Affiliate marketers know they want sales that bring in commissions. But while receiving commissions is good, there is one fundamental step that must not be avoided.
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Affiliate disclosure is very important and must not be skipped, if you're an affiliate marketer, operating a website or blog. It is an important part of the affiliate marketing process. But exactly what is it, and why is it important?
Let's talk about it here, but let's start by clearing a few essential points.
Monetizing your website
As a website owner, you might want to find ways to monetize your website or blog. This is because running a website or blog comes with some kind of operating costs such as,
hosting and internet subscription.
Now monetizing a site could be a side hustle for you, or a real business. But whether you're running a real business or side hustle, one of the way you can monetize your website, is by promoting affiliate products.
By promoting affiliate products, you are automatically considered an affiliate or affiliate marketer. You can monetize your website or blog, by searching for products to promote.
Becoming an affiliate marketer is a collaboration
Once you become an affiliate marketer, it means that you've found a product that you want to promote on your website or blog. It means that you have entered into an affiliate agreement with a company or individual product owner.
Be aware that,
-The affiliate agreement is between you and a company, or product owner.
-It is not a full time job where you get a fixed monthly income.
-Earnings are purely commission-based.
-You are promoting a company's product, based on the instructions set by the company.
-That you are going to promote products through a personalized link given to you.
Your personalized affiliate link is important
As an affiliate marketer, you will have your own personalized link. This link is what you will place in your blog posts or website. Link placement is an essential part of the promotion process. It is personalized meaning that it acts as an identifier.
Your personalized link is structured to contain an unique identifier. Visitors who click on the link, will be taken to the product website page, where they can see the actual item you are promoting.
If they click on the buy product tab, go to the checkout page and complete the purchase, due to the unique identifier embedded in the affiliate link, the company knows which affiliate gets the commission.
The first knowledge a site visitor has of a product, comes from reading your blog post. If it is a product that you have personally used, that you are promoting, you can write a product review about it.
Here are some of the topics that you may want to cover in your review.
-what the product is and what it does
-how to use it
-product features
-key features
-benefits of using the product
-overall consideration
Since the post is geared towards promoting a product, it is essential and important that you make your audience and site visitors, aware of the fact that you are promoting the product as an affiliate.
This way of informing your audience that you are acting in the capacity of an affiliate is what is termed Affiliate Disclosure.
What is an affiliate disclosure?
In simple terms, an affiliate disclosure is a statement that an affiliate marketer is obliged to display on their website or blog. The purpose is to inform site visitors of the fact that products being promoted on the website, contain affiliate links.
These links if clicked, may take site visitors to an external company's website where the product being promoted can be seen in its entirety.
Why an Affiliate disclosure is important
Affiliate disclosure is important and necessary because it is required by law in many countries. The aim is to guarantee consumer protection so consumers do not fall victims to misleading advertising.
The U.S. through the Federal Trade Commission(FTC), requires disclosure when there's a collaboration between a company(advertiser) and affiliate.
The Eu has something similar under the EU Consumer Rights Directive, where paid partnership collaboration must be clearly identified.
In light of this fact, an affiliate disclosure is important and must be displayed on the affiliate marketer's website. It informs site visitors that the affiliate is getting compensated. Here is what an affiliate disclosure statement looks like.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I/we may receive compensation if you click on links to products or services and make a purchase. This comes at no additional cost to you.
Placing affiliate disclosure information
When placing affiliate disclosure statement on your website or blog,
-Make it visible so site visitors can immediately see it.
-Make it easy for site visitors to read an understand the disclosure statement.
You can place it in various areas of your website or blog such as,
-On all pages
-Only in posts containing the affiliate product
-On a standalone disclosure page
-In the website footer and,
-In the side bar
For best practice, especially in posts that review affiliate products, place the disclosure at the top part just before the start of the post. This way site visitors can see it before they read the article.
It is also important that the disclosure is written in an easy to understand language so site visitors understand what they are getting into, before they click any affiliate link. This means that the disclosure statement must be as transparent as possible so site visitors know that,
-A particular post contains an affiliate link
-That the affiliate marketer will receive compensation if as a site visitor you click the affiliate link to the product or service and make a purchase.
-That after the purchase there are no additional costs to site visitors.
Examples of Affiliate disclosure statements
There are many ways website owners and bloggers, frame affiliate disclosure statements. Here are four example of how they write them.
1-Some make it simple like the example below
This post contains affiliate links. By clicking on links to buy something I may earn a commission. Thanks.
2-Some make it short but add a link so site visitors can click and go to read the full disclosure on a dedicated page, like the example below,
This post may contain affiliate links. Read the full affiliate disclosure here.
3-Some indicate the purpose of the disclosure as a means of earning to support their publications like the example below,
We may earn an affiliate commission if you buy through links on our site. This keeps it 100% reader-supported and free of advertisements or sponsorships.
4-Some make it more personal like the example below
This post may contain affiliate links and I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I would use myself. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Compliance is necessary
As an affiliate marketer, when you are promoting affiliate products on your website or blog, compliance is necessary. Site visitors must be informed early
-that you are promoting products as an affiliate marketer,
-that you may earn compensations from promoting them, if they make a purchase through your affiliate link.
-that the purchase comes with no additional costs to them.
Being transparent with site visitors is necessary because if found in violation for not displaying affiliate disclosure statement,
-It can lead to regulatory authorities issuing fines
-Legal actions can be taken
-It can lead to reputation damage
-Content containing affiliate link could be taken down.
Conclusion
Affiliate disclosure statements are a must if you are going to promote affiliate products on your website or blog. This means whenever necessary, you must inform site visitors with a clear statement, that you are promoting a product and may receive compensation for promoting it.
A clear statement guides consumers so they can take an informed decision before clicking on links to purchase products that are being promoted.
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