Within Disclosures
Where Affiliate Disclosures Need to Appear
Affiliate disclosures work best when readers see them before they trust a recommendation or click a buying link.
On this page
- Before the first affiliate link
- Disclosures near product buttons and tables
- Why footer only notices fail readers
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Introduction
Affiliate disclosures are most effective when readers see them before they rely on a recommendation or click an affiliate link. Waiting until the end of a page, hiding the disclosure in a footer, or placing it behind a separate disclosure policy undermines the purpose of transparency because the commercial relationship is revealed only after the reader has already acted. Regulators do not simply expect a disclosure to exist; they expect it to be presented in a way that ordinary readers are unlikely to miss and can understand before making a purchasing decision. [Federal Trade Commission]ftc.govFederal Trade CommissionFTC's Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking29 Jun 2023 — Advertisers shouldn't encourage endorsements using…
For affiliate websites, placement is therefore an implementation issue rather than a drafting exercise. The same disclosure text can be effective or ineffective depending on where it appears. The practical objective is to ensure that readers know the site may earn a commission while they are evaluating the recommendation—not after they have already clicked a buying button.
Before the First Affiliate Link
The safest and most reader-friendly approach is to display a short disclosure before the first affiliate link or purchasing recommendation on every page containing affiliate links.
This reflects the principle behind the US Federal Trade Commission’s requirement for disclosures to be “clear and conspicuous”. The FTC explains that disclosures should be difficult to miss, easily understood, and placed where consumers encounter the endorsement itself rather than somewhere they must actively search for. In online content, this means readers should not have to scroll extensively, click another page, or open additional menus before learning about the financial relationship. [Federal Trade Commission+2eCFR]ftc.govFederal Trade CommissionFTC's Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking29 Jun 2023 — Advertisers shouldn't encourage endorsements using…
For a typical affiliate article, the disclosure should appear immediately after the introduction or immediately before the first product recommendation. For example:
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Readers do not need to know commission percentages or affiliate network details before deciding whether to trust the recommendation. They only need the material fact that the recommendation may generate income for the publisher.
This approach also aligns with the UK’s advertising rules. The UK’s advertising regulator has repeatedly emphasised that commercial intent should be identifiable before consumers are influenced by marketing communications rather than being revealed afterwards. [Federal Trade Commission]ftc.govFederal Trade CommissionFTC's Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking29 Jun 2023 — Advertisers shouldn't encourage endorsements using…
Disclosures Near Product Buttons and Comparison Tables
A disclosure at the top of a long page is often necessary, but it may not always be sufficient.
Modern affiliate pages frequently contain:
- comparison tables
- “Buy Now” buttons
- product cards
- pricing widgets
- jump links that bypass the introduction
Readers arriving from search engines may land halfway down the page or jump directly to a comparison section using a table of contents. If the only disclosure sits hundreds of words above, many visitors will never encounter it.
For this reason, it is good implementation practice to repeat a brief disclosure near high-conversion elements, particularly where purchasing decisions occur. Examples include:
- immediately above a comparison table containing affiliate links
- above a block of product buttons
- before a “Best Pick” recommendation
- next to prominent call-to-action buttons
The disclosure does not need to be lengthy every time. A concise reminder such as “Affiliate links below” or “We may earn a commission from purchases made through these links” can reinforce transparency without interrupting the reading experience, provided it is clear enough for ordinary readers to understand. The FTC has specifically noted that disclosures should appear in close proximity to the endorsement or link they relate to. [Federal Trade Commission+2eCFR]ftc.govFederal Trade CommissionFTC's Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking29 Jun 2023 — Advertisers shouldn't encourage endorsements using…
Why Footer-Only Notices Fail Readers
One of the most common implementation mistakes is relying entirely on:
- a site-wide disclosure page
- a footer notice
- a terms and conditions page
- a privacy policy
- a generic “Legal” link
Although these documents may have administrative value, they do not satisfy the practical goal of informing readers at the point where the commercial relationship matters.
From a reader’s perspective, a footer disclosure has several weaknesses:
- Many visitors never reach the bottom of lengthy review pages.
- Readers often click affiliate buttons before scrolling to the end.
- Mobile users may interact with product cards long before seeing any footer.
- Search visitors frequently land deep within content rather than starting at the top.
The FTC has repeatedly explained that disclosures should not require consumers to hunt for them, click elsewhere, or expand hidden content. Likewise, examples accompanying the Endorsement Guides illustrate that disclosures hidden behind “More” links or placed somewhere consumers can easily overlook are unlikely to be considered clear and conspicuous. [eCFR+2Federal Trade Commission]ecfr.gov16 CFR Part 255 – Guides Concerning Use of…The disclosure is not clear and conspicuous because people seeing their paid posts cou…
In practice, a dedicated disclosure page should supplement—not replace—page-level disclosures.
Designing for How Readers Actually Use Affiliate Pages
Good disclosure placement recognises that readers rarely consume affiliate content from beginning to end.
Instead, they often:
- scan headings
- skip directly to rankings
- use jump links
- compare prices
- click product buttons quickly
- return from search results directly to individual sections
A disclosure strategy should therefore follow reader behaviour rather than page structure.
