Disclosing affiliate links: a practical checklist for creators and business blogs

An affiliate recommendation should make clear at the point of publication that the partner may receive a commission from an eligible order. Explain this understandably alongside the advertising content or immediately beside the link. A hidden notice in the legal notice is not enough for a transparent article. Disclosure, factual accuracy and respectful handling of visitor data belong together.

Creators, newsletter managers, agencies and blog editors recommending Bissolux offers as approved business partners.

Sources and context

What is established, and what are the limitations?

Official guidance

German media authorities explain affiliate disclosures

The guide classifies affiliate links as commercial and explains the need for a clear commission notice immediately beside the link. Its disclosure matrix also distinguishes different media formats.

Context: The examples here are our own suggested wording. Check the specific format, current guide and your platform's additional rules; this does not amount to universal approval of every post.

German media authorities: guide to advertising disclosure

Manufacturer documentation

Paid links also have a technical label

Google recommends the rel="sponsored" link attribute for advertising and paid placements. It describes the relationship to the linked offer for the search engine.

Context: An HTML attribute is not visible to ordinary readers as an advertising notice. It therefore does not replace clear disclosure in published content and does not guarantee a search-engine position.

Google Search Central: qualify outbound links

Official guidance

Affiliate attribution is not blanket permission for device storage

Storing and accessing information on end-user devices generally requires informed consent. The law specifies narrowly defined exceptions, such as functions strictly necessary for an explicitly requested service.

Context: Whether an exception applies must be assessed for the particular technology. Merely calling an identifier technically necessary does not determine this.

Section 25 TDDDG: information on end-user devices

Write the disclosure before designing the content

Readers should not have to guess an article's financial background. Begin the editorial brief by asking where the recommendation appears and where the person first sees the link. Place the notice where it is noticeable during actual reading. Also check mobile presentation and collapsed descriptions.

Keep the wording understandable in everyday terms. An abbreviation known only to marketing specialists explains little to your audience. Do not hide the notice in a long list of hashtags or behind an extra click. If the entire article is created as part of an advertising cooperation, treat the article itself accordingly; a small notice only beside the final link may not reflect the relationship.

Anyone wishing to recommend suitable services and products professionally can find the current conditions and application process on Bissolux's programme page. Registration is currently in German. Bissolux partner programme for creators and specialist publications (German) ↗

Check blogs, short videos and newsletters separately

Identical wording behaves differently in different formats. A blog article can contain longer explanations and a notice beside the link. In a story, text may be visible only briefly. In a video, the description and image occupy different areas. Plan disclosure so it is understandable without knowledge of your other posts.

Editorial checks by format
Format	What to check in the draft	Typical pitfall
Blog article	Notice beside the advertising section and immediately beside the partner link; readable on mobile.	A general disclaimer far below every link.
Social-media post	Commercial character is recognisable before the description is truncated.	Unclear abbreviations among many hashtags.
Story or short video	Notice is readable in the actual visual sequence and at the link area.	Text disappears too quickly or is covered by controls.
Long video	Disclosure in the relevant section and beside the link in the description.	A notice only on a different profile page.
Newsletter	Permitted recipient contact and a clearly associated advertising notice.	Sending partner links to people who do not want advertising.

This table is a working template, not an exhaustive list of legal requirements. Platform features such as a partnership tag can also help. Always check the publicly visible output, however. If your platform wraps text or moves links to a different area, the notice must still correspond to the correct offer.

Publish only experiences and results you can substantiate

It is legitimate to explain an offer using published service descriptions. Say explicitly that this is what you are doing. A product you tried yourself, an interview with a provider and a comparison of offer pages are different sources. Access to promotional material does not create personal experience of the service.

Avoid unsupported statements such as guaranteed first place, completely anonymous or one hundred per cent secure. A website can make an offer easier to understand, but cannot compel a particular number of customers. GrapheneOS suitability depends, among other things, on device support, unlockability and required applications. Show these prerequisites instead of hiding them for a more persuasive headline.

Personal use: what did I actually do and with which device or package?
Product information: which details come from Bissolux or the manufacturer?
Example: which figures and processes are invented purely for explanation?
Limitation: for whom is the offer unsuitable or suitable only after additional checks?
Currency: when were the price, scope and product prerequisites checked?

Use only images, screenshots and logos for which you have the necessary rights. Permission to use a product image does not automatically permit presenting another company's customers as your own references. Keep approvals and the version of the offer relevant to the article in your editorial records.

Treat the link as a recommendation, not a hidden tracking loop

Use the link provided in the partner account. Do not secretly replace partner identifiers in other people's posts or use invisible frames or automatic redirects to claim orders. Do not publish supposed vouchers that provide no price benefit. A transparent recommendation needs none of these tricks.

On your own blog, you can mark paid links with rel="sponsored". The visible word 'Advertisement' is separate from that. After publication, check both levels: readers understand the relationship, and the link reaches the correct offer directly. Open it once on a smartphone and once on a desktop.

Respect visitors' decisions to decline optional marketing storage or later withdraw consent. Do not ask for screenshots of customer inputs, other people's contact information or credentials to compensate for missing attribution. A partner needs a traceable commission status, not a complete customer profile.

Separate helpful answers from unsolicited advertising

If someone specifically asks you for a recommendation, you can address that question and disclose your involvement. This does not create blanket permission for an ongoing advertising sequence. For promotional electronic messages, section 7 UWG generally requires prior explicit consent; the exception for certain advertising to existing customers is narrowly defined. Section 7 UWG: unreasonable nuisance ↗

Decide within your editorial team who answers questions and when an article is updated. If readers report an outdated price or unclear limitation, correct it visibly. Remove a partner link if the underlying offer is no longer available. A small, maintained collection of helpful content is easier to keep reliable than many unchecked copies.

Also assess the article by the questions it answers. A recommendation's success does not depend only on the next sale. A reader who realises that an offer does not meet their needs has also received useful information. This honesty protects the quality of your publication.

Have a second person check before publication

Ask a second person to read the draft as a new visitor would. Without explanation, they should recognise which offer is being introduced, who earns from it and what is actually included. Have them take the next step without triggering a real order or payment. Then check the visible disclosure and destination address.

Our commission guide complements this editorial checklist with the commercial side: attribution, confirmed payment, waiting period and settlement. How transparent affiliate commission works ↗

Would you like to recommend Bissolux offers in a relevant specialist context? Introduce your channel and idea. Approval follows review; neither an application nor this article promises earnings. Registration is currently in German. Register for the Bissolux partner programme (German) ↗

Your decision in practical steps

Clearly disclosed the financial involvement
Notice visible on a smartphone before and beside the link
Separated personal experience from product information and examples
Checked service limitations, price date and image rights
Used the correct partner link and marked it technically on your own website
Respected consent decisions and requests to stop advertising
Had a second person review the content before publication

Frequently asked questions

Is a notice in the legal notice enough?

Not for the transparent approach described here: readers should understand the relationship directly beside the advertising content and partner link. A distant, general notice does not reliably explain which specific link is remunerated.

Is rel="sponsored" sufficient disclosure?

No. The attribute informs search engines about a paid relationship. An ordinary reader does not see it as an explanation. Also use a clear visible notice and check the requirements for the particular medium.

May I claim to have tested every recommended offer myself?

Only if the claim is actually true and covers the stated scope. Otherwise, explain your real basis, such as the published service scope. A partner contract does not turn supplied advertising material into your own product test.

Editorially reviewed on 15 October 2026. Studies and case studies apply to the samples and conditions described. Product documentation describes features; it does not replace an independent effectiveness test. The offer cards present Bissolux's own services.