Affiliate Links on Your Site? Google’s Rules for Link Formatting!

Key Questions Answered:

• Is adding “sponsored” tags good for SEO?
• Can you be penalized for improper affiliate linking?

Why Proper Disclosure Matters

Adding “sponsored” or “affiliate” tags is best practice for both SEO and legal compliance.

1. SEO Considerations

Transparency: Google prefers clear disclosure of affiliate relationships.

Link Attributes: Use either:

• rel="sponsored" (recommended)
• rel="nofollow" (acceptable)

Penalty Risk: Undisclosed affiliate links may violate Google’s guidelines.

2. Legal Requirements

FTC Compliance: US sites must clearly disclose affiliate relationships.

EU/UK Laws: Similar disclosure requirements apply.

3. Link Cloaking Risks

Masking affiliate URLs without disclosure may be seen as deceptive.

Best Practices Summary

1. Always use sponsored/nofollow attributes
2. Clearly label affiliate links
3. Avoid misleading URL structures
4. Check local advertising laws

Following these rules maintains trust with both users and search engines.