Affiliate Disclosures & Ethics for Tech Blogs: A Simple Template

Clear, visible disclosures protect reader trust and keep your blog aligned with platform rules. This guide provides an affiliate disclosure template, recommended placements, examples, and a simple compliance checklist so you can monetize transparently without confusing your audience.

Why an affiliate disclosure template matters

  • Trust: Readers can evaluate recommendations knowing how your site is funded.
  • Clarity: Plain language reduces confusion and support tickets.
  • Consistency: A reusable snippet prevents missed disclosures in new content.

Affiliate disclosure template (copy & adapt)

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This does not affect our reviews or comparisons.

Optional additions: how you test products, how you rank picks, and how readers can contact you with concerns.

Placement guide (where to put your disclosure)

LocationWhenWhy
Top of article (near intro)Reviews, comparisons, dealsReaders see it before price boxes or links
Above price/comparison tableWhenever affiliate offers appearContextual reminder near the action
Footer & dedicated pageSite-widePersistent access and SEO clarity
Newsletter/email footerCurated product emailsCarry transparency into email

Examples (useful variations)

  • Short version: “This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.”
  • Comparison page: “Our picks are based on testing and research. Affiliate links support our work and do not influence rankings.”
  • Deals page: “Some offers are affiliate links; terms change frequently—always check final price at checkout.”

Editorial ethics to publish alongside your disclosure

  • Testing & sources: Explain how you test products and verify claims.
  • Independence: Confirm that advertisers don’t control reviews or rankings.
  • Corrections: State how you fix errors and date-stamp updates.

Affiliate link hygiene (reduce reader friction)

  • Use plain anchor text that describes the product.
  • Add nofollow/sponsored attributes where appropriate.
  • Show total price clarity (tax, shipping, renewal terms if recurring).
  • Keep a link log (offer, partner, date added/checked).

Simple compliance checklist

  1. Use the affiliate disclosure template near the top of posts with affiliate links.
  2. Repeat disclosure above price boxes and comparison tables.
  3. Maintain a dedicated Affiliate Disclosure page in your footer.
  4. Label sponsored content clearly and separately from organic reviews.
  5. Store screenshots or notes of how/when links were added and last checked.

FAQ: Affiliate disclosures for tech blogs

Do I need a disclosure on every page? Add it to any page with affiliate links, and keep a site-wide page in the footer for good measure.

Where should I put the first disclosure? Near the start—readers should see it before any affiliate link or price box.

Does disclosure hurt conversions? Clear disclosures build trust and reduce refunds/complaints, which often improves long-term revenue.

Related reading on HexTechGuide

Bottom line: A reusable affiliate disclosure template and clear placements keep your monetization transparent. Publish your disclosure, link your ethics and testing methodology, and keep a simple log of affiliate links you manage.