For example:
Page elementRecommended disclosure placementProduct reviewBefore the first affiliate recommendation”Best X” listNear the introduction and before the first productComparison tableImmediately above or integrated with the tableProduct buttonsShort reminder immediately before the buttonsMultiple affiliate sectionsRepeat concise disclosures where new recommendation blocks begin
The objective is not repetition for its own sake but ensuring that a reasonable reader encounters the disclosure before acting.
Clear Placement Supports Trust as Well as Compliance
Effective placement does more than satisfy regulatory expectations. It also reduces the feeling that the site is hiding how it earns money.
Research into affiliate marketing disclosures has found that many creators either omit disclosures entirely or use vague wording that users do not understand. Studies have also shown that explanatory disclosures perform better than brief or ambiguous labels because readers more readily recognise the commercial relationship. [arXiv]arxiv.orgEndorsements on Social Media: An Empirical Study of Affiliate Marketing Disclosures on YouTube and PinterestSeptember 3, 2018…
For affiliate websites built around product reviews and recommendations, early disclosure therefore serves two purposes:
- readers receive relevant information before making purchasing decisions; and
- publishers demonstrate that they are being transparent rather than revealing their commercial interest only after trust has already been established.
When disclosures appear before the first affiliate link and are repeated where buying decisions occur, they become part of the page’s editorial integrity instead of an afterthought hidden in the site’s legal pages.
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Further Reading
Books and field guides related to Where Affiliate Disclosures Need to Appear. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
Don't Make Me Think, Revisited
Supports clear placement and visibility principles that also apply to affiliate disclosures.
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Epic Content Marketing
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Endnotes
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Source: ftc.gov
Link: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-askingSource snippet
Federal Trade CommissionFTC's Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking29 Jun 2023 — Advertisers shouldn't encourage endorsements using...
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Source: ecfr.gov
Link: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-255Source snippet
16 CFR Part 255 -- Guides Concerning Use of...The disclosure is not clear and conspicuous because people seeing their paid posts cou...
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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
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Source: arxiv.org
Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/1803.08488 -
Source: perform.digital
Title: ftc disclosure affiliates
Link: https://perform.digital/blogs/ftc-disclosure-affiliates/Source snippet
FTC Disclosure for Affiliates and Creators, Done RightThe 2009 and 2023 Endorsement Guide revisions, the July 2023 effective date and its...
Published: July 2023
Additional References
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Source: federal-lawyer.com
Link: https://federal-lawyer.com/ftc-defense/affiliate-disclosure/Source snippet
Understanding the FTC's Affiliate Disclosure RulesLearn what affiliate marketers and companies need to know about the FTC's affiliate dis...
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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...
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Source: iubenda.com
Link: https://www.iubenda.com/en/blog/affiliate-disclosure/Source snippet
isitors that you earn a commission when they purchase a product or...Read more...
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Source: support.avantlink.com
Title: 211635666 FTC Guidelines for Affiliate Marketing
Link: https://support.avantlink.com/hc/en-us/articles/211635666-FTC-Guidelines-for-Affiliate-MarketingSource snippet
Guidelines for Affiliate Marketing - AvantLink Support28 Jul 2025 — These revised guidelines emphasize: Clear and conspicuous disclosures...
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Source: auditsocials.com
Title: ftc affiliate disclosure requirements 2026 guide
Link: https://www.auditsocials.com/blog/ftc-affiliate-disclosure-requirements-2026-guideSource snippet
FTC Affiliate Disclosure Requirements 2026 - AuditSocials14 Mar 2026 — This complete guide covers exactly where disclosures must appear...
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Source: stalirov.lawyer
Link: https://stalirov.lawyer/en/posts/ftc-affiliate-marketing-complianceSource snippet
FTC Affiliate Marketing & Compliance: Disclosure Rules...7 May 2025 — The FTC views most affiliate marketing activities as endorsements...
Published: May 2025
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Source: arnoldporter.com
Title: ftc proposed [updates]({{ ‘updates/’ | relative_url }}) to endorsement guides
Link: https://www.arnoldporter.com/en/perspectives/advisories/2022/06/ftc-proposed-updates-to-endorsement-guidesSource snippet
and.com...6 Jun 2022 — The disclosure is described as only appearing for five seconds and being in “small white text,” set against a “l...
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Source: postaffiliatepro.com
Title: betting affiliate disclosure requirements
Link: https://www.postaffiliatepro.com/blog/betting-affiliate-disclosure-requirements/Source snippet
Betting Affiliate Disclosure: FTC & International Rules28 Nov 2025 — Disclosures must be clear and conspicuous, meaning they should be ea...
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Source: partnercentric.com
Title: how to properly disclose ftc endorsements
Link: https://partnercentric.com/blog/how-to-properly-disclose-ftc-endorsements/Source snippet
17 Jun 2024 — Clear and Conspicuous Disclosures: Use simple and direct language such as “advertisement,” “ad,” “sponsored by [Brand],” or...
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Source: postaffiliatepro.com
Title: Do I Have to Disclose Affiliate Links?
Link: https://www.postaffiliatepro.com/faq/do-i-have-to-disclose-affiliate-links/Source snippet
Legal Requirements...The FTC doesn't prescribe exact wording for affiliate disclosures, but it does require that they be “clear and cons...
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