Learn how U.S. brands and creators can disclose paid, gifted, and affiliate relationships clearly across posts, video, and live streams.
A gift, discount, payment, employment relationship, or affiliate commission can affect how an audience interprets a recommendation. A good disclosure makes that connection clear where people actually see or hear the endorsement. The Federal Trade Commission's influencer guide explains that material connections are not limited to cash payments.
Start with the relationship, not the platform
Before posting, list everything the creator receives: a fee, a free sample, a discount, travel, or commission. Ask whether the relationship might affect how the audience evaluates the recommendation. If so, plan a clear disclosure in each relevant piece of content. Do not assume that an unpaid post about a gifted product has no disclosure issue.
For an illustrative sponsored post, “Ad: Brand paid me to try this product” communicates more than an ambiguous label. For a gifted item, explain that the brand sent it for free. For an affiliate link, tell readers that you may earn a commission from purchases. The precise disclosure must fit the facts; never claim to have tested a product if you have not.
Put the disclosure where the endorsement appears
A disclosure hidden on a profile page, after a long caption, or among many hashtags is easy to miss. For a video recommendation, include the disclosure in the video itself, not only in the description. For a live stream, consider that viewers may arrive midway and need to hear the disclosure too. Follow the current FTC guidance and the requirements of the relevant platform.
The FTC's Endorsement Guides FAQ discusses video affiliate endorsements and explains that, in the scenario it describes, both the video and the description near the link should disclose the affiliate relationship. A platform's branded-content tool may help, but check whether the resulting disclosure is clear enough for the actual format.
Build a shared review process
- Brand: document compensation, claims that need substantiation, required format, and review contact in the brief.
- Creator: write an honest endorsement and place the disclosure next to the recommendation.
- Both: preview the final post on a phone with text overlays and caption truncation visible.
- Brand: keep a record of the approved brief and monitor live content; agree in advance how corrections will be handled.
A disclosure does not turn an unsupported performance claim into a valid one. Separate factual product claims from the creator's genuine experience, and check sector-specific rules where relevant. Review the latest FTC and applicable state guidance before publishing.
Sources: FTC Disclosures 101; FTC Endorsement Guides FAQ.