How to disclose affiliate links: a plain-English guide for creators

By the BioHive team · Updated October 23, 2026

Short answer: Tell people, in the post itself, that you earn money from the link, in words they'll notice before they tap. "#ad" or "I earn a commission if you buy through my links" at the start of a caption or on screen works in the US, UK and EU. A disclosure only in your bio or at the bottom of a long caption isn't enough. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

The rule in one line

If you get anything of value for a recommendation (a commission, free product, payment), say so clearly and up front, wherever the recommendation appears.

United States: the FTC

The FTC's Endorsement Guides apply to influencers and affiliate links. A disclosure must be clear and conspicuous: hard to miss, in plain language, in the same place as the endorsement.
On video, say it out loud and show it on screen. In captions, put it before the "more" cut-off.
Platform tools such as Instagram's "Paid partnership" label help, but the FTC has said they may not be enough on their own.
Source: FTC: Disclosures 101 for social media influencers.

United Kingdom: ASA and CMA

Affiliate content counts as advertising. Label it upfront with "#ad" or "Ad", not buried among other hashtags.
Source: ASA/CMA influencers' guide.

European Union

EU consumer law bans hidden advertising: commercial intent must be clear from the content itself. Several countries have their own wording rules (for example "Werbung" or "Anzeige" in Germany).
The European Commission's Influencer Legal Hub explains the rules for creators.

Wording you can copy

#ad: I earn a commission if you buy through my links.
Ad: links in my bio are affiliate links.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. (required wording for Amazon links)
On video: say "These are affiliate links, I earn a commission" and show "#ad" on screen.

Where BioHive helps

Every BioHive store page includes the line "Links may be affiliate links — [your name] may earn a commission at no cost to you", and product links are marked rel="sponsored" for search engines. Your posts still need their own disclosure.

FAQ

Is a disclosure in my bio enough?

No. Regulators in the US, UK and EU expect the disclosure on each post, video or story that contains or promotes the link, where people will see it before they tap. A bio disclosure is a good extra, not a replacement.

What words should I use?

Plain ones: “#ad”, “Ad”, “Sponsored”, “I earn a commission from these links” or “Paid link”. Vague tags such as #sp, #collab, #partner or #affiliate on their own are often judged unclear.

Do I need to disclose if I bought the product myself?

If you earn a commission from the link, yes. Earning money from a recommendation is a material connection, even if you paid for the product and the opinion is genuinely yours.

Does BioHive add a disclosure for me?

Every BioHive store page shows an affiliate disclosure at the bottom. You still need to disclose in your own posts, because that's where followers first see the recommendation.

Try BioHive: paste your affiliate links, get a shoppable page with product photos, prices, codes and click stats. $5/month, no commission, 14-day free trial.

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