7 Top Affiliate Link Disclosure Examples for 2025
Ollie Efez
October 17, 2025•18 min read
Affiliate marketing is built on trust. While the FTC requires you to disclose your affiliate relationships, a well-crafted disclosure does more than just keep you legally compliant-it builds essential credibility with your audience. A transparent statement shows you're honest about how you earn money, turning a legal necessity into a powerful trust-building asset.
But what does a 'good' disclosure actually look like in practice? How do you balance legal requirements with maintaining a natural, trustworthy tone? It's easy to get lost in the jargon and simply copy-paste generic text that feels cold and impersonal. This approach often fails to connect with readers and can even seem suspicious.
That's why we’ve compiled this guide. We will break down 7 real-world affiliate link disclosure examples, analyzing precisely what makes them effective, where they should be placed on your site, and how you can implement similar strategies immediately. We'll examine everything from official FTC guidelines and Amazon's specific requirements to automated tools like WordPress plugins that generate compliant text for you. Each example includes screenshots, links, and actionable takeaways to help you create clear, compliant, and trustworthy disclosures for your own website.
1. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) – Endorsement Guides and Examples
While not a commercial platform, the FTC’s official website is the single most important resource for anyone using affiliate links. It’s the starting point for legal compliance in the United States, providing the foundational rules that all affiliate marketers must follow. It earns its top spot because understanding these guidelines is non-negotiable for building a sustainable, trustworthy business.
The FTC provides authoritative guidance on how to create a compliant affiliate disclosure. Instead of just offering a template, its "Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking" page uses a practical Q&A format. This approach addresses real-world scenarios, making complex legal requirements easy to understand. It covers disclosures on different platforms, from blog posts and social media to videos and podcasts.
Why It's an Essential Resource
The FTC's site stands out because it is the source of truth for U.S. law. While other blogs offer interpretations, the FTC provides the actual rules and expectations directly from the regulatory body. This eliminates guesswork and helps you avoid legal trouble. The examples given are clear, direct, and form the basis for many affiliate link disclosure examples you see in the wild.
Key Takeaway: Your affiliate disclosure isn’t just about transparency; it’s about legal compliance. The FTC website provides the official framework you must operate within.
How to Use the FTC Guidelines Effectively
- Go Straight to the Source: Bookmark the FTC’s "Endorsement Guides" page. Refer to it before creating or updating your disclosure policy.
- Focus on “Clear and Conspicuous”: This is the FTC's core principle. The guides provide examples of what this means in practice, like placing disclosures near the affiliate link itself, not just in a footer.
- Adapt Language: Use the FTC's recommended simple terms like "(paid link)," "#ad," or "commission." They provide clear, simple language that consumers understand.
This resource is completely free to access and should be the first stop for any new or experienced affiliate marketer.
Official Website: FTC Endorsement Guides2. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) – Endorsement Guides and Examples
While not a commercial platform, the FTC’s official website is the single most important resource for anyone using affiliate links. It’s the starting point for legal compliance in the United States, providing the foundational rules that all affiliate marketers must follow. It earns a top spot because understanding these guidelines is non-negotiable for building a sustainable, trustworthy business.
The FTC provides authoritative guidance on how to create a compliant affiliate disclosure. Instead of just offering a template, its "Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking" page uses a practical Q&A format. This approach addresses real-world scenarios, making complex legal requirements easy to understand. It covers disclosures on different platforms, from blog posts and social media to videos and podcasts.
Why It's an Essential Resource
The FTC's site stands out because it is the source of truth for U.S. law. While other blogs offer interpretations, the FTC provides the actual rules and expectations directly from the regulatory body. This eliminates guesswork and helps you avoid the common compliance traps that can put your business at risk. The examples given are clear, direct, and form the basis for many affiliate link disclosure examples you see in the wild.
Key Takeaway: Your affiliate disclosure isn’t just about transparency; it’s about legal compliance. The FTC website provides the official framework you must operate within.
How to Use the FTC Guidelines Effectively
- Go Straight to the Source: Bookmark the FTC’s "Endorsement Guides" page. Refer to it before creating or updating your disclosure policy.
- Focus on “Clear and Conspicuous”: This is the FTC's core principle. The guides provide examples of what this means in practice, like placing disclosures near the affiliate link itself, not just in a footer.
