The Author’s Disclosure Guide: Affiliate Links, ARC Reviews, and AI Narration

The Author’s Disclosure Guide

What to disclose, when, and exactly how — for affiliate links, ARC distribution, and AI narration

Disclosure isn’t optional for US-based sellers, and it isn’t optional for anyone selling to US readers regardless of where they’re located. The FTC’s guidelines apply any time there’s a material connection between you and a product you’re recommending or a review you’re soliciting. The principle is simple: disclosure must be upfront and clear, not buried in a footer or hedged in vague language. If a reader would need to hunt for it, it doesn’t count.

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Section 1: Affiliate Links

What Triggers Disclosure

The FTC defines a “material connection” broadly. You must disclose when:
– You earn a commission if someone clicks your link and buys
– You received a product for free or at a discount in exchange for reviewing or promoting it
– You have a business relationship with a brand you’re recommending — even if no money changes hands
– You received an advance copy, early access, or any other non-public benefit

“I bought this myself” is not a material connection and does not require disclosure. Everything else probably does.

Where to Disclose

– The disclosure must appear at or before the link — not at the bottom of the page, not in a separate disclosure page, not in a site-wide footer banner
– On a blog post, the disclosure goes at the top of the post before any affiliate links appear
– On a social media post, the disclosure is in the post itself — not in the comments
– On YouTube, disclosure appears in the video (verbally or on-screen) and in the description — not only in the description
– “Click here” followed by an asterisk that leads to a footnote does not meet FTC standards

What the Disclosure Must Say

It does not need to be legal language. It needs to be clear and understandable to someone who doesn’t know what an affiliate link is. The FTC specifically says that hashtags like `#ad` or `#sponsored` are acceptable on social media, but longer-form content requires something more explicit.

Template Disclosure Language

Brief inline (for use directly before or after a link):
> (affiliate link — I earn a small commission if you buy through this)

Sentence-form (for use at the top of a blog post or resource page):
> This post contains affiliate links. If you click one and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only link to products I’ve personally used or researched.

Website banner or sidebar (for pages with multiple affiliate links):
> Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this site are affiliate links. I receive a commission if you purchase through them. This doesn’t affect what I recommend.

What Does NOT Count as Disclosure

– “Some links may be compensated” in the site footer
– A standalone “Disclosures” page linked in the navigation (without disclosing on the actual page with affiliate links)
– Disclosure that appears only after the reader has already clicked a link
– Disclosure in a collapsed section, small grey text, or behind a “see more” toggle
– Relying on readers to “know” your site uses affiliate links because it’s common practice

Amazon Associates: Additional Required Language

Amazon Associates has its own disclosure requirement in addition to FTC compliance. If you are an Amazon Associate, you must include this specific language (or a close equivalent):

> *[Your name/site 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 Amazon.com.*

Amazon requires this statement to be on every page where Amazon affiliate links appear, or on a clearly linked disclosure page. Their operating agreement is legally binding and separate from FTC guidelines. Verify current Amazon Associates requirements at: affiliate-program.amazon.com > Operating Agreement.

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Section 2: ARC (Advance Review Copy) Distribution

What an ARC Is and Why It Triggers Disclosure

An ARC (Advance Review Copy) is a pre-publication copy of your book given to reviewers in exchange for an honest review. The “in exchange for” part is the trigger. The reviewer received something of value (the book) in exchange for action (writing a review). That is a material connection under FTC guidelines and a compensated relationship under most platform policies.

This applies whether the ARC is digital or physical, free or discounted, given before or after publication.

What Reviewers Must Disclose

Reviewers who receive ARCs must disclose it in their review. The exact wording can vary, but the disclosure must clearly indicate:

1. They received a free copy of the book
   
2. In exchange for (or in consideration of) an honest review

Acceptable reviewer disclosure language:
> I received an advance copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

> ARC provided by the author. All opinions are my own.

> I was given a complimentary copy of this book. This did not influence my review.

The disclosure must appear in the review itself — at the beginning or end — not only in a separate tab or “about me” section.

Amazon’s Policy on ARC Reviews

Amazon prohibits reviews from anyone who has a financial relationship with the author or publisher. This creates a practical tension with traditional ARC distribution. Amazon’s current policies (verify at amazon.com/review/guidelines):

– Reviewers may not be family members, close friends, or business partners of the author
– Reviewers may not have received payment for their review
– Reviewers may have received a free copy if obtained through Amazon’s own programs (Vine, Kindle Select) or through Goodreads giveaways
– Reviews from readers who received a free copy outside Amazon’s own ecosystem may be removed by Amazon’s automated systems, even if properly disclosed
– If a reviewer discloses an ARC, Amazon may suppress or remove the review at its discretion

Practical implication: Do not ask readers to post their ARC reviews on Amazon. Amazon does not view non-Vine ARCs as qualifying for Amazon reviews. Focus ARC reviewers on Goodreads, BookTok, their own blogs, and other platforms.

