UK Affiliate Link Disclosures: Where to Put Them (and What to Say)
If you use affiliate links or discount codes in the UK, here’s the simple truth: much of your content becomes advertising in the eyes of regulators—even if you genuinely love the product and nobody paid you upfront.
That’s not a problem. You just need to make the commercial intent obvious, at the right time, in the right place.
This guide shows you exactly where to put disclosures and what to say across blogs, YouTube, Instagram/TikTok, and newsletters—based on UK guidance from the ASA/CAP (advertising rules) and CMA transparency guidance.
Before we continue this review, a quick heads-up: not all “reward apps” are created equal. Some are genuinely decent for a bit of extra money on the side, while others are basically ad farms designed to waste your time.
If you’d rather stick to platforms with a solid track record, here are the ones I actually recommend in 2026:
Alright — now let’s get back to the review and see what this app really does.
The rule that drives everything: “obvious before engagement”
The CAP Code says marketing communications must be obviously identifiable as such. In affiliate marketing terms, the ASA/CAP guidance makes it clear that affiliate content often needs a disclosure—because your audience may not realize you have a commercial incentive.
The most common mistake? Hiding the disclosure at the bottom of the page or after the links. The ASA/CAP guidance explicitly warns that a disclaimer at the bottom is unlikely to be sufficient if people encounter affiliate links before they see the disclosure.
Think of disclosures like road signs: they need to appear before the turn, not two miles after it.
What wording should you use?
The ASA is blunt here: use labels that “say it how it is,” like “Ad”. They specifically say that “Aff” is not a good standalone label because many people won’t understand it.
In practice, you have two common scenarios:
1. The whole piece is promoting affiliate products
Use a clear label like:
- “Ad”(or “Advertisement Feature” in some formats)
2. Only some links are affiliate links
You don’t necessarily need “Ad” in the title, but you do need to make it obvious which links are affiliate links. The ASA/CAP guidance suggests clear signposting near the relevant links—not buried later.
Safe, reader-friendly phrasing near affiliate links:
- “Affiliate link (I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you).”
- “This is an affiliate link—thanks if you use it; it helps support the site.”
Just don’t use vague language like “may earn a commission” if you know you will—ASA/CAP warns that generic or ambiguous disclaimers are unlikely to be acceptable.
Where to place disclosures (by platform)
Blog posts (and “best X” roundups)
Best practice placement:
- Near the top of the post, before the first affiliate link
- Again next to the links, especially if only some are affiliate links
- Optional: repeat in the footer, but don’t rely on it alone
If your entire article is essentially affiliate-driven (e.g., “Best budget laptops – 10 deals”), ASA/CAP notes the most straightforward approach is to identify it clearly before people click—such as using “Ad” in the title if needed.
Example top-of-post disclosure (simple and clean):
“Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a commission (at no extra cost to you).”
Then, right next to each link, add:
“(affiliate link)”
YouTube videos
YouTube has multiple surfaces where people can miss your disclosure, so layer it:
- Say it out loud early(first 30–60 seconds): “Some links are affiliate links…”
- Put it in the description above the fold(first 2–3 lines, before “show more”)
- If you’re doing a heavy affiliate segment, add brief on-screen text
ASA/CAP explicitly discusses vlogs and says if only some links are affiliate links, it should be obvious which ones are ads/affiliate.
Instagram / TikTok / Shorts
On short-form content, the ASA is less likely to accept that affiliate advertising can be separated from the rest of the post. If you’re promoting a product with affiliate links/codes, treat the whole post as marketing and label it clearly upfront.
Where to put it:
- In the caption’s first line(not buried in hashtags)
- On Stories:overlay text (“Ad” / “Affiliate”) on the frame with the promotion, and keep it readable
ASA/CAP recommends avoiding unclear labels, such as “Aff” alone.
Email newsletters
Email is a “direct marketing” territory and still needs clarity. If you include affiliate links in a newsletter, put a short disclosure before the first affiliate link—not at the very bottom. The same “obvious before engagement” logic applies.
A quick checklist to stay on the safe side
Before you publish, ask yourself:
- Will a normal person immediately understand I benefit financially?
- Will they see the disclosure beforethey see the link or call-to-action?
- Is my wording plain English (“Ad”, “Affiliate link”), not insider shorthand (“Aff”)?
- If only some links are affiliate, is it obvious which ones?