YouTube Help Do affiliate links in the description count as a paid promotion?

[Jeff Goober]

When you upload a Youtube video do you have to check the box that says "My video contains paid promotion like a product placement, sponsorship, or endorsement?" When you have affiliate links??? I can't really get a straight answer when I am looking it up online, I've seen a ton of popular YouTubers that have amazon links but they don't have an ad promotion thing at the beginning of their video...I was told that you have to check the box when you have affiliate links? So if I start adding tubebuddy and amazon affiliate links I would have to check that box on each upload and have that 20 seconds paid promotion think on the bottom of each of my videos? I am pretty sure you only check that box if a company wanted you to promote something of theirs? I'm kinda confused in a way because when you add affiliate links in the description I was told you just add a disclaimer to the video letting viewers know you get a cut if they use your link but I read that you have to check the box now.... My brains about to blow up

 

[amisclinic]

Looking for an answer as well ..

 

[SILTHW]

This is YouTube's answer to your question:

Add paid product placements, sponsorships & endorsements - YouTube Help (google.com)

 

[Beanie Draws]

This is YouTube's answer to your question:

Always providing the goods

I have noticed more and more people adding "paid promotion" for videos that don't necessarily mention they are sponsored. It seems now that if you mention a product and you get paid in anyway, even if it's in affiliate revenue, that you "should" be adding it.

That said, I have quick mentioned of pencils that I use, but they aren't paid promotion, so I don't really use that. IF my videos were sponsored and had a paid for mention, then I would definitely include "paid promotion"

 

[Jeff Goober]

Always providing the goods

I have noticed more and more people adding "paid promotion" for videos that don't necessarily mention they are sponsored. It seems now that if you mention a product and you get paid in anyway, even if it's in affiliate revenue, that you "should" be adding it.

That said, I have quick mentioned of pencils that I use, but they aren't paid promotion, so I don't really use that. IF my videos were sponsored and had a paid for mention, then I would definitely include "paid promotion"

So when I review a retro sega controller and say links are in the description below for that controller on amazon.. i now have to check that box for every review

 

[Jeff Goober]

This is YouTube's answer to your question:

Yeah I saw this..and it seems like if you have any affiliate links you have to check that box.. but as I said before I have seen a lot of people not checking that box and I still see affiliate links. because now I look for that stupid paid promotion thing on the bottom of videos now lol

 

[Damon]

Oh, you know YouTube: Always trying to cover that beehind!

 

[SILTHW]

Yeah I saw this..and it seems like if you have any affiliate links you have to check that box.. but as I said before I have seen a lot of people not checking that box and I still see affiliate links. because now I look for that stupid paid promotion thing on the bottom of videos now lol

There seems to be a subtlety here. I look at it as "I am 100% getting paid to do this for this" versus "there is a chance I might get paid for this if people click something".

Thie first seems to require the disclaimer. Basically "We are giving you an item and $100 to talk about it" or "we are giving you an item and will pay you $100 if you talk about it" and maybe even in a stretch "we don't care who talks about it - do it and we will give you $100".

The second seems to be covered by an affiliate disclaimer around the links. "I own this product and no one asked me to review it, but if you like the review click the link below and I get a commission" or "I bought these 3 things to review and I'm linking them in the description and make money if you buy any of the three via my link".

I am not YouTube, but that is how I think about it.

 

[Beanie Draws]

Oh, you know YouTube: Always trying to cover that beehind!

LOL And generally 5 years late. I mean, the whole COPPA situation was based on not playing by the FTC rules for years.

 

[Stanley | Team TB]

I agree with @SILTHW and I'll take it up a notch. Is someone actively paying you in order to have their product integrated into your video... or are you making a video and then providing an opportunity for a commission? 'Paid Promotion' means you 'were paid' for a promotion as opposed to providing affiliate links. For this reason I do not consider Patreon, GoFundMe or channel donations as 'Paid Promotion' either.

 

[Jeff Goober]

No only if you actually have a sponser

This is what I thought But I hear things are changing -__-

 

[Damon]

This is one of those legal things. In the U. S. you need to follow the Federal Trade Commission's laws on the matter and/or talk to a lawyer. https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/bus...tcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking

 

[Jeff Goober]

I agree with @SILTHW and I'll take it up a notch. Is someone actively paying you in order to have their product integrated into your video... or are you making a video and then providing an opportunity for a commission? 'Paid Promotion' means you 'were paid' for a promotion as opposed to providing affiliate links. For this reason I do not consider Patreon, GoFundMe or channel donations as 'Paid Promotion' either.

Yeah, I don't think I'm gonna check the box then if I only have affiliate links.

 

[Jeff Goober]

This is one of those legal things. In the U. S. you need to follow the Federal Trade Commission's laws on the matter and/or talk to a lawyer. https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/bus...tcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking

I have this under my affiliate links ΓÇ£As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.ΓÇ¥ and have this on the bottom of my description **Disclaimer: (channel name) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to www.amazon.com. I don't think I need both but I did anyway...Do I still have to check the paid product, promotion box when I upload...even tho I'm not being paid to talk about the product I'm unboxing and reviewing..its just my opinions..but I would assume I might have to now because of the new update that says

Note: This article was updated in January 2021 to include a list of products and services where you should not include paid promotions.
You may include paid product placements, endorsements, sponsorships, or other content that requires disclosure to viewers in your videos.

If you choose to include any of the above, you have to let us know by selecting the paid promotion box in your video details. See instructions below.

 

[Stanley | Team TB]

It is worth mentioning the purpose of that box:

YouTube put that there as a means of identifying channels which offer ad integrations for other products. Advertisers were having issues with their product being advertised next to competing products so YouTube introduced this option so that advertisers could choose when to opt out of advertising on these channels.

So IMO I would mark that box if I am offering an ad integration that may conflict with a product being advertised before my video. Affiliate links should not conflict with that and if they do then they simply need to be worded in such a way so as to not conflict with any ad that could be played on your video.