homepage.

You’ll find the disclaimer at the very top of the page, so it’s not immediately obvious. However, once you have clicked through a few pages, you start to notice its presence.

The dedicated disclosure page goes on to explain how affiliate marketing forms the monetary basis for the business and why it’s important for the site owner.

All-in-all, a nice, clear example and shows that using a plugin removes the hassle of manually adding the disclaimer to each page.

15. QuickSprout

QuickSprout

For our final example, we have QuickSprout, a website with information about starting and growing an online business.

Like the previous example, QuickSprout appears to be using a plugin for its disclaimer, as theirs, too, appears at the top of each page. This one stands out a little more as they have used white text on a green background, so your eye is drawn to it straight away.

However, the site lets itself down by failing to provide a link to the dedicated page.

The full affiliate information can be found, but you have to search for it. I discovered it about midway down the About Us page, but here’s the thing. The About Us page isn’t accessible on every page, including the homepage.

It’s not available from the top menu, and the option only occasionally appears in the footer when you click on certain articles. It would appear that the website was updated at some point, and some pages were missed.

This is a good reminder to sense check all your pages whenever your website goes through a major update.

How to Write an Affiliate Disclosure

The good news is that you can write your affiliate disclosure in a way that reads well and speaks to your audience. For example, if you have a formal-sounding business blog, then it would make sense to create a disclosure in the same tone and language style.

Same if you have a casual, friendly tone to your website. You can create a disclosure to match.

Where to Put an Affiliate Disclosure

Your affiliate disclosure needs to be obvious. Don’t go tucking it down the side of an image or hiding it under a pile of text. Remember, the goal is to be upfront and transparent with your readers, so that means making your intentions clear.

Good places to situate your affiliate disclosure include:

  • Underneath your page title or header
  • In the page footer
  • In the sidebar (if you have one)

To cover all your bases, add your affiliate disclosure in as many of the above locations as possible. And add it to ALL pages that include affiliate links, product recommendations, and paid partnerships.

Affiliate Disclosure Guidelines

But what does it actually need to say? No matter what style you create your affiliate disclosure, it has to send the same message:

  • It must identify a link as an affiliate link
  • It must explain what that is and what clicking on the link does for you

Here are some tips for writing the perfect one:

  • Be clear and avoid jargon: Don’t use language that people may not understand – including the words “affiliate” and “affiliate marketing.” Use words your readers are more likely to understand, such as “promote” or “sponsor.”
  • Keep it concise: Don’t ramble on. Your on-page disclosure should be no more than two lines of text. Your separate disclosure page can go into a lot more detail but remember, the more complex it is, the harder it is for people to understand
  • Keep it plain: Don’t add fancy, distracting graphics or fonts or any unnecessary buttons and links. Add it in a plain, uncluttered area of the page. That’s why situating it under the page headline is a good place.
  • Include a link to your dedicated disclosure page: See below for what this entails.
  • Affiliate disclaimers are a key part of user experience, and not having one can impact how Google ranks you in their search results.

You know how you have a page for your privacy policy and terms and conditions? Well, you need a dedicated page for your affiliate stuff too.

This page goes into the nitty gritty of your affiliate disclosure, why you choose to partner with various brands and companies, and the benefit you get from doing so. It allows readers to fully understand how you make money and the mechanics behind how it all works.

As mentioned above, your on-page affiliate disclosure should include a link to this dedicated page. This is so anyone reading your content can quickly click through and understand more about what this disclosure means.

How to Write Amazon Affiliate Disclosures

Writing an Amazon affiliate disclosure is similar to writing a standard affiliate disclosure. However, there is one sentence that you are obligated to include in your Amazon affiliate disclosure example, and that is as follows:

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

And in accordance with Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations, you must also ensure that the link-level (on-page) disclosure should be:

  • Clearly stated: For example, clearly labeled as a paid link or that you earn a commission.
  • Conspicuous: In other words, readers should be able to spot the disclosure immediately. You cannot hide it elsewhere on the page.          

How to Add an Affiliate Disclosure Page to WordPress

affiliate disclosure wordpress plugins

If you use WordPress, you can automate the addition of affiliate disclosures to your blog posts or across your website by using a plugin specifically for this purpose.

The benefit here is that it removes the danger of forgetting to add the disclosure and running the risk of breaking the law. Super convenient and safe!

Essentially you create your customized disclosure text, add it to the plugin, and the software will work in the background and include it on every one of your web pages.

Here are a few of the most popular affiliate disclosure plugins for WordPress:

All of these affiliate disclosure WordPress plugins are free to use and offer a wide range of free affiliate disclosure templates, but most have not been updated in a while, so make sure you test one out in a staging environment first before adding it to your live WordPress site.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an affiliate disclosure?

