Pinned Comment Affiliate Disclosure Examples for YouTube
Use pinned comment affiliate disclosure examples for YouTube videos, with clear wording, placement limits, update checks, and links to current FTC guidance.
What Should You Compare Before Choosing?
Pinned comment affiliate disclosure examples help YouTube creators explain a financial relationship close to a recommendation and link. A useful pinned comment says plainly that the creator may earn a commission, identifies the relevant links, and gives viewers enough context before they click.
The key limitation is visibility. YouTube says a pinned comment appears at the top of the watch-page comments on a computer, while mobile viewers must expand the comments to see it. A pinned comment should therefore reinforce, not replace, a clear spoken or on-screen disclosure and a disclosure near affiliate links in the description.
Quick answer: Use direct wording such as, "Some links below are affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you." Put the same core fact in the video and description when the recommendation appears there. Review the comment whenever links, products, or relationships change.
Source confidence is strong for the general disclosure and platform-placement principles because they come from current FTC and YouTube guidance. No single script guarantees compliance in every country or context, so creators should adapt the examples to the relationship, claim, audience, and applicable law.
Quick Comparison of Pinned Comment Formats
| Video context | Strong opening | Add next | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single product review | Some links are affiliate links | Name the reviewed product and commission relationship | Hiding the disclosure after a long story |
| Multi-tool tutorial | I may earn commissions from some tool links | Mark which links are commissionable | Saying every link is sponsored when it is not |
| Sponsored plus affiliate | This video is sponsored by X and includes affiliate links | Separate the sponsorship from sales commissions | Combining two relationships into vague wording |
| Comparison video | I may earn from either option linked below | Explain that payment does not change the stated method | Claiming the disclosure proves neutrality |
| Old evergreen video | Disclosure updated on a stated date | Remove expired or changed links | Leaving a stale pinned comment attached to new links |
The YouTube affiliate disclosure guide covers descriptions in detail. This article focuses on the smaller pinned-comment surface and how it should connect to the rest of the disclosure trail.
What Current Guidance Supports
The FTC's endorsement guidance for affiliate marketing says an affiliate relationship should be disclosed clearly and conspicuously. Its YouTube example says the relationship should be disclosed in the video and in the description near the links. The closer the disclosure is to the recommendation, the easier it is for viewers to understand the connection.
YouTube's official comment controls guide explains that a creator can pin a comment, that pinning a new one replaces the prior pinned comment, and that mobile viewers must expand comments to see it. Those mechanics are why a pinned comment is useful but incomplete as the only notice.
Do not rely on vague labels such as "partner link," "commissionable," or "support the channel" by themselves. They may not explain that a purchase can generate compensation. Do not bury the sentence after timestamps, coupon codes, hashtags, or a long list of products.
Eight Practical Pinned Comment Examples
These pinned comment affiliate disclosure examples are starting points. Replace brackets with accurate details and remove any statement that does not fit the actual relationship.
1. One reviewed product
Some links in this comment and the description are affiliate links. If you buy [product] through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I recommend it based on the testing shown in this video.
This separates the compensation fact from the product opinion. Only say the testing occurred if viewers can see or reasonably understand the real evaluation.
2. Several creator tools
Affiliate disclosure: I may earn commissions from the [tool A], [tool B], and [tool C] links below. Other resource links are included for reference and do not pay me.
Use this when a tutorial mixes commissionable and ordinary links. It is clearer than labeling an entire resource list as sponsored.
3. Tutorial with a recommended stack
This tutorial includes affiliate links for parts of my creator stack. I may earn a commission if you purchase through a marked link. Your price is not increased by my commission.
Do not add the final sentence unless it is true for the specific programs. Some offers use coupons, regional pricing, or other terms that deserve a separate explanation.
4. Sponsored video with affiliate links
[Brand] sponsored this video. I also use affiliate links for [named products], which means I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. The sponsorship and affiliate commissions are separate relationships.
This format prevents viewers from assuming that one disclosure describes every commercial connection.
5. Comparison with two eligible offers
Affiliate disclosure: Both options linked below may pay me a commission if you buy. I compared them using the same criteria in the video, and you should choose the one that fits your needs.
