14. Rules For Sharing Affiliate Links
So while affiliate marketing might sound like a super easy and awesome way to make some extra money (it is), there are some rules for sharing affiliate links. And while these vary slightly between programs and in different countries, they are generally pretty similar around the world. I’m not a lawyer or expert on FTC regulations, so it’s important to know the exact rules & regulations where you live, but here are some general guidelines for using affiliate links:
- Affiliate Links Must Be Disclosed With A Disclaimer
Whenever you are sharing an affiliate link, it must be clear and obvious that you are doing so. It’s not allowed to share affiliate links without disclosing that they are affiliate links. This means you must have a disclaimer where the link is being shared, and it must be visible for everyone to see. Affiliate disclaimers should be at the top of a page/post (above the fold) and can’t be hidden at the bottom of the page (because people don’t always scroll to the end).
If sharing an affiliate link on social media, such as in a Facebook post, it must also be disclosed that it’s an affiliate link.
Example Disclaimer:
This page contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of my links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
- Updated Privacy Policy
If you are using affiliate marketing on your website, you will be using links that have tracking cookies. You’ll need to update your website’s privacy policy to reflect that you use affiliate links. For some programs, you may be required to name them, such as Amazon Associates.
If you do a Google search for Affiliate Disclosure Privacy Policy, you should find some example wording. Some affiliate programs, like Amazon, also have example wording of their own that you can use.
You can read more about affiliate marketing disclosure guidelines on the following websites:
Federal Trading Commission (USA)
Advertising Standards Agency (UK)
For WordPress users, there are plugins you can get that add an affiliate disclaimer to the top of each blog post so you don’t have to remember to add one yourself (or affect your SEO or article previews by having it as the first paragraph).
If you have a Kadence theme, you can add “Hooks” which are able to add a disclosure based on rules that you set. Find out how here.