Within Communities
Say the Incentive Before the Click
Clear disclosure before the click protects trust better than vague phrases that make commercial incentives hard to recognise.
On this page
- What clear disclosure sounds like
- Why vague labels confuse readers
- Where to place disclosure in a reply
Page outline Jump by section
Introduction
When you mention an affiliate article or recommend a product in a Reddit thread or another online community, readers should know about your commercial incentive before they decide whether to follow your recommendation. A disclosure hidden on your website, buried after a link, or written in vague language does little to help readers understand that you may earn a commission. Regulators and platform policies increasingly emphasise that commercial relationships should be clear, prominent and understandable at the point where people encounter the recommendation, not only after they click through. [Federal Trade Commission+2ASA]ftc.govdisclosures 101 social media influencersThis brochure from FTC staff gives tips on when and how to make good disclosures.Read more…
For affiliate publishers, this is more than a legal precaution. In communities where trust determines whether advice is welcomed or removed, transparent wording reduces the appearance that a recommendation is disguised advertising. It also aligns with Reddit’s long-standing expectation that users should not hide their affiliation with a project or website. [Reddit]reddit.comr/reddit.com Guide: Self-Promotion on Reddit7 Nov 2019 — You should not spam in any way, especially through private message. You sh…
What clear disclosure sounds like
The strongest disclosure is both plain and immediate. Readers should understand two things without interpreting marketing jargon:
- You have a financial interest.
- That interest may result in a commission if they buy through your recommendation.
Examples of clear wording include:
- “I wrote this guide, and it contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a commission.”
- “Full disclosure: this is my website and I may receive a commission if you purchase through the links.”
- “Affiliate disclosure: I earn a commission from qualifying purchases, although it doesn’t affect the price you pay.”
When replying directly to someone asking for advice, it is often even simpler:
“I own the site I’m linking to, and it uses affiliate links.”
That sentence tells readers everything they need before deciding whether to continue.
The precise wording matters less than clarity. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) advises that disclosures should use straightforward language that ordinary consumers immediately understand rather than relying on ambiguous abbreviations or obscure terminology. Likewise, UK guidance from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the government stresses that promotional content should be recognisable as advertising from the first interaction. [ASA+3Federal Trade Commission+3GOV.UK]ftc.govdisclosures 101 social media influencersThis brochure from FTC staff gives tips on when and how to make good disclosures.Read more…
Why vague labels confuse readers
Many affiliate disclosures technically mention a commercial relationship without communicating what that relationship actually means.
Weak examples include:
- “Some links may be monetised.”
- “Partner links included.”
- “Supported links.”
- “This post contains compensated links.”
- “#sp”
- “Thanks to our partners.”
These expressions require readers to interpret unfamiliar marketing language. Someone may understand that money is involved without realising the recommendation generates commission from purchases.
Research into affiliate marketing disclosures found that short, unexplained disclosures were significantly less effective than explanatory statements that explicitly described earning commission. The researchers concluded that readers often failed to recognise affiliate content as advertising when disclosures were brief or cryptic. [arXiv]arxiv.orgEndorsements on Social Media: An Empirical Study of Affiliate Marketing Disclosures on YouTube and PinterestSeptember 3, 2018…
This distinction is particularly important in discussion communities. Members are evaluating not only the recommendation itself but also the credibility of the person making it. If readers discover the commercial relationship only after clicking, they may reasonably conclude that the incentive was intentionally concealed.
Where to place disclosure in a reply
For community discussions, placement is almost as important as wording.
The safest approach is to disclose before or immediately alongside the recommendation.
Good placement includes:
- At the beginning of a comment before linking.
- Immediately before the URL.
- In the same sentence as the recommendation.
- In the opening line of a self-post containing the recommendation.
Less effective placement includes:
- Only on the destination webpage.
- Hidden in a website footer.
- Buried beneath several paragraphs.
- After multiple outbound links.
- Inside a profile biography that readers are unlikely to open.