Goodreads Policy

Goodreads (owned by Amazon) is more permissive about ARC reviews than Amazon’s retail store:
– ARC reviews are allowed and expected on Goodreads
– Reviewers should note in their review that they received an ARC
– Goodreads does not have an automated suppression system equivalent to Amazon’s
– Authors can run Goodreads Giveaways directly through Goodreads for compliant ARC distribution

What Authors Can and Cannot Ask Reviewers to Do

You can ask reviewers to:
– Read the book and share their honest opinion
– Post a review on Goodreads, their blog, BookTok, Instagram, etc.
– Include an ARC disclosure in their review
– Share the review in book communities and reader groups
– Give feedback on your cover, title, or description (separately from the review)

You cannot ask reviewers to:
– Post the ARC review on Amazon (see above)
– Write a positive review, or imply that a negative review would result in not receiving future ARCs
– Omit the fact that they received a free copy
– Post on a specific timeline that benefits your launch rank without giving them adequate reading time

Template ARC Email Language

Include the following in every ARC distribution email. This tells reviewers exactly what to disclose, in language they can copy if needed:

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> A quick note on disclosure:
>
> When you post your review, please include a brief note indicating you received an advance copy. Something like: *”I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review”* is perfect. This is required by FTC guidelines and platform policies — it protects both of us.
>
> Please post your review on Goodreads and any book communities or blogs where you’re active. Note: Amazon has its own policies about reviews from advance copies received outside their programs, so we ask that you focus your review post on Goodreads and other platforms rather than Amazon.
>
> Your honest opinion is what matters most — positive or negative, your real take helps readers make good decisions and helps authors improve.

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Section 3: AI Narration Disclosure

Which Platforms Require It

| Platform | AI Narration Disclosure Required | Notes |
|—|—|—|
| Google Play Books | Yes | Required in product description |
| Apple Books | Yes | Required per content policy (as of 2026) |
| Kobo Writing Life | Yes | Required at upload and in description |
| ACX / Audible | N/A | Prohibits third-party AI narration entirely (as of 2026) |
| Findaway Voices / Libro.fm | Verify | Policies evolving — check current guidelines |

ACX / Audible: As of 2026, Audible through ACX prohibits audiobooks narrated by AI tools that are not affiliated with ACX or Amazon. Submitting an AI-narrated audiobook through ACX without disclosure is a violation of their content agreement and can result in account termination. Verify current ACX AI policy at: acx.com > Content Guidelines.

Which Platforms Don’t Require It — But Should Still Get It

Even where disclosure is not explicitly required, transparency about AI narration is advisable. Readers who discover AI narration without prior notice often leave negative reviews. Proactive disclosure sets expectations accurately and builds the kind of trust that leads to completed listens and return readers.

Template AI Narration Disclosure Language

Brief version (for tight metadata fields):
> Narrated by AI voice.

Full version (for product description — place at the end of the description):
> *This audiobook is narrated using AI voice technology. The narration was reviewed and approved by the author to ensure quality, pacing, and faithful delivery of the text.*

Use the full version as the default. The brief version is acceptable where character limits prevent the full version, such as in metadata fields with strict length limits.

Where to Place the Disclosure

– In the product description — in the body of the listing, not buried in metadata fields
– At or near the end of the description, before any “About the Author” section
– It should be visible without clicking “Read more” or expanding the description on mobile — keep the description length reasonable so the disclosure appears in the default view

Do not place AI narration disclosure only in:
– The “narrator” metadata field (which may not be visible to most readers)
– A separate FAQ or “About” page
– Author social media without also placing it in the listing

What AI Narration Disclosure Does NOT Affect

Disclosing AI narration does not:
– Reduce your royalty rate on Google Play Books, Apple Books, or Kobo
– Affect your search ranking on permitted platforms
– Disqualify your title from editorial selection or promotional placement on platforms where AI narration is permitted
– Prevent readers from purchasing or reviewing your book

Platforms that permit AI narration treat disclosed AI narration titles the same as human-narrated titles in terms of commerce and discoverability. The disclosure is a transparency requirement, not a penalty.

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A Note on This Guide

This guide reflects FTC guidelines and platform policies as of 2026. Policies change — verify current requirements at ftc.gov and each platform’s content policies page before acting on this information.

– FTC Endorsement Guides: ftc.gov/endorsements
– Amazon Associates Operating Agreement: affiliate-program.amazon.com
– Amazon Customer Review Guidelines: amazon.com/review/guidelines
– ACX Content Guidelines: acx.com
– Google Play Books Partner Center: play.google.com/books/publish/
– Apple Books: authors.apple.com
– Kobo Writing Life: kobowritinglife.com

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*Free resource from CoHarmonify — AI Audiobook Creation & Publishing.*
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