FTC Disclosure for Wellness Creators: A Practical Checklist

The rule is simpler than it sounds: if you earn a commission on a sale, or were given product or payment to talk about something, say so — clearly, close to the recommendation, and in words a reader gets without clicking anything. That single sentence covers most of what the FTC asks of a wellness creator.

This is general guidance, not legal advice. Read it, then run the checklist at the bottom before you hit post.

When a disclosure is required

You disclose when there is a material connection between you and the thing you are recommending. "Material" means something a reader would want to know because it could shape how they read your honest opinion. The most common trigger for a wellness creator is a commission: when you share a tracking link and earn money on the sale, that is a material connection, and it needs a disclosure.

A few cases that all require one:

• You earn a commission. Any sale through your tracking link pays you. Disclose it.
• You were paid or given free product. Gifted supplements, a sponsored post, a brand trip — all material, all disclosed.
• You have another stake. You own part of the brand, sit on its team, or have a family tie. Say so.
• You are not sure. If a reasonable person would feel differently knowing about the connection, disclose. The honest default is to disclose.

A few cases that do not need a disclosure: recommending something you bought yourself with no commission and no other tie, or a general opinion with no link, payment, or stake behind it. When in doubt, the cost of disclosing is one short line; the cost of not disclosing can be a takedown or worse.

How to disclose clearly and conspicuously

The FTC test is "clear and conspicuous." In plain terms: a reader should see and understand the disclosure without effort. Three things make that true — placement, language, and matching the platform.

Placement: near the recommendation, hard to miss

• Put it close to the link or the claim, not buried at the end of a long caption.
• Do not hide it behind a "more" tap, inside a wall of hashtags, in a profile bio only, or in a separate "disclosures" page.
• In video, say it out loud and show it on screen when you make the recommendation — not only in the description.
• In a live stream, repeat it, since viewers join partway through.

Language: plain words a reader already knows

• Use plain terms: "I earn a commission on purchases through my link," "#ad," or "#sponsored." All are widely understood.
• Skip vague tags like "#sp," "#collab," "#ambassador," or "thanks [brand]." A reader should not have to decode them.
• Match the language of your post. If you post in Spanish, disclose in Spanish.

Per-platform: match the format

The same disclosure looks different depending on where it lives. Put it where the reader looks on that surface.

Health-claim caution for supplement and wellness content

Disclosure is one rule. Health claims are a separate one, and they matter more in wellness than almost anywhere else. The FTC and FDA both expect health and supplement claims to be truthful and backed by evidence — and they treat the person making the claim, including the creator, as responsible for it.

The line that gets creators in trouble is the disease or treatment claim. A dietary supplement is not a drug, so saying it treats, cures, prevents, or diagnoses a disease can put both you and the brand at real legal risk.

Three habits keep wellness content on the right side of the line:

• Stick to your real, honest experience. "Here is what I noticed" is yours to say. "This will fix your condition" is not.
• Do not promise outcomes you cannot back up, and do not present anecdote as proof. If results vary, say so.
• Use the brand's approved language for any structure-or-function claim, and never invent a medical benefit the label does not support.

The per-post checklist

Run this before you publish anything with a tracking link or a paid mention. Copy it into your notes and reuse it.

• Is there a material connection? Commission, free product, payment, or any stake — if yes, you disclose.
• Is the disclosure near the recommendation? Beside the link or claim, not buried at the end.
• Is it in plain words? "I earn a commission on purchases through my link," "#ad," or "#sponsored" — not "#sp" or "#collab."
• Is it visible without a tap? Not hidden behind "more," a hashtag wall, or your bio only.
• Does it match the platform? Spoken and on screen in video; in the post before any cutoff; right by the link in writing.
• Are the health claims honest? No disease, cure, treatment, or prevention claims for a supplement.
• Is every result your real experience, with variation noted? No promised outcomes you cannot back up.
• Did you use the brand's approved language for any structure-or-function claim?

If every box is checked, you are in good shape. If one is not, fix it before you post.

A worked example

Say a wellness brand sets a $40 commission and you share your tracking link in a Reel about your morning routine.

• You say it on camera: "Quick note — I earn a commission if you buy through my link."
• You add on-screen text on the same frame, and a line in the caption.
• You describe the product honestly: "It is part of my routine; here is what I noticed," not "it cures fatigue."
• You publish. When someone buys through your link, the sale is credited to you automatically, server-side through the brand's store — no code for them to enter.

$40commission set by the brand $40athlete keeps, in full

The disclosure protects your audience's trust and keeps you compliant. The attribution and the payout work the same whether or not you disclose — but disclosing is the rule, and it costs you one honest line. New to all of this? Start with getting set up as an athlete, or read how wellness brands run affiliate programs here.

FAQ

Do I have to disclose every affiliate link?

Yes. Any time you share a tracking link that earns you a commission, that is a material connection, and the FTC expects a clear, conspicuous disclosure on that post. The disclosure can be short — one plain sentence or a recognized tag like #ad — but it needs to be there every time, near the link, and visible without a tap or a click. If you reuse the same link across several posts, each post still needs its own disclosure. This is general guidance, not legal advice.

Where should the disclosure go on a post or video?

Put it next to the recommendation and make it impossible to miss. In writing, that means a sentence right before or beside the link, not in a footer or your bio. In video, say it out loud and show it on screen at the moment you make the recommendation, and add a line near the top of the description. In Stories or Reels, use a text overlay on the relevant frame. The test is simple: a reader or viewer should see and understand the disclosure without expanding, scrolling past a hashtag wall, or leaving the post. Match the format to the platform. See creating and sharing your tracking link for how the link itself works.

Can I make health claims about a supplement I'm promoting?

Be careful here. A supplement is not a drug, so you should not claim it treats, cures, prevents, or diagnoses any disease — those are the claims that create real legal risk for you and the brand. You can share your honest, real experience and stick to structure-or-function language the brand has approved, such as "supports joint comfort," while noting that results vary. Do not promise outcomes you cannot back up, and never suggest anyone stop a prescription. As an athlete on a curated platform, your honesty is part of why brands and audiences trust you — so when a claim feels like a drug label wrote it, drop it or soften it to what you noticed yourself. This is general guidance, not legal advice.