The underlying principle across FTC and UK guidance is that consumers should encounter the disclosure when it is still useful—not after they have already acted on the recommendation. [Federal Trade Commission+2GOV.UK]ftc.govdisclosures 101 social media influencersThis brochure from FTC staff gives tips on when and how to make good disclosures.Read more…
For Reddit specifically, this also matches community expectations. A moderator reading your comment should not need to inspect your profile or external site to discover that you are recommending your own monetised content.
Community trust is built by transparency, not legal wording
Many publishers worry that an affiliate disclosure will reduce click-through rates. In community environments, the opposite concern is often more important: undisclosed incentives can reduce credibility far more than an honest disclosure reduces curiosity.
Readers generally distinguish between:
- someone recommending a resource while openly acknowledging they benefit financially; and
- someone presenting a recommendation as neutral while concealing the commercial relationship.
Communities often tolerate the first where it genuinely answers the question and complies with local rules. The second is much more likely to be interpreted as spam or deceptive self-promotion.
Reddit’s self-promotion guidance specifically advises users not to hide their affiliation with projects or websites. Disclosure therefore complements good community participation rather than replacing it. A transparent affiliate disclosure does not make an otherwise promotional comment acceptable, but failing to disclose an obvious commercial interest creates an additional trust problem. [Reddit]reddit.comr/reddit.com Guide: Self-Promotion on Reddit7 Nov 2019 — You should not spam in any way, especially through private message. You sh…
Matching the disclosure to the situation
Different community posts call for slightly different wording while keeping the same principle.
SituationAppropriate disclosureLinking to your own buying guide”I wrote this guide and it contains affiliate links.”Recommending your own comparison article”This is my website. I may earn commission if purchases are made through the links.”Answering a question with both personal advice and a resource”Disclosure: the guide is mine and includes affiliate links, but here’s the short answer directly…”Mentioning a product without linkingIf there is no commercial relationship in the comment, no affiliate disclosure may be needed until a monetised recommendation is introduced.
Notice that the disclosure remains short. Community replies are not the place for lengthy legal notices. The objective is recognition, not exhaustive legal drafting.
Common mistakes that undermine credibility
Several recurring practices weaken both transparency and reader confidence.
- Treating the website disclosure as sufficient. If the community post motivates the click, readers should understand the commercial relationship before leaving the platform. [Federal Trade Commission]ftc.govdisclosures 101 social media influencersThis brochure from FTC staff gives tips on when and how to make good disclosures.Read more…
- Using legal terminology instead of ordinary language. “Commercial arrangement” communicates less clearly than “I earn a commission.”
- Disclosing only after someone asks. Readers should not have to investigate your incentives.
- Relying on obscure abbreviations. Short labels such as “#sp” or similarly unclear shorthand may not adequately communicate the commercial relationship to ordinary readers. Federal Trade Commission+2Wake Forest Law Review [ftc.gov]ftc.govdisclosures 101 social media influencersThis brochure from FTC staff gives tips on when and how to make good disclosures.Read more…
- Separating disclosure from the recommendation. A disclosure in your profile or on another page does not help someone reading a single reply.
The practical standard
For affiliate publishers participating in Reddit and similar communities, the simplest rule is also the most durable:
Tell readers that you have a financial incentive before they click, using ordinary language they can understand immediately.
That approach satisfies the underlying purpose of disclosure guidance from advertising regulators, aligns with Reddit’s expectation that affiliations should not be hidden, and helps preserve the trust that community traffic depends upon. [GOV.UK+3Reddit+3Federal Trade Commission]reddit.comr/reddit.com Guide: Self-Promotion on Reddit7 Nov 2019 — You should not spam in any way, especially through private message. You sh…
Amazon book picks
Further Reading
Books and field guides related to Say the Incentive Before the Click. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
Building a StoryBrand 2.0
Covers clear messaging, making it relevant to transparent affiliate communication.
Everybody Writes
Useful for writing trustworthy recommendations and disclosures in online communities.
Trust Me I'm Lying
Provides context on credibility, manipulation, and why transparency matters online.
Influence
Helps affiliate marketers understand ethical persuasion and trust when recommending products.
eBay marketplace picks
Marketplace Samples
Live-tested eBay searches with available results related to this page.
