Is an affiliate disclosure required in the United States?

The FTC's Endorsement Guides expect a clear and conspicuous disclosure when there is a material connection the audience would not reasonably expect. That includes affiliate commissions. For advice on your case, ask a qualified attorney.

Is a disclosure page or footer link enough?

The FTC says a single disclosure on a home page is not sufficient and that disclosures should be close to the recommendation. A separate page alone is unlikely to meet that standard.

Do I need to write #ad on every post?

The FTC says hashtags are optional, but the disclosure must be clear and easy to see. Plain words in the post itself are the safest approach.

Basics

Affiliate Disclosure: What Does the FTC Expect From You?

Q: What does Amazon require from its affiliates?

Amazon Associates must clearly and prominently state: "As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases." Read the current Operating Agreement for the full rules.

Affindly editorial team · Published 10/14/2026 · 5 min read

An affiliate disclosure is a clear statement that you may earn a commission if someone buys through your link. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) expects you to make this kind of material connection known to your audience.

This article sums up the official FTC guidance in plain words. It is general information, not legal advice.

What does the FTC require?

The FTC expects you to disclose a material connection clearly and conspicuously whenever your audience would not reasonably expect it. The rules sit in the FTC's Endorsement Guides, published as 16 CFR Part 255. Section 255.5 covers material connections.

A material connection can be:

A business, family or personal relationship
A payment
Free or discounted products

You do not need to explain every detail of the arrangement. But the disclosure must clearly communicate the nature of the connection. An affiliate commission fits, because you gain financially if the reader buys.

The FTC's influencer guide adds three points:

Disclose even if you believe your opinion is unbiased.
The responsibility is yours, not the brand's or the platform's.
Posts from outside the United States can also be affected if they reasonably reach U.S. consumers.

Where should you place the disclosure?

Place it close to your recommendation, where people cannot miss it. The FTC says the closer the disclosure is to your recommendation, the better, and that a single disclosure on your home page is not sufficient.

A disclosure that only sits on a separate policy page is likely to be missed for the same reason. Here is how that looks in practice:

Format	Placement that follows FTC guidance
Blog or review page	Near the affiliate link or at the top of the post, before the recommendation, in plain text
Social post	In the post itself, not only in the bio, not hidden behind a "more" link, not buried in hashtags
Photo or Story	Overlaid on the image and on screen long enough to read
Video	In the video itself, spoken or on screen, not only in the description
Live stream	Repeated from time to time so viewers who join late see it
Newsletter	Near the first affiliate link in each email

One more thing: the FTC notes that a disclosure placed on a hyperlinked button is easy to avoid. So it does not count as clear and conspicuous.

What should the wording look like?

Use simple language that a reader understands at a glance, in the same language as the recommendation. The FTC gives examples such as "ad," "advertisement" and "sponsored" for paid relationships. For affiliate links, plain sentences work well:

"This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you."
"Affiliate link: I earn a commission if you sign up."
"#ad" or "#affiliate" can support a longer statement in a short post. But the FTC says tools and hashtags should not be your only signal.

Skip vague terms such as "sp," "spon" or "collab." The FTC warns against them, and against standalone words like "thanks" or "ambassador." If you use a platform's built-in disclosure tool, do not rely on it alone.

What does Amazon Associates require?

Amazon requires one exact sentence: "As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases." The Amazon Associates Program Policies say you must state it clearly and prominently on your site or any other location where Amazon authorizes use of program content.

Program rules come on top of the law. Amazon also says you may not make other public statements about the agreement or your participation without its permission, unless the law requires it.

See the Amazon Associates program page for an overview, and read the current operating agreement before you publish.

Other programs and networks have their own wording or placement rules. Check the terms of each program you join.

What mistakes should you avoid?

Avoid these five mistakes:

Placing the only disclosure in the footer, the bio or an "About" page.
Using abbreviations or jokes that readers may not understand.
Disclosing on the blog post but not in the social post that links to it.
Describing a product you have not used, or calling a product great because you are paid.
Assuming the brand or the platform handles disclosure for you.

What should you do next?

Add a disclosure template to every format you publish in, and review your older posts.

If you are new to the model, start with our guide on how to start affiliate marketing. For questions about your own situation, ask a qualified attorney or contact the FTC.

Sources

Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers, Federal Trade Commission (retrieved 10/14/2026)
The FTC's Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking, Federal Trade Commission (retrieved 10/14/2026)
16 CFR Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising, eCFR (retrieved 10/14/2026)
Amazon Associates Program Policies, Operating Agreement, Amazon (retrieved 10/14/2026)