- Adapt Language: Use the FTC's recommended simple terms like "(paid link)," "#ad," or "commission." They provide clear, simple language that consumers understand.
This resource is completely free to access and should be the first stop for any new or experienced affiliate marketer.
Official Website: FTC Endorsement Guides3. Amazon Associates – Required Affiliate Disclosure Text
As the world's largest affiliate program, Amazon Associates has specific, non-negotiable disclosure requirements that every participant must follow. Their official help page provides the exact wording required to remain compliant with their terms of service, making it an essential resource for anyone promoting Amazon products. This isn't just a suggestion; it's a mandatory step for maintaining your account in good standing.
The Amazon Associates Central help page clearly lays out the exact sentence you must include on your site: "As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases." This direct and unambiguous statement removes any guesswork from creating an Amazon-specific disclosure. The page also provides guidance on where this disclosure must be placed to be considered "clear and conspicuous" by their standards.
Why It's an Essential Resource
This resource is critical because it addresses program-specific compliance. While the FTC provides the legal framework for the U.S., Amazon has its own contractual rules that can be even stricter. Failing to meet Amazon's requirements can get you banned from the program, regardless of your FTC compliance. Their page provides one of the most widely used affiliate link disclosure examples and is tailored specifically for the millions of marketers who rely on Amazon for income.
Key Takeaway: Program-specific disclosure rules are just as important as legal ones. Amazon provides a clear, copy-and-paste solution to ensure you meet their requirements.
How to Use the Amazon Guidelines Effectively
- Copy the Exact Wording: Don't try to rephrase the required statement. Use the exact text: "As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases."
- Prioritize Placement: Place the disclosure in a prominent location, such as at the top of a blog post or in a site-wide header. It must be easily visible before a user interacts with any affiliate links.
- Combine with a General Disclosure: Use Amazon's required statement alongside your broader FTC-compliant disclosure to cover all your affiliate partnerships, not just Amazon.
This guidance is a free and mandatory part of participating in the Amazon Associates program, making it an essential stop for a huge portion of the affiliate marketing community.
Official Website: Amazon Associates Operating Agreement4. TermsFeed – Articles with Examples + Free Disclaimer (Disclosure) Generator
TermsFeed is a practical tool that bridges the gap between understanding legal requirements and implementing them on your site. It combines educational articles with a free, customizable disclosure generator, making it an excellent resource for marketers who need a compliant statement quickly. This dual approach helps you not only see affiliate link disclosure examples but also generate your own tailored version without legal expertise.
Its primary strength lies in its actionable nature. While the FTC provides the rules, TermsFeed provides the tools to put those rules into practice. The free generator walks you through a series of simple questions about your business and affiliate partnerships, including Amazon Associates, and produces a ready-to-use disclosure. This simplifies a process that can often feel intimidating for new content creators.
Why It's a Standout Resource
TermsFeed stands out by offering both education and execution in one place. Its articles provide context and real-world examples, while the generator turns that knowledge into a tangible asset for your website. This is particularly useful for those who want a compliant, professional-looking disclosure without the cost of hiring a lawyer for a basic statement. The ability to generate specific disclosures for programs like Amazon makes it even more valuable.
Key Takeaway: A generator can be a great starting point for creating a compliant disclosure, especially when you need a solution that is quick, free, and easy to implement.
How to Use TermsFeed Effectively
- Generate and Customize: Use the free disclaimer generator to create your base disclosure. Answer the questions accurately to ensure the output is relevant to your activities.
- Don't Just Copy-Paste: Read the generated text and ensure it accurately reflects your business model. You can manually edit the text, HTML, or DOCX files to add more specific details if needed.
- Use the Articles for Placement Advice: After generating your disclosure, consult their articles to understand the best places to put it on your website for “clear and conspicuous” compliance.
This tool is a powerful starting point for anyone needing a fast, no-cost solution for their affiliate disclosure needs.
Official Website: TermsFeed Disclaimer Generator5. Termly – Policy/Disclosure Generator and Compliance Suite
For marketers who need a comprehensive and legally robust solution, Termly offers a compliance suite that goes beyond simple disclosure text. It is a policy generator that helps you create not just an affiliate disclaimer, but also privacy policies, terms of service, and cookie consent banners. Its primary benefit is streamlining the creation of legally sound documents that can be easily embedded and updated across your website.