Endnotes
-
Source: ftc.gov
Title: disclosures 101 social media influencers
Link: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencersSource snippet
This brochure from FTC staff gives tips on when and how to make good disclosures.Read more...
-
Source: asa.org.uk
Title: affiliate marketing
Link: https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/affiliate-marketing.htmlSource snippet
Online Affiliate Marketing22 Mar 2023 — Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing where an affiliate is rewarded by a...
-
Source: GOV.UK
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-media-endorsements-guidance-for-content-creators/social-media-endorsements-being-transparent-with-your-followersSource snippet
Social media endorsements: guidance for content creators3 Sept 2025 — All promotional content should be labelled as advertising, and this...
-
Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/reddit.com/wiki/selfpromotion/Source snippet
r/reddit.com Guide: Self-Promotion on Reddit7 Nov 2019 — You should not spam in any way, especially through private message. You sh...
-
Source: asa.org.uk
Title: get yourself affiliated with the rules on affiliate marketing
Link: https://www.asa.org.uk/news/get-yourself-affiliated-with-the-rules-on-affiliate-marketing.htmlSource snippet
10 Oct 2024 — This CAP Advice explains the circumstances under which different aspects of content which includes affiliate links will nee...
-
Source: arxiv.org
Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/1809.00620Source snippet
Endorsements on Social Media: An Empirical Study of Affiliate Marketing Disclosures on YouTube and PinterestSeptember 3, 2018...
Published: September 3, 2018
-
Source: arxiv.org
Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/1803.08488 -
Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/letsplay/comments/71k360/ftc_gives_guidelines_for_disclosure_for/ -
Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/Affiliatemarketing/comments/e5wr1q/an_elegant_solution_for_affiliate_disclosure/Source snippet
[Amazon]({{ 'amazon/' | relative_url }}), and other affiliate programs are pushing for affiliates...
-
Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/modhelp/comments/184fary/how_should_i_deal_with_a_user_whose_entire_post/Source snippet
Nothing else. Am I being...
-
Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/juststart/comments/c0h6sy/what_is_the_current_best_practice_on_affiliate/Source snippet
Do you put it at the footer of every page?...
-
Source: reddit.com
Title: Do you guys disclose your affiliations on your blog posts?
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/juststart/comments/xvaaif/do_you_guys_disclose_your_affiliations_on_your/Source snippet
I was wondering whether you guys disclose your affiliation on your websites. I have an affiliate disclosure page in my footer, but recent...
-
Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/comments/1pyk2u4/no_selfpromotion_rule_does_it_apply_to_all/Source snippet
elf-promotion" rule in their sidebar. Is this a reddit-wide policy...
-
Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/WendoverProductions/comments/1ez7pva/ftc_guidelines_for_disclosures_for_social_media/Source snippet
FTC Guidelines for Disclosures for Social Media InfluencersThe first five minutes contain a grand total of one single broadly applicable...
-
Source: reddit.com
Title: how do you guys handle selfpromotions in your
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/ModSupport/comments/1rm7665/how_do_you_guys_handle_selfpromotions_in_your/Source snippet
How do you guys handle self-promotions in your subreddits?So far I’ve enforced a strict no self promotion rule in the subreddit I’m runni...
-
Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskModerators/comments/1gh3l0b/when_do_you_allow_selfpromotion_in_subreddits/Source snippet
tle to no cash spent. But reddit is notorious for users disliking...
-
Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/ModSupport/comments/11ctpf3/question_about_selfpromotion_rule/Source snippet
Question about self-promotion rule: r/ModSupportThe 10% self-promotion guideline doesn't say that you have a right to spam subreddits th...
-
Source: wakeforestlawreview.com
Link: https://www.wakeforestlawreview.com/2019/09/sp-or-thanks-brand-is-not-enough-ftc-guides-for-social-media-influencers-on-endorsements-and-testimonials/Source snippet
“#SP” or “Thanks [BRAND]” Is Not Enough: FTC Guides for...Sep 30, 2019 — The FTC established the “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorseme...
