How to Disclose Affiliate Links and Sponsorships on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube (Without Killing Your Engagement)
"#ad" in a wall of hashtags isn't enough. Here's exactly how the FTC and ASA expect creators to disclose affiliate links and sponsored content on each platform -with wording that actually converts.
Why This Keeps Coming Up
If you're a creator, course seller or run paid partnerships, you've probably typed some version of this into Google: "do I really need to say #ad" or "how do I disclose affiliate links without it looking spammy."
The honest answer: yes, you really do need to disclose -and the way most creators do it doesn't actually meet the legal bar. Burying "#ad" at the bottom of a 30-hashtag block, or relying on a platform's built-in "Paid partnership" tag alone, is not enough in the eyes of the FTC or the ASA.
This isn't a grey area anymore. Both regulators have published explicit guidance, and enforcement against creators -not just brands -has picked up sharply since 2024.
Here's what's actually required on each platform, and how to word it so it doesn't tank your engagement.
The Core Rule (Applies Everywhere)
Whether you're in the US (FTC) or UK (ASA/CMA), the underlying principle is the same:
A disclosure must be clear, prominent, and understood by the audience before they engage with the content -not buried, not abbreviated into obscurity, and not separated from the claim it relates to.
That means:
- •It must appear before the "swipe up," the link, or the call to action -not after
- •It must use plain language ("Ad," "Advertisement," "Paid partnership," "I get a commission if you buy through this link") -not just a hashtag
- •It must be visible without extra clicks -not hidden in a caption that requires "see more," not buried under 30 other hashtags
- •It applies even if you weren't paid in cash -free products, discounts, affiliate commissions and "gifted" items all count
What's required
- •Use Instagram's built-in "Paid partnership with [Brand]" label and include a written disclosure in the caption itself (the label alone is not always considered sufficient by the FTC)
- •For affiliate links (where you earn commission but there's no formal brand partnership), disclose this explicitly -e.g., "This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you."
- •Place the disclosure at the start of the caption, not the end. Audiences scanning quickly often won't see text below the fold.
What to avoid
- •"#ad" alone, especially buried mid-hashtag-block
- •"#sp" or "#spon" -these are not considered clear to the average consumer
- •Relying solely on Instagram's automatic tag without a written disclosure for affiliate (non-partnership) content
Wording that works
> "Ad -[Brand] sent me this to try, and I loved it enough to share. Link below to grab your own (affiliate link -I earn a small commission if you buy through it)."
TikTok
What's required
- •Use TikTok's "Branded content" toggle for paid partnerships -this is mandatory under TikTok's own terms, not optional
- •For affiliate content (TikTok Shop links, Amazon affiliate links, etc.), state clearly in the video itself (verbally or via on-screen text) that the link is an affiliate link -not just in the caption, since many viewers don't read captions on short-form video
- •Keep the disclosure on screen long enough to actually be read -a flash of text for half a second does not count as "clear and conspicuous"
What to avoid
- •Relying only on the caption when the claim and link are in the video
- •Vague phrases like "linked in bio" with no mention that it's a paid or affiliate link
- •Disclosure that appears only in a pinned comment
Wording that works
> On-screen text: "Affiliate link -I earn commission if you shop this." Spoken: "Quick heads up, the link in my bio is an affiliate link, so I get a small cut if you buy through it -doesn't cost you anything extra."
YouTube
What's required
- •Use YouTube's built-in paid promotion disclosure toggle for sponsored videos (this triggers the on-screen "Includes paid promotion" label)
- •Verbally disclose sponsorships and affiliate relationships near the start of the video -not just in the description, which most viewers never open
- •For affiliate links in the description, state clearly which links are affiliate links and that you earn commission from them
What to avoid
- •Burying the disclosure at the very end of a long video, after most viewers have dropped off
- •Assuming the description box is "enough" -the FTC has specifically called this out as insufficient on its own
- •Generic catch-all disclaimers buried in channel "About" pages that don't relate to the specific video
Wording that works
> Spoken, in the first 30-60 seconds: "Before we get into it -this video is sponsored by [Brand], and some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you use them. As always, everything I'm about to say is my honest opinion."
"But Won't This Hurt My Engagement?"
This is the real reason most creators under-disclose -and it's a legitimate concern. But the data and enforcement trends both point the same direction:
1. Audiences increasingly expect it. Transparent creators are rated as more trustworthy in consumer research, not less. The "ick" factor comes from hidden promotion being discovered, not from upfront honesty.
2. The penalty for getting caught is far worse than any engagement dip. The FTC has issued five and six-figure fines to individual creators -not just brands -for inadequate disclosure. The ASA can force takedowns and publicly name creators in rulings that show up in search results next to their name, permanently.
3. Brands are now vetting this. More sponsors are explicitly checking creators' disclosure history before signing deals, because they carry liability too if their partner doesn't disclose properly.
Disclosing well -with personality, not as a legal disclaimer dump -is now a competitive advantage, not a tax on your content.
The Quick Self-Check
Before you hit publish, ask:
- •Would someone scrolling quickly see or hear the disclosure before they see the link or claim?
- •Does it use plain words ("ad," "sponsored," "affiliate link, I earn a commission") rather than abbreviations or jargon?
- •Is it placed at the point of the claim -not buried at the end, in a pinned comment, or in an About page?
- •Would a regulator reviewing this post in isolation, with no other context, immediately understand it's a paid or commissioned relationship?
If you hesitated on any of those, it's worth rewording before you post -not after a complaint lands.
Need the Wording, Fast?
If you'd rather not write the disclosure from scratch, use our free Affiliate & Sponsorship Disclosure Generator -pick your platform, your relationship to the brand, and your jurisdiction (US/FTC or UK/ASA), and get compliant wording you can paste straight in. No signup required.
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