FTC disclosure examples for TikTok creator videos
Last checked against the sources below: October 31, 2026. This page collects examples from the FTC’s own public guidance. It is not legal advice, and it does not say whether any specific post is acceptable.
The FTC does not require one exact phrase. It does publish examples of wording and placement it considers clear, and examples it considers unclear. This page puts those examples side by side and shows where they land on a TikTok video, so a brand team can brief creators with the FTC’s own words.
The short answer. The FTC lists “Ad:”, “Paid ad”, “#ad”, “Advertising:” and “Advertisement” as disclosures that would likely be effective, and says “Sponsored by XYZ” is clearer than “Sponsored” alone. It says a video disclosure has the best chance of being clear when it is in the video itself, and that a disclosure in the middle or at the end of a post “is easier to miss.” It says “Gifted” alone is likely to be ambiguous, and that consumers might not understand what “affiliate link” means.
Wording: FTC examples side by side
| Situation | Examples the FTC treats as clear | Examples the FTC treats as unclear |
|---|---|---|
| Paid post | “Ad:”, “Paid ad”, “#ad”, “Advertising:”, “Advertisement” | Vague terms like “sp,” “spon,” or “collab” (Disclosures 101) |
| Naming the brand | “Sponsored by XYZ” or “Promotion by XYZ”; “AcmePartner” or “Acme Ambassador” where space is short (influencer guide) | Stand-alone “thanks” or “ambassador” (Disclosures 101) |
| Free product | “Thanks to Acme brand for the free product”; “Gifted by XYZ” when a free product is all the creator got | “Gifted” by itself without a brand reference |
| Affiliate commission | “I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post”; “Paid link” next to the link | “Affiliate link”; “commissionable link” |
“XYZ” and “Acme” are the FTC’s own placeholders for a brand name. The FTC also says the disclosure should be in the same language as the endorsement.
Placement: where the disclosure goes
- Up front in the caption. The FTC says a disclosure “in the middle or at the end of a post is easier to miss and thus less likely to be effective.” Its influencer guide says not to mix a disclosure into a group of hashtags or links.
- Not behind “more.” The influencer guide says disclosures are likely to be missed if they appear only on a profile page, at the end of a post or video, or anywhere a viewer has to click “more.”
- In the video itself. The FTC says a disclosure “has the best chance of being clear and conspicuous if it’s included in the video itself,” and that a disclosure only in the description is not enough. For a TikTok video, that means on-screen text, spoken words, or both.
- Both seen and heard when the pitch is both. For endorsements made both visually and audibly, the FTC says “the disclosure should be made both visually and audibly.”
- Repeated in LIVEs. The influencer guide says to repeat the disclosure periodically during a live stream so viewers who join late still see it.
What about TikTok’s own label?
TikTok offers its own labels, such as Paid partnership, through its content disclosure setting (see the Paid partnership guide for TikTok’s sources). The FTC’s answer on platform tools begins: “Not necessarily. It’s good that some platforms offer these tools, and we don’t want to dissuade you from using them.” It says the responsibility to clearly disclose “rests with the influencer and the brand – not the platform.” The FTC’s influencer guide suggests using a platform tool in addition to your own disclosure.
In Watchword’s October 2026 beauty study of 698 paid creator videos about 12 beauty brands on US TikTok, 640 (92%) relied on a TikTok label alone, with no disclosure in the creator’s own words.
What this means for a brand team
The FTC’s guidance for companies with influencer programs describes telling creators how to disclose, periodically checking what they post, and acting on problems. A creator brief that copies the FTC’s own example wording, and says where it goes in the video, is the easy part. The harder part is checking which videos about your products actually carry it. For the full program, see the influencer marketing compliance checklist.
Watchword is built to flag creator videos about your brand on TikTok Shop for your team to review, covering disclosures, product claims, and brand safety. Start with a free Dark Reach Check.
Related
Common questions
What is an example of a good FTC disclosure?
The FTC lists “Ad:”, “Paid ad”, “#ad”, “Advertising:” and “Advertisement” as disclosures that would likely be effective, and says “Sponsored by XYZ” or “Promotion by XYZ” is clearer than “Sponsored” alone. For a free product, its influencer guide gives “Thanks to Acme brand for the free product” as an example.
Is #gifted enough for FTC disclosure?
The FTC says the word “Gifted,” by itself without a brand reference, is likely to be ambiguous. It says “Gifted by XYZ” should be sufficient when all the creator received is a free product.
Where should the disclosure go in a TikTok video?
The FTC says a video disclosure has the best chance of being clear if it is included in the video itself, not only in the description. If the endorsement is both on screen and spoken, it says the disclosure should be made both visually and audibly. In LIVEs, its influencer guide says to repeat the disclosure so people who join late see it.
Is “affiliate link” a good enough disclosure?
The FTC says consumers might not understand that “affiliate link” means the person placing the link is getting paid, and that “commissionable link” is probably not a clear disclosure. It says “Paid link” next to an affiliate link should be adequate, and gives “I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post” as example wording.
Is TikTok’s Paid partnership label enough?
The FTC’s answer on platform disclosure tools begins “Not necessarily.” It says responsibility for clear disclosure rests with the influencer and the brand, not the platform, and its influencer guide suggests using a platform tool