-
Source: Wikipedia
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RedditSource snippet
RedditReddit is an American proprietary social news aggregation and forum social media platform. Registered users submit content to th...
-
Source: redship.io
Link: https://redship.io/glossary/reddit-self-promotion-rulesSource snippet
Using dedicated self-promotion threads (...Read more...
-
Source: redship.io
Title: reddit self promotion rules
Link: https://redship.io/blog/reddit-self-promotion-rulesSource snippet
The complete guide to Reddit self-promotion rules in 202619 May 2026 — Tone matters more than you think; Disclose your affiliation; Don't...
Published: May 2026
-
Source: replyagent.ai
Title: reddit self promotion rules naturally mention product
Link: https://www.replyagent.ai/blog/reddit-self-promotion-rules-naturally-mention-productSource snippet
Comments allowed if answering specific questions, must disclose affiliation, add genuine value.Read more...
-
Source: redditor.ai
Title: how to pitch on reddit without getting flagged for self promotion
Link: https://www.redditor.ai/blog/how-to-pitch-on-reddit-without-getting-flagged-for-self-promotionSource snippet
Respect subreddit rules, and pause engagement where self promotion is restricted. If...Read more...
Additional References
-
Source: medium.com
Link: https://medium.com/activated-thinker/mediums-ftc-problem-how-compliant-are-affiliate-disclosures-8d1d919d1fc1Source snippet
Medium's FTC Problem: How Compliant Are Affiliate...Well, the Federal Trade Commission has set clear guidelines defining what constitute...
-
Source: termly.io
Link: https://termly.io/resources/articles/ftc-requirements-for-influencers/Source snippet
FTC Requirements For Influencers: Guidelines and RulesThe FTC provides influencer guidelines that impact how you disclose endorsements, s...
-
Source: luthor.ai
Link: https://www.luthor.ai/resources/affiliate-marketing-complianceSource snippet
The Definitive Guide to Affiliate Marketing Compliance | LuthorThe guidance requires that ads — including those by influencers or affilia...
-
Source: myroomismyoffice.com
Link: https://myroomismyoffice.com/uk-affiliate-link-disclosures/Source snippet
UK Affiliate Link Disclosures: Where to Put Them (and...This guide shows you exactly where to put disclosures and what to say across blo...
-
Source: linkedin.com
Link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/working-influencers-within-asa-guidelines-beki-sharman-w3qpeSource snippet
Working with influencers, within ASA guidelinesIts work includes acting on complaints and proactively engaging with advertisers to make a...
-
Source: dglaw.com
Link: https://www.dglaw.com/the-deep-dive-ftc-[updatesSource snippet
The Deep Dive: FTC Updates Endorsement Guides...Jul 11, 2023 — On June 29, the FTC announced new Endorsement Guides (Endorsement Guides)...
-
Source: help.socialsnowball.io
Title: 6170652 compliance for affiliates ftc affiliate disclosure examples guide
Link: https://help.socialsnowball.io/en/articles/6170652-compliance-for-affiliates-ftc-affiliate-disclosure-examples-guideSource snippet
Affiliate Disclosure Examples & GuideApr 26, 2022 — The FTC affiliate disclosure is a statement that declares your relationship with comp...
-
Source: youtube.com
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpYEmQ9njykSource snippet
New FTC Guidelines For Affiliate & Influencer MarketerS Must...New FTC Guidelines For Affiliate & Influencer MarketerS Must Watch Before...
-
Source: blakemorgan.co.uk
Title: increased scrutiny of influencer and affiliate marketing communications
Link: https://www.blakemorgan.co.uk/increased-scrutiny-of-influencer-and-affiliate-marketing-communications/Source snippet
Increased scrutiny of influencer and affiliate marketing...1 May 2025 — Influencers are increasingly under scrutiny for breaches of the...
Published: May 2025
-
Source: theapma.co.uk
Title: what the latest asa rulings mean for affiliate marketing
Link: https://theapma.co.uk/what-the-latest-asa-rulings-mean-for-affiliate-marketing/Source snippet
4 Dec 2024 — The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld five separate complaints against affiliate marketing ads on Instagram...
Topic Tree