My FTC Compensated Affiliate Notice
I recently wrote about my interpretation of the new FTC Marketing Guidelines that go into effect on December 1st. Among other restrictions, those guidelines compel online marketers, such as me, to make full disclosure when we are compensated for the recommendations that we make.
If you’ve been online for any length of time, you know what affiliate marketing is. And so it shouldn’t surprise you that I’m an affiliate for many of the products that I promote and recommend. Not all of the links on this blog are affiliate links, but you may as well assume that they are, and that I am compensated if you buy or sign up for things.
Hopefully, you already knew that affiliate marketing is part of my business, so this news doesn’t change anything for you. If it does, perhaps you’ll be comforted by knowing that I wouldn’t recommend any products that I didn’t firmly believe would be beneficial to a large number of my readers…probably including you.
On the other hand, this may all come as a shock to you and you might never believe a word I say. Well, all I can say is that I hope that’s not the case.
Now, to be frank, I’m not certain that this notice is in the proper legalese, but I think that’s okay. The new guidelines don’t specify the wording you are supposed to use.
So, please consider this notice my "full disclosure" that I’m a paid affiliate.
What do you think? Did you already know that am an affiliate? Now that you know, does it change what you think of me and recommendations I make?
Let me know, below.
–Mark Widawer
"HI MARK. Thanks for all the HARD WORK you put into help me with my Internet Marketing. I'd like to buy you a cup of Coffee!"
Mark,
I think anyone that has taken one of your courses knows that you are an affiliate marketer. How to become just that has been part of our lesson from you. The fact that you are a successful affiliate marketer is teaching us by example.
I guess we will have to include a disclosure in our ebooks, also…
Oh well, not to worry!
It’s very convenient to be in the internet marketing business. Prospects and customers already understand affiliate marketing, and that “everyone does it.” I image most are accepting of the practice, since they’re doing something similar themselves at some level!
Not necessarily so easy in other markets.
Thank you Mark for this information about the new FTC rules. I’d been looking for the straight scoop on this, and you delivered.
Chuck
I was really wondering about this new FTC issue. However, I plan to say please support my affiliate or sponsors. I hope this means the same thing, after all I don’t see big stores who many have affiliates saying this all the time. However, I do want to be in compliance. So, I will make sure I disclose that I am using affiliates. Hopefully, the affiliate will be just what the customer or client wants. Which is the ultimate goal as a succesfful marketer is anyway …..right?
FTC – I thought we needed to disclose the affiliate relationship at the point of link?
Each one??
This seems very tedious, and messy, and also sounds very difficult to incorporate when using in-text linking, particularly when using selected kws?
I much prefer your solution, although I’m not sure that it is fully meeting the requirements??
I understand that there has been misrepresentation, and that there is an intention to improve marketing truth. But some of the regulations do seem like a bit of over-kill. It is difficult for an affiliate to be able to be satisfied that the merchant is necessarily using truthful, real testimonials. Apparently, the affiliate is now considered liable in this regard.
In trying to ensure that representations are truthful, the online regulations seem to be much more stringent than television advertising, whicht gives false impressions all the time :)
regards,
Jules
http://www.writeformeonline.com
http://www.salespagethemespecial.com
[...] FTC Full Disclosure I am a compensated affiliate for many of the products and services I recommend. Read more about my affiliate relationships here. [...]
Hi Mark,
We enjoyed your articles and were wondering if you do any consultancy work?
How can I contact you?
Look forward to hearing from you.
Kasia
Hello Kasia.
I do occasionally take on private consulting clients. Please contact me at my help desk at http://www.MarksHelpDesk.com
I look forward to hearing from you.
-Mark