To know how to disclose affiliate links properly, you must place a clear, conspicuous notice before any affiliate links appear on your page or post. The disclosure must explain in plain language that you receive a small commission if the reader buys through your link, and it should be impossible for a reader to miss. This simple practice keeps you compliant with consumer protection laws and builds long-term trust with your audience.

Many creators worry that being completely honest about affiliate links will scare readers away or make their content look like spam. In reality, hiding your partnerships is what destroys your credibility and gets you into trouble with regulators.

Why you need to know how to disclose affiliate links

Knowing how to disclose affiliate links is essential because consumer protection laws require you to be transparent about your financial relationships. If you recommend a product and get paid when people buy it, your readers have a legal right to know that bias exists before they click. Transparency is not just about avoiding legal trouble; it is about building a sustainable business. When you try to hide your affiliate links, your audience eventually notices, and you lose their trust forever.

Regulators like the Federal Trade Commission make it clear that disclosures must be hard to miss. You cannot hide your disclosure statement inside a terms of service page, nor can you place it at the very bottom of a long article. If a reader has to hunt for the information, your disclosure is not doing its job. By making your disclosures obvious and easy to read, you show your audience that you respect their time and their intelligence.

How our affiliate program works

Our partner program pays you a 40 percent recurring commission for every active subscriber you refer to our subscription tool. When a reader clicks your affiliate link, a tracking cookie stays active in their browser for 90 days, giving you credit for any subscription started during that three-month window. This setup allows you to build a reliable stream of recurring income simply by recommending a tool that solves real problems.

The math behind your earnings is simple and transparent. The Prompt Engineer costs $19 per month, which means you earn exactly $7.60 per active member every single month for as long as they stay subscribed. Here is how that scales as you grow your audience:

  • 10 active members: You earn $76.00 per month.
  • 50 active members: You earn $380.00 per month.
  • 200 active members: You earn $1,520.00 per month.

Please note that these calculations are basic mathematical examples to show how the commission structure works. They are not a guarantee of earnings, as your actual results will depend entirely on your traffic, audience engagement, and how you share your links.

To make things as easy as possible for our partners, payouts are handled automatically through Stripe. Once a commission clears our standard 30-day refund window, Stripe automatically sends the balance directly to your bank account every single Friday. You only have to connect your free Stripe account once, and you never have to draft an invoice or chase down a payment. If you want to start earning recurring commissions, you can sign up on The Prompt Engineer Affiliates Page to get your unique referral link today.

What to say when disclosing your links

An effective affiliate disclosure should be written in plain, friendly language that matches the voice of your website. You should avoid complex legal jargon and instead tell your readers exactly what happens if they use your link. Your audience will appreciate the direct approach, and many will go out of their way to support you because you are being transparent.

To keep your disclosures clear, you can use a checklist to ensure you meet all the necessary requirements:

  • Place the disclosure near the top of the page, before the first affiliate link appears.
  • Use plain words like "commission" or "paid link" instead of vague terms like "affiliated."
  • Keep the text size readable and ensure it contrasts well with your background color.
  • Make sure the disclosure is visible on mobile screens without requiring any scrolling.

Using a simple, friendly sentence is usually the best approach. For example, you can write: "I recommend this tool because I use it daily, but please note that the links below are affiliate links. If you sign up through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you."

Honesty is not a hurdle to your affiliate sales; it is the foundation of the trust that makes people buy from your recommendations.

A prompt to help you write honest recommendations

You can use AI to draft natural recommendation posts that weave your disclosures and personal experience together seamlessly. By using a structured prompt, you can ensure your writing stays helpful, conversational, and completely transparent without sounding like a pushy salesperson.

If you ever need help crafting better prompts for your business, using a structured tool like The Prompt Engineer can help you ask the right questions and generate highly effective text. Below is a copy-and-paste prompt you can use in your favorite AI writing assistant to draft a warm, honest recommendation post:

A prompt for writing honest recommendations

Role: Conversational copywriter.

Task: Write a short, honest social media post recommending a tool I love.

Instructions:
1. Explain what the tool does in plain language (it helps people write better AI prompts by asking them the questions they forgot to consider).
2. Share a quick, realistic benefit of using it (it saves time and stops you from getting generic, boring AI results).
3. Include an honest, clear disclosure near the top that I earn a commission if they sign up.
4. Keep the tone warm, clear, and helpful. Do not use hype, emojis, or exaggerated claims.

Where to place your affiliate disclosures

Your disclosure must always be placed where a reader can easily see it before they encounter a link. Placing a link disclosure at the very bottom of a long page, or hiding it behind a separate "privacy policy" link, is not considered compliant by consumer protection agencies. The goal is to ensure the reader sees the relationship before they click the link.

If you are writing a blog post, place the disclosure text right under your main article title or just before the first paragraph. If you are sharing on social media, include the disclosure at the beginning of your post or write "(Paid Link)" right next to the URL. For email newsletters, a brief, friendly sentence at the top of the email keeps everything clear and professional.

Common questions

Can I just put a disclosure link in my website footer?

No, a footer link is not sufficient because readers can easily click an affiliate link in the body copy without ever scrolling to the bottom of your site. The disclosure must be close to the actual recommendation or at the top of the article. This ensures your audience sees the disclosure before they take action.

Do I need to disclose links in my email newsletter?

Yes, consumer protection guidelines apply to email marketing just as they do to public websites. You should include a brief note near the top of the email or directly alongside the product link. This keeps your communication honest and protects your sender reputation.

What happens if I forget to include a disclosure?

Forgetting to disclose your links can damage your credibility with your readers and violate the terms of service of many affiliate programs. It can also lead to warnings or penalties from consumer protection agencies. It is always safest to make disclosures a natural habit for every link you share.

The short version

  • Always place your disclosure before the very first affiliate link on the page.
  • Use clear, plain language that explains you earn a commission if the reader buys.
  • Our program pays a recurring 40 percent commission, which is $7.60 per member every month.
  • Payouts land in your bank account automatically through Stripe every Friday after a 30-day safety hold.
  • Referrals are tracked via a 90-day cookie window from the first click.

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