YouTube Affiliate Link Disclosure Rules [2026 FTC Guide]

The bottom line: Yes, you must disclose affiliate links on YouTube. The FTC requires a clear statement that you earn a commission, placed both verbally in the video (near your product recommendation) and in writing in the description (near your affiliate links, not buried at the bottom). A simple line like “Some links are affiliate links — I earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you” is sufficient. This applies to all channel sizes, and similar rules exist in the UK, EU, Canada, and Australia.

If you use affiliate links on YouTube, you’re legally required to disclose that relationship to your viewers. This isn’t optional. It’s not a best practice. It’s a Federal Trade Commission requirement that applies to anyone earning commissions from product recommendations in the United States, and similar rules exist in the UK, EU, Canada, and most other markets.

Despite this, a huge number of YouTube creators either don’t disclose at all or do it in a way that doesn’t actually meet the requirements. The rules aren’t complicated, but there’s a lot of confusion about what counts as adequate disclosure and where it needs to appear. If you are still deciding whether affiliate links make sense for your channel, see our guide on whether you should use affiliate links on YouTube.

Here’s a straightforward breakdown of what you actually need to do.

What Does the FTC Require for Affiliate Link Disclosures?

The FTC’s position is simple: if you have a financial relationship with a company and you recommend their product, your audience needs to know about that relationship before they act on your recommendation.

For YouTube affiliate marketing, this means: if clicking a link in your description earns you a commission, viewers need to know that before they click the link.

The key word is “before.” A disclosure buried at the bottom of a 20-line description that viewers see after they’ve already clicked your link doesn’t satisfy the requirement. The disclosure needs to be clear, conspicuous, and close to the recommendation.

What Wording Counts as Adequate Affiliate Disclosure?

The FTC doesn’t prescribe exact wording. They care about whether the average viewer would understand that you have a financial incentive. Plain language works. Legal jargon is not required and is actually discouraged because most viewers won’t understand it.

Good disclosure language:

• “This video contains affiliate links — I earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you.”
• “Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase.”
• “I’m an affiliate for [Brand] — if you use my link below, I’ll earn a commission.”
• “The links in this description are affiliate links. I get paid a small percentage if you buy through them.”

Inadequate disclosure:

• “Thanks to [Brand] for sponsoring this video” — Sponsorship and affiliate marketing are different things. A sponsorship disclosure doesn’t cover affiliate links.
• “#ad” or “#affiliate” alone — Hashtags in a video description are easy to miss and don’t clearly explain the nature of the relationship.
• “See description for details” — This isn’t a disclosure, it’s a redirect. The disclosure needs to be where the viewer will actually see it.
• Nothing at all — Obviously doesn’t meet the requirement.

Where Should You Put Affiliate Disclosures on YouTube?

You need disclosures in multiple places: verbally in the video and in writing in the description. This is where most creators go wrong — they put a disclosure somewhere, but not where it matters.

In the video itself (most important)

If you verbally recommend a product and direct viewers to a link in the description, disclose the affiliate relationship verbally in the video. This doesn’t need to be a big production. A natural mention works:

“I’ll drop my affiliate link in the description — I do earn a small commission if you buy through it, but it doesn’t cost you anything extra.”

Say this near the point where you mention the product, not at the very end of the video. The FTC’s guidance is that the disclosure should be close to the recommendation, not separated from it by minutes of other content.

In the description (required)

Include a written disclosure in your video description. The most effective placement is near the top — ideally above or immediately below your affiliate links, not buried at the bottom.

🔗 The camera I use (affiliate link):
https://your-affiliate-link.com

Disclosure: Some links above are affiliate links. I may earn a
commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase.

If all your affiliate links are grouped together, a single disclosure statement covering all of them is fine. You don’t need to label each individual link separately, though doing so is even better:

🔗 Camera (affiliate): https://link.com
🔗 Microphone (affiliate): https://link.com
🔗 Tripod (affiliate): https://link.com

In a pinned comment (helpful but not sufficient alone)

A pinned comment disclosure is visible and can reinforce your description disclosure, but it shouldn’t be your only disclosure. Not all viewers read comments, and the FTC expects the disclosure to be close to the affiliate links themselves, which are in the description.

Use a pinned comment as a supplement, not a replacement.

What Are the Most Common Affiliate Disclosure Mistakes?

Putting the disclosure below the fold

YouTube descriptions show only the first 2-3 lines before the viewer has to click “…more.” (For a full breakdown of description structure, see our guide to managing affiliate links in YouTube descriptions.) If your disclosure is on line 15 of your description, most viewers will never see it. The FTC has explicitly stated that disclosures need to be visible without requiring the viewer to take additional action (like clicking “show more”).

If your affiliate links are above the fold, your disclosure should be too. If your links are below the fold, the disclosure should appear immediately before or after the links.

