Affiliate/Sheet

How to Use Affiliate Programs on YouTube

Where to find affiliate programs for a YouTube channel, where to put the links, and how to disclose them so viewers and the FTC understand the deal.

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Platform rules
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Affiliate programs let a creator earn a commission when a viewer buys through a link. On YouTube, that usually means a link in a video description. The viewer clicks it, buys, and the program credits the click if it is still inside the cookie window.

This is not a promise of income. A channel earns only when viewers buy, and each program sets its own rates and payout rules. Read those on the program's own page before you join.

Where to find affiliate programs for a YouTube channel

Pick programs that match what your videos are about. This site has a page on Amazon Associates.

Networks and marketplaces gather many programs in one place. Options include CJ Affiliate, ClickBank, FlexOffers, Impact, Rakuten Advertising, and Travelpayouts for travel channels.

Each program decides who it accepts and what it pays. Check the terms on the program's page, and read how it sends money on the payout page.

Once a program approves you, it gives you links to use. Here is where they fit on YouTube.

  • Description. This is the main spot. Put the link near the top, close to where you talk about the product. A link buried under many lines is easy to miss.

  • About page. You can list links here, but do not treat it as your disclosure spot. The FTC's influencer guide says a disclosure is likely to be missed on an About Me page.

Say in the video that the link is in the description.

Yes, you have to disclose. The FTC Endorsement Guides say to disclose a connection that might affect how much weight an endorsement gets. A commission is that kind of connection.

The FTC's influencer guide puts the job on you. It says it is the influencer's responsibility to make disclosures, and not to rely on others. It also says to place a disclosure with the endorsement message itself.

For YouTube, that means two places.

  1. In the video. The guide says a video disclosure should be in the video and not only in the description. Say it out loud, in plain words.
  2. In the description. FTC staff say to disclose an affiliate relationship both in the video and in the description near the links.

Use clear words. The guide lists ad, advertisement, and sponsored as words that disclose clearly. The guide says #ad works as a hashtag, though you do not have to use one. Avoid vague terms like sp, spon, or collab.

FTC staff say consumers might not understand that affiliate link means the poster gets paid. FTC staff say that placing paid link beside the link itself should be enough. They also say commissionable link is probably not a clear disclosure. A blogger can say something like, I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

In a live stream, the guide says a disclosure should be repeated from time to time.

YouTube's paid promotion button

YouTube says you must select the paid promotion button if your video features branded content, sponsorships, or endorsements. YouTube says the button puts a disclosure label at the start of the video.

YouTube also says you and your partners must follow all applicable legal requirements. Its article is not legal advice, and it points creators to local bodies such as the Federal Trade Commission in the United States.

The FTC's guide says a platform's disclosure tool may not be enough on its own. FTC staff say you should write your own disclosure even when the platform gives you a tool. Use the button, and say it yourself too.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Vague terms. Words like collab do not tell viewers you get paid.
  • Buried disclosures. FTC staff say a disclosure buried in a long post or mixed with hashtags is easier to miss.
  • Description-only disclosure. FTC staff say a disclosure in a video description alone is not enough.
  • Relying on the platform tool. Add your own words on top of it.

The closer a disclosure is to your recommendation, the better. For the full rules, see the FTC disclosure requirements. For Pinterest, see how to use Pinterest affiliate programs and links.

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