Termly provides a guided process to generate your disclaimer, asking questions about your business practices to ensure the final document is tailored to your needs. While not exclusively an affiliate tool, its disclaimer generator is perfectly adaptable for creating detailed affiliate link disclosure examples that cover all legal bases. It's an excellent choice for businesses that need to manage multiple legal policies and want a single platform to keep them current.
Why It's a Strong Compliance Tool
Termly stands out by treating your affiliate disclosure as a component of your site’s overall legal framework. The platform's main advantage is its auto-update feature (on paid plans), which revises your policies as regulations change. This is crucial for staying compliant with evolving laws like GDPR and CCPA, which can impact how you disclose partnerships. Understanding the nuances of why affiliate disclosure laws are critical is key to building a sustainable business.
Key Takeaway: A comprehensive disclaimer is part of a larger legal strategy. Termly helps you generate and maintain a full suite of compliant policies, ensuring your affiliate disclosure doesn't exist in a vacuum.
How to Use Termly Effectively
- Generate a Disclaimer: Use the free disclaimer generator to create a baseline affiliate disclosure. Be thorough when answering the questionnaire to ensure it reflects your affiliate relationships accurately.
- Embed, Don't Copy-Paste: Use Termly's embed code to add the policy to your site. This allows the policy to be automatically updated if you have a paid plan and the laws change.
- Integrate with Other Policies: Ensure your affiliate disclosure is referenced in your main Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, both of which you can also create with Termly for a cohesive compliance setup.
Termly offers a free basic plan, making it accessible for new marketers, with paid plans that add features like auto-updates and multi-language support.
Official Website: Termly6. WP Legal Pages (WordPress plugin) – One-Click Affiliate Disclosure Templates
For affiliate marketers running their websites on WordPress, WP Legal Pages offers a streamlined, technical solution to compliance. Instead of manually drafting disclosures, this plugin provides pre-built legal templates that you can generate and publish with a single click. It's a powerful tool for quickly deploying compliant affiliate disclosure pages, FTC statements, and specific Amazon Associates policies directly within your WordPress dashboard.
This plugin is designed for efficiency, helping site owners who manage multiple properties or want a fast, set-it-and-forget-it solution. It bundles over 20 legal templates, including specific affiliate link disclosure examples tailored for different needs, such as general affiliate programs and the Amazon Associates program. This makes it an excellent choice for users seeking a quick and comprehensive way to cover their legal bases without leaving their CMS.
Why It's a Great Technical Solution
WP Legal Pages stands out by integrating compliance directly into the WordPress workflow. While generators require you to copy and paste text, this plugin creates an actual page on your site, which you can then easily link in your header, footer, or sidebar. Its main advantage is speed and convenience, eliminating manual steps and reducing the risk of formatting errors.
Key Takeaway: Automating legal page creation within WordPress saves significant time and ensures consistency across your site, especially for those managing multiple affiliate projects.
How to Use WP Legal Pages Effectively
- Choose the Right Template: Select the "Affiliate Disclosure" or the "Amazon Affiliate Disclosure" template based on your specific monetization strategy.
- Insert Disclosures with Shortcodes: Use the plugin’s shortcodes to insert a concise disclosure statement at the top of every blog post or in a site-wide banner for maximum visibility.
- Customize if Needed: While the templates are comprehensive, you can edit them directly in the WordPress editor to add any specific details unique to your business.
The plugin is a premium tool, but its affordability and multi-site licenses offer strong value for serious affiliate marketers.
Official Website: WP Legal Pages7. Shopify Growth Center – Affiliate Advertising Compliance Guidelines (Examples)
Shopify’s Growth Center is an invaluable resource, offering official compliance guidance specifically for its affiliate program. While tailored for Shopify partners, its advice is rooted in FTC principles, making it a powerful learning tool for any affiliate marketer. It provides concrete, plain-English examples that demystify the legal jargon often found in compliance documents.
This resource earns its spot by translating broad legal requirements into practical, copy-paste-ready disclosures. It doesn't just tell you what to do; it shows you exactly how to do it with clear wording. The guidelines are presented in an easy-to-digest format, focusing on actionable steps rather than dense legal theory, making it perfect for marketers who need clear and immediate answers.
Why It's an Essential Resource
Shopify’s guide stands out because it provides official, platform-specific examples from a major e-commerce player. Unlike generic advice blogs, this resource comes directly from a company that manages a massive affiliate network. Its Do's and Don'ts list is particularly useful, offering precise affiliate link disclosure examples that help you avoid common mistakes like implied endorsements or unclear language.
Key Takeaway: Platform-specific guidelines like Shopify’s offer a practical bridge between high-level FTC rules and real-world application, giving you ready-to-use disclosure language.
How to Use the Shopify Guidelines Effectively
- Adapt the Examples: Use their sample disclosures as a starting point. While designed for Shopify, phrases like “I may receive a commission from links on this page” are universally applicable.
- Study the "Don'ts": Pay close attention to what Shopify advises against, such as using vague terms like "affiliate links" without explaining what that means. This helps you strengthen your own disclosures.
- Apply the Principles: Even if you aren't a Shopify affiliate, the core principles of clarity, placement, and honesty are universal. Use this guide to audit your own disclosure practices.
This resource is completely free and provides a blueprint for creating disclosures that are both compliant and user-friendly.
Official Website: Shopify Affiliate Advertising Compliance GuidelinesAffiliate Link Disclosure Examples Comparison
Turning Disclosure from a Chore into a Competitive Advantage
We’ve explored a wide range of affiliate link disclosure examples, from the official FTC guidelines to the practical tools offered by platforms like TermsFeed, Termly, and WP Legal Pages. The journey through these examples reveals a powerful, recurring theme: transparency isn't just a legal requirement, it's a cornerstone of audience trust.
The most effective disclosures are not hidden legal jargon tucked away in a footer. Instead, they are clear, concise, and strategically placed where they matter most, right beside the affiliate links themselves. This approach transforms a simple legal necessity into a powerful statement of integrity.
Key Takeaways for Building Trust
As we've seen, the best practices are consistent. Successful creators and businesses don't just comply with the rules, they embrace the spirit of them.
- Proximity is Paramount: Your disclosure must be close to the affiliate link. As demonstrated by the Amazon Associates and FTC examples, placing a simple statement like "(paid link)" or "#ad" directly next to the link is the most effective strategy.
- Clarity Over Complexity: Use plain, simple language that anyone can understand. Avoid legalistic phrases that might confuse or alienate your audience. The goal is honest communication, not a complex legal defense.
- Consistency Builds Confidence: Implement a consistent disclosure strategy across all your content. Whether you use a site-wide banner, an in-content box, or individual link notices, consistency helps your audience recognize and trust your affiliate relationships.
Your Actionable Next Steps
Now it's time to put these insights into practice. Don't just copy and paste a generic statement. Instead, use the examples in this article as a blueprint to create a disclosure strategy that fits your brand and your audience.
- Audit Your Current Disclosures: Review your website, blog posts, and social media. Are your disclosures clear, conspicuous, and placed correctly? Identify any gaps or areas for improvement.
- Choose the Right Tools: Your platform and technical skill will guide your choice. For a simple WordPress site, a plugin like WP Legal Pages offers a quick and easy solution. For a more comprehensive, multi-platform approach, a service like Termly or TermsFeed provides robust generators and compliance management. If you are building a custom solution, the FTC's own guidelines provide the foundational logic you need.
- Integrate and Automate: Once you've chosen your approach, integrate it into your content creation workflow. The less you have to think about it, the more consistent you will be. This is where automation tools become invaluable, ensuring every affiliate link is properly managed and disclosed without manual effort.
Ultimately, viewing disclosure as a trust-building opportunity rather than a legal hurdle is a significant competitive advantage. An audience that trusts you is more likely to engage with your content, follow your recommendations, and become a loyal supporter of your brand. By prioritizing transparency, you are investing directly in the long-term health and credibility of your business.
Ready to automate your affiliate link management and ensure every link is properly disclosed without the manual effort? LinkJolt provides the powerful tools you need to manage your links at scale, making compliance and optimization simpler than ever. Explore how LinkJolt can help you turn your affiliate strategy into a seamless, trust-building engine.
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