Using vague language

“Thanks for supporting the channel!” is not a disclosure. It doesn’t tell viewers that specific links earn you money. Be explicit about what happens when they click your link.

Only disclosing for sponsored content

Some creators disclose when they have a paid sponsorship but not when they use affiliate links. Both require disclosure. The FTC doesn’t distinguish between getting paid directly by a brand and earning a commission through an affiliate program — both are material connections that affect the viewer’s evaluation of your recommendation.

Disclosing once and assuming it covers all videos

Each video needs its own disclosure. A disclosure in your channel’s About section or on your website doesn’t cover individual videos. The FTC requires disclosure in the same medium where the endorsement appears. If the affiliate link is in a video description, the disclosure needs to be there too.

Assuming small channels don’t need to disclose

The FTC requirements apply to everyone, regardless of channel size. There’s no subscriber threshold below which you’re exempt. Whether you have 500 subscribers or 5 million, if you’re earning affiliate commissions from links in your descriptions, you need to disclose.

Do Non-US YouTube Creators Need to Disclose Affiliate Links?

Yes. The FTC is a US agency, but similar disclosure requirements exist in most countries:

UK: The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) require clear disclosure of affiliate relationships. The standard is similar to the FTC — disclosures must be upfront, clear, and not hidden.

EU: The Unfair Commercial Practices Directive requires disclosure of commercial intent. Individual EU countries may have additional specific requirements.

Canada: The Competition Act and Ad Standards Canada require transparency about material connections.

Australia: Australian Consumer Law requires that commercial relationships be disclosed to avoid misleading conduct.

If your audience is international — which most YouTube audiences are — the safest approach is to follow the strictest applicable standard, which generally means clear, upfront disclosure in both the video and the description.

What Happens If You Don’t Disclose Affiliate Links on YouTube?

The FTC has the authority to take enforcement action, and affiliate programs can terminate your account. In practice, enforcement against individual YouTube creators has been limited — the FTC has focused more on larger influencer marketing campaigns and brands.

However, the risk isn’t just regulatory. Affiliate programs themselves often require disclosure in their terms of service. Amazon Associates explicitly requires affiliates to include a disclosure statement. Violating Amazon’s terms can get your Associate account terminated, which means losing all pending commissions and your ability to earn from the program.

Beyond compliance, there’s a practical business reason to disclose: trust. Viewers who discover undisclosed affiliate links feel deceived. They lose trust in your recommendations, they’re less likely to click future links, and they might call you out in comments — which is far more damaging than a simple disclosure statement would have been. For a realistic look at what proper affiliate links can earn, see how much money you can make from YouTube affiliate links.

Transparency doesn’t hurt conversions. Research consistently shows that clear affiliate disclosures have little to no negative impact on click-through rates. Viewers understand that creators need to earn money, and most are fine with affiliate links as long as they know about them.

A Simple Template That Covers You

If you want a no-hassle approach that satisfies disclosure requirements across all major markets, use this template. Add it to your YouTube description template so it’s included in every video automatically.

In the description (above or near your affiliate links):

Disclosure: Some links in this description are affiliate links. If you
purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no
additional cost to you. I only recommend products I genuinely use or
believe in.

Verbally in the video (near your product recommendation):

“I’ll put my link in the description — full disclosure, it is an affiliate link, so I do get a small cut if you buy through it. Doesn’t cost you anything extra.”

That’s it. Two sentences in your description, one sentence in your video. It takes almost no effort and eliminates any compliance risk.

Do You Still Need a Disclosure If Your Affiliate Link Is Broken?

Yes — your disclosure obligation doesn’t go away when your affiliate link breaks.

If a video description says “affiliate link below” but the link now goes to a dead page, the viewer has been told to expect a working affiliate link and instead gets an error. This isn’t a legal issue per se, but it contributes to viewer confusion and erodes the trust that your disclosure was supposed to build.

Maintaining your affiliate links isn’t just about revenue — it’s about keeping the implicit promise you make when you tell viewers “here’s my affiliate link for this product.” If the link doesn’t work, the entire disclosure-to-click-to-purchase chain breaks. (See our guide on how to find and fix broken affiliate links for practical steps.)

Keeping your links healthy and your disclosures accurate is part of the same job. The right tools help you stay on top of both. If you’re using geo-targeted smart links to route international viewers to their local store, those still require disclosure — but the link itself works better for your audience and converts higher. Youfiliate smart links include built-in health monitoring — every destination is checked 24/7, and you’re alerted when something breaks, so you can fix it before viewers — or regulators — notice the disconnect. See how it compares to other smart link tools. Start free with 10 smart links at Youfiliate.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to disclose affiliate links on YouTube?

Yes. The FTC requires you to clearly disclose any financial relationship with a company before viewers act on your recommendation. This applies to all YouTube creators in the US regardless of channel size, and similar rules exist in the UK, EU, Canada, and Australia.

