UberNet is committed to ensuring that all affiliates and partners who promote our brand adhere to the regulations set forth by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This pertains to various forms of media such as written reviews, testimonials, endorsements, and other visual or verbal formats. However, it does not apply to display ads or conventional advertising methods.
Complying with FTC requirements is essential for the protection of both affiliate partners and merchants. Regardless of your position within the affiliate marketing process, maintaining compliance impacts all parties involved. The FTC may impose penalties on affiliates, merchants, and other partners if they fail to disclose material connections, such as receiving free product samples, cash, or affiliate commissions from transactions.
If you are ever uncertain about disclosing a partnership, remember that the FTC is primarily concerned with “quid pro quo” relationships, where a valuable transaction is exchanged for a mention.
Feel free to contact us at [email protected], and we will guide you in maintaining compliant disclosure practices. Additionally, you can visit thepma.org (Performance Marketing Association) for the latest news on affiliate marketing and other online advertising topics related to the FTC.
At UberNet, we value transparency. It is crucial for customers to be aware of potential connections between an advertiser and a merchant when evaluating the credibility of a product endorsement. In some instances, the FTC views a blog that recommends or reviews a brand as an endorsement, which also applies to social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and other online communities. If you have a relationship with UberNet or other brands, you must clearly and prominently disclose that relationship wherever you endorse them. This approach upholds truth in advertising and aligns with our brand's vision.
There is no specific wording required for disclosing affiliate relationships; however, a “reasonable consumer” should be able to fully read and comprehend the disclosure without taking additional steps.
Simply including the word “disclosure” on a post or page and linking it to a separate disclosure page is insufficient. This method does not meet the requirement that consumers should not have to perform extra actions. Avoid using complex legal jargon, as it fails the clarity test. Instead, use simple and straightforward language to communicate your affiliate partnership disclosures.
Previously, a well-structured disclosure notice placed at the bottom of a blog post or within a website's footer was common practice. However, even the most eloquent disclosure in these locations is not prominent enough, as consumers may click on a link, leave the page, or navigate to another website before reaching the disclosure language at the end.
Some examples include:
“Performance Lab provided me with their NutriGenesis Multivitamin for review in exchange for my honest feedback.”
“This post might contain affiliate links, which, if clicked, could result in us earning a commission at no cost to you. This helps us continue delivering high-quality content for you.”
Both of these examples work well at the beginning of a post.
In shorter posts, like those on social media, you can disclose your affiliate relationship like this:
“I've been using Performance Lab's Sleep supplement to help with my insomnia for the past month, and it's been a game changer! (disclosure: affiliate link).”
Space Limitations Even when character constraints limit the amount of information you can include in a single post, such as Twitter's 280-character limit, your disclosures must be clear and prominent, whether your post is 200 or 2,000 words long.
In general, the most effective way to maintain a clear and prominent affiliate disclosure on social media platforms like Twitter is to start the post with hashtags such as:
Placing these disclosures at the end of the post may result in the disclosure being unnoticed, which fails the prominence test since it could be overlooked.
For more information, we recommend visiting the FTC website and reviewing the following resources:
The content on this page is general and not intended to serve as legal advice. You should conduct your own due diligence and consult with your own legal counsel before taking or refraining from any actions mentioned here. UberNet and its partners make no representations regarding whether the guidance provided here complies with applicable law.
