FTC Regulations for Affiliate Marketers
Someone I am connected with asked a very interesting question about FTC requirements for affiliates. I will cover that shortly.
First, I would like to say that my connection received the information from our own Leomery. If you go to this link for Affiliate and Earnings Disclosure, you will find a well thought out disclosure that Leo will not mind if you use.
Below, is the information directly from the FTC:
“What do I need to disclose? Clearly disclose your relationship with the retailer."
Where should I disclose this information? In a conspicuous place on your site. Your customers should not have to hunt for it. According to the FTC, they want you to "place the disclosure where a customer can see both the review and disclosure at the same time." They suggest that you place a link to the disclosure with the words to include something such as this: "I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post."
"Is “affiliate link” by itself a sufficient disclosure?" According to the FTC “Consumers might not understand that “affiliate link” means that the person placing the link is getting paid for purchases through the link.”
"What about a “buy now” button? Would that be sufficient for informing consumers?" Again, according to the FTC, this is not adequate.
What if I link to product marketers or retailers solely for the convenience of my readers but I don’t get paid for it? Well, then you have nothing to disclose.
Does the guidance about affiliate links apply to links in my reviews on someone else’s website and to my tweets and other social networking?
Yes, the same guidance applies when and wherever you endorse a product or service and get paid through affiliate links.
If it is clear that what’s on my website is a paid advertisement, do I still have to disclose that I get a commission if people click through my website to buy the product?
If it’s clear that what’s on your site is a paid advertisement, you don’t have to make additional disclosures. Just remember that what’s clear to you may not be clear to everyone visiting your site, and the FTC evaluates ads from the perspective of reasonable consumers.”
And there you have it, the answers in black and white. With this in mind, and in my opinion, the statement that you earn a commission with a link to the disclosure should be placed at the bottom of the review itself and the actual disclosure page put in the footer.
Recent Comments
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Most of us have the disclosure page on the navigating menus which are not obvious to the view of the buyers.
Exactly, and that is a no no for the FTC. According to them, it should be noticeable with the review. So, as I see it, the statement about commission and a link to the disclosure page should be at the bottom of each review.
Great article, Lisa, on the disclosure requirements of the FTC. Do we need to change our privacy policies?
Thank you Lisa did have something on my site though did not cover earnings as I do not make any claims about figures so will check on this thank you
I did this awhile ago...luckily! Not sure if I have one for grey aliens though......does that apply to me?
I thought they all lived in Area 51? You'll need to go back to the States and send me a couple....
Oh yes, I am sure they ARE. Actually, I used to have a friend who thought that when she was on the phone, the FBI would listen in on her. She would hear static and say, they are listening again. She was dead serious too.
I don't reckon aliens visit earth....it's in their handbook, page 749: Do not visit planet earth on any account, they have not learnt to live in harmony, (They haven't even figured out space travel, they are still using rockets!) they are not ready for advanced civilisations as ours. Now go to our most visited destinations on page 3...you will find your dream holiday destinations there!
Ooops, it was my personal copy when I arrived here, I decided to live dangerously! The book self destructed on exposure to earths' atmosphere...they are designed to do that.....regulation 14307 of the unviersal peace treaty code of the Ugmilian Empire!
Wait! Are you saying you're an upside down alien? It can't be true, you look so human.
I was so young when I was brought to earth, I never had my own copy. If only we stayed until I was out of the birth canal, I could have received one.
That really sucks Lisa......obviously your parents never gave you the crystal of knowledge? The good thing about being an upside down alien is you adapt quickly!
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Wow! An eye opener... I hadn't thought of this! So I should have it in my Wealthy Review page? Thank you Lisa for sharing this info!!
I didn't even know about this until yesterday. You should have a disclosure page set up by itself and if you want, you can use Leomery's disclosure. Go to it from the link in the post. On your review posts, you should have a statement something like this: "I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post", as suggested by the FTC. What I believe is the best way to do this is with an asterisk at the bottom of the post, put the statement and next to that, the link to the disclosure page.