An affiliate disclosure is a legal statement that informs consumers about the relationship between a website or blog and the products or services it promotes and reviews. When a website earns a commission for purchases made through its links, it is required to disclose this to its users.

Why is an affiliate disclosure necessary?

Affiliate disclosures are necessary due to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations in the United States and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPUTR 2008) in the United Kingdom. They help maintain transparency and trust between a website and its users by disclosing that the website may earn a commission for endorsing, promoting, or linking to certain products or services.

Where should an affiliate disclosure be placed?

An affiliate disclosure should be placed where it is easily noticeable by the visitor, such as at the beginning of a blog post, in the footer of a website, or even in the website’s sidebar. The FTC requires that the disclosure be clear and conspicuous.

Is it illegal not to disclose an affiliate link?

Yes, it can be illegal not to disclose affiliate links. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the United States, if there’s a material connection between an endorser and an advertiser, that should be disclosed. This includes affiliate relationships where the endorser (the person or entity providing the review or endorsement of a product or service) receives a commission or any form of compensation for their review or endorsement.

The idea behind this is to maintain transparency and fairness, allowing consumers to make informed decisions. Failure to disclose such a relationship may be considered deceptive marketing practices, which can result in penalties from the FTC. However, laws may vary in different jurisdictions, so it’s important to understand the laws applicable in your specific location.

How do I know if a link is an affiliate?

Determining whether a link is an affiliate link can be done by inspecting the URL. Here are a few things you can look for:

URL redirects: Affiliate links often redirect through the affiliate’s system before landing on the final product page. If you see a URL that doesn’t directly match the product’s website, it may be an affiliate link.
URL parameters: You may see additional parameters in the URL, such as ?ref=, ?aff=, ?affiliate_id=, or something similar. These are used to track the affiliate’s ID so they can receive credit for the referral.
Link shorteners: Many affiliates use link shortening services like bit.ly, TinyURL, or others to mask their affiliate links.
Affiliate network names: Some URL strings may contain recognizable affiliate network names such as “clickbank”, “cj”, “shareasale”, “rakuten”, and more.
Disclosure statements: Many websites will inform you when a link is an affiliate link. This is usually done through a disclosure statement near the link. It might say something like, “The following is an affiliate link, which means I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase after clicking the link.”

Remember, the presence of any of these elements does not definitively mean that a link is an affiliate link, but they can be strong indicators.

What are the best affiliate link disclosure examples?

In compliance with FTC guidelines, affiliate website examples are often used to clarify relationships between websites and the products or services they promote.

For instance, a blog post reviewing a new smartphone may include a statement such as “This post contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you click on or purchase through these links.” This affiliate disclosure template serves to inform readers that the website may receive compensation for purchases made through the provided links.

Another of many affiliate disclaimer examples could be seen on a social media influencer’s profile, where they may state “Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links.” By including this Amazon affiliate disclaimer example, individuals and businesses aim to maintain transparency and ensure users are aware of any potential financial incentives tied to their recommendations.

How much can you make with Amazon affiliate marketing?

Amazon affiliate marketing is a popular and lucrative way for individuals to earn income through online marketing. One may wonder, “How much can you make with Amazon affiliate marketing?” The answer to this question varies greatly, as it depends on various factors such as the niche of the website, the amount of traffic it receives, and the commission rates offered by Amazon.

What does affiliate mean in business?

An affiliate disclosure statement acknowledges that the website or content contains affiliate links, meaning that if a visitor makes a purchase through those links, the creator may earn a commission. To assist professionals in adhering to relevant legal and ethical guidelines, a well-known website has provided a ready-to-use free affiliate disclosure template. 

Summary – Best Affiliate Disclosures Examples in 2024

Any respected affiliate marketer needs to stay up to date with the latest requirements and laws regarding transparency. At the end of the day, you are providing a service to your audience, and it is, therefore, necessary to be clear you are clear about how you earn money.

One thing I noticed when researching this subject is that there are an absolute TONNE of websites that don’t comply with the law and fail to have adequate disclaimers through their sites.

Don’t be one of those people. Get your affiliate disclaimer up and get it right. You’ll thank yourself in the long run

Mathias Ahlgren is the CEO and founder of Website Rating, steering a global team of editors and writers. He holds a master's in information science and management. His career pivoted to SEO after early web development experiences during university. With over 15 years in SEO, digital marketing, and web developmens. His focus also includes website security, evidenced by a certificate in Cyber Security. This diverse expertise underpins his leadership at Website Rating.

The "WSR Team" is the collective group of expert editors and writers specializing in technology, internet security, digital marketing, and web development. Passionate about the digital realm, they produce well-researched, insightful, and accessible content. Their commitment to accuracy and clarity makes Website Rating a trusted resource for staying informed in the dynamic digital world.

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