Avoid saying compensation had no influence unless you can support that statement and your process genuinely controlled for it.
6. Free trial or signup referral
The [service] link is an affiliate link. I may earn a referral payment if you start an eligible trial or paid plan through it. Check the provider's current terms before signing up.
This wording avoids promising that every click, free account, or trial creates a commission.
7. Discount code relationship
I may earn a commission when you use code [CODE] or the related link. The current discount and eligibility are shown by the seller at checkout.
A personalized code can signal a relationship, but direct commission wording is easier to understand. Do not promise a discount amount that may expire.
8. Updated evergreen video
Updated current links are affiliate links, and I may earn a commission from eligible purchases. Products and terms may have changed since filming, so check the linked pages for current details.
Use a real update date and complete a link review at the same time. An update label without a review creates false confidence.
Place the Disclosure Across the Viewer Journey
A pinned comment is one layer. The disclosure plan should match where the endorsement and links appear:
- State the relationship in the video when the recommendation is made.
- Use readable on-screen text when it helps viewers notice the disclosure.
- Put clear wording before or beside affiliate links in the description.
- Repeat the core fact in the pinned comment near any links placed there.
- Disclose again on a linked landing page when that page contains endorsements or affiliate links.
The YouTube affiliate landing page examples explain the page after the click. The social media disclosure examples help adapt the same plain-language principle to other platforms.
Creators researching tools can compare the vidIQ affiliate program, Descript affiliate program, Riverside affiliate program, and Canva affiliate program. Verify each offer's current terms and allowed promotion methods before adding a link.
Use a Repeatable Review Checklist
Before publishing, read the comment without the rest of the video. A viewer should understand what relationship exists, which links it covers, and how the creator may benefit. Then check the same facts in the spoken disclosure and description.
Review these points:
- The disclosure appears before the first affiliate link in the comment.
- The wording says commission or payment in ordinary language.
- Sponsorships, free products, discounts, and affiliate commissions are distinguished.
- Product claims match the evidence shown in the video.
- The comment does not promise current pricing or terms without verification.
- Links resolve to the intended destination and use allowed tracking.
- The pinned comment still matches the description and video.
- A new pin has not accidentally replaced the disclosure.
For a team channel, record who owns the review and what should happen when a program closes. The owner should remove or replace the link, update the disclosure, and check other videos that use the same offer.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The pinned comment affiliate disclosure examples should never be treated as magic phrases that fix a hidden or misleading commercial relationship elsewhere in the video journey.
Do not place the disclosure after a block of links. Do not assume "affiliate" is familiar to every viewer. Do not use a pinned comment to correct an undisclosed endorsement while leaving the video and description unchanged.
Avoid universal templates that describe relationships you do not have. A free product, paid sponsorship, ambassador role, and sales commission can require different facts. The goal is not to sound legal. The goal is to make the commercial relationship understandable before it affects a click or purchase.
Key Takeaways for Pinned Comment Affiliate Disclosure Examples for YouTube
Pinned comment affiliate disclosure examples work when they are direct, close to the relevant links, and consistent with the video and description. Say that you may earn a commission, define which links are covered, separate other brand relationships, and keep the wording current.
Browse the FindAffiliates directory for creator programs, then verify each program's rules before promoting it. Treat the pinned comment as a useful reinforcement, not the only disclosure viewers receive.
FAQ
Is a pinned comment enough for a YouTube affiliate disclosure?
It should not be treated as the only disclosure. Mobile viewers must open comments to see it, and FTC guidance for YouTube affiliate links points to disclosure in the video and near links in the description.
What words should a pinned affiliate comment use?
Use plain words that explain the financial result, such as "I may earn a commission if you buy through these links." Name the covered links or products when the comment contains a mixed list.
Should every link in a pinned comment be labeled affiliate?
Label the commissionable links accurately. If some links do not pay you, distinguish them instead of implying that the entire list has one commercial relationship.
How often should creators review pinned disclosures?
Review them whenever a product, program, link, code, sponsorship, or platform placement changes. Evergreen videos also need a scheduled link and disclosure check because old comments can remain visible for years.