Where exactly should the affiliate disclosure go in my YouTube description?

Place your disclosure above the fold (in the first 2-3 lines) or immediately next to your affiliate links. YouTube only shows the first few lines before the viewer clicks “…more,” so a disclosure buried at line 15 is essentially invisible. You should also disclose verbally in the video itself, near the point where you mention the product.

Is putting “#ad” or “#affiliate” in my description enough?

No. Hashtags alone don’t clearly explain the nature of the financial relationship. The FTC requires disclosures that make the average viewer understand you earn money when they click and purchase. Use plain language like “This description contains affiliate links — I earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you.”

Do small YouTube channels need to disclose affiliate links?

Yes. There is no subscriber threshold below which you’re exempt from FTC requirements. Whether you have 100 subscribers or 10 million, if you earn commissions from links in your descriptions, you need to disclose that relationship.

Can I put one affiliate disclosure on my channel page to cover all videos?

No. Each video needs its own disclosure. The FTC requires the disclosure to appear in the same medium as the endorsement. A blanket statement on your channel’s About page or your website does not cover individual video descriptions.

What is the best affiliate disclosure wording for YouTube?

“This description contains affiliate links — I earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you.” This is clear, concise, and plain-language. The FTC doesn’t require specific legal wording, just that the average viewer understands you have a financial incentive. Avoid vague phrases like “Thanks for supporting the channel” which don’t explain what happens when they click.

Where do I put the affiliate disclosure in a YouTube description?

Place it above the fold (first 2-3 lines) or immediately next to your affiliate links. YouTube truncates descriptions after a few lines, so a disclosure at line 15 is invisible to most viewers. The FTC states that disclosures must be visible without requiring additional action (like clicking “Show more”).

Do I need to disclose affiliate links verbally in the video?

Yes, if you mention the product and direct viewers to the description. The FTC requires disclosure “close to the recommendation,” so a verbal mention near the point you discuss the product is best. Something casual works: “I’ll put my affiliate link in the description — I do earn a small commission if you purchase through it.”

Does YouTube’s “Includes paid promotion” checkbox count as affiliate disclosure?

No. That checkbox triggers a generic disclosure overlay that doesn’t specifically explain affiliate links. The FTC requires clearer, more specific disclosure about the nature of your financial relationship. Use the checkbox as a supplement, not a replacement for your own disclosure in the description and video.

Can the FTC fine me for not disclosing affiliate links on YouTube?

The FTC has enforcement authority and can take action, though enforcement against individual YouTube creators has been limited so far — they’ve focused more on larger influencer campaigns and brands. The more immediate risk is that affiliate programs like Amazon Associates require disclosure in their terms, and violating those terms can get your account terminated.

Do I need separate disclosures for different affiliate programs in one video?

No. A single disclosure statement covering all affiliate links in the description is sufficient. You don’t need to name each affiliate program individually. A general statement like “Some links below are affiliate links” covers links from Amazon, ShareASale, Impact, and any other program in that description.

Is saying “links below” considered adequate affiliate disclosure?

No. “Links below” tells viewers where the links are but doesn’t tell them you earn money from them. The disclosure must explicitly communicate the financial relationship — that you receive a commission when viewers purchase through your links.

Do affiliate disclosure requirements differ by country?

The core principle is the same everywhere: disclose material financial relationships to your audience. Specific regulations differ — the US has the FTC, the UK has the ASA/CMA, the EU has the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, and so on. If you have an international audience (which most YouTube creators do), follow the strictest applicable standard.

Should I disclose affiliate links on videos that don’t have any?

Many successful creators include a standard disclosure in their description template for every video, whether or not it contains affiliate links. This normalizes the disclosure and prevents accidentally omitting it on a video that does have affiliate links. There’s no downside to including it on non-affiliate videos.

Does disclosing affiliate links reduce my click-through rate?

Research consistently shows that clear affiliate disclosures have little to no negative impact on click-through rates. Viewers understand that creators need to earn money and are generally supportive of affiliate links as long as they’re disclosed transparently. The risk of not disclosing (lost trust, program termination) far outweighs any marginal click impact.

How do I disclose affiliate links in a pinned YouTube comment?

A pinned comment disclosure supplements your description disclosure but shouldn’t replace it. Something like “Quick note: the links in the description are affiliate links — I earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you” works well. This is especially useful for older videos where you’re adding updated affiliate links.

Do I need to disclose if I’m using Amazon OneLink or Geniuslink?

Yes. Geo-routing tools like Amazon OneLink, Geniuslink, and Youfiliate Smart Links redirect viewers to their local storefront, but the links are still affiliate links that earn you commissions. The routing mechanism doesn’t change the disclosure requirement. Any link that earns you money when viewers purchase through it requires disclosure.