Images are AI-generated illustrations, not documentary photographs or product screenshots.
Affiliate content: explain the financial connection
If you earn a commission when readers purchase through a link, make that relationship understandable. The FTC’s endorsement guidance gives examples of clear disclosures and cautions that “affiliate link” alone may not communicate payment to ordinary consumers. A brief statement such as receiving commissions for purchases through links can be clearer. This is U.S. guidance, not a complete legal rule for every country. Check requirements in the markets where your content reaches consumers.
Put the disclosure where it matters
Do not hide the explanation behind a legal link, in a distant footer or only at the end of a long review. The FTC advises placing disclosures close to the endorsement and relevant link. Ensure the wording remains visible and readable on mobile. A decorative badge is not necessarily an understandable disclosure. If content is syndicated or shortened for another channel, check that the financial connection does not disappear from the version readers actually encounter.
Choose products you can evaluate
Define the audience and requirements before selecting an affiliate program. Test products genuinely where feasible, and distinguish firsthand experience from an analysis of public documentation. Do not say you used a tool if you have not. Include important restrictions, costs and alternatives, even when they make the recommendation less profitable. A commission arrangement does not justify inventing benchmarks, screenshots, testimonials or product availability. Your reader should be able to judge the evidence behind the opinion.
Keep recommendations independent
Avoid ranking products solely by payout. Record the criteria used and explain who a product does not suit. A sponsored placement should be identified rather than blended into an apparently independent comparison. Do not edit negative feedback into a positive claim or imply typical results from an exceptional testimonial. Honest limitations can make a review more useful than a dramatic promise. The goal is a relevant decision aid, not maximum conversion regardless of reader interests.
Maintain links and claims
Product plans, pricing and support can change. Set review dates and check that links still reach the intended offer. Update a recommendation when a material limitation emerges, and preserve appropriate disclosure. Broken or redirected links can mislead readers even if the original article was accurate. Avoid marking content as newly reviewed unless the underlying information was actually checked. AI illustrations should be labelled and should not be presented as proof of a real interface or test.
Treat affiliate income as uncertain
Traffic, eligibility, commissions, refunds and program rules affect earnings. The FTC’s warnings about business-offer scams are relevant when someone sells affiliate marketing as guaranteed passive income. Include the ongoing costs of research, hosting and maintenance. Start with useful content for a defined reader instead of buying an expensive system promising effortless wealth. Affiliate links can support a publication, but disclosure and accountable evaluation should remain more important than a particular commission.
Sources and further reading
FTC: endorsements and affiliate disclosures
U.S. Federal Trade Commission: business-offer and coaching scams
Related reading
Licensing Digital Assets: Rights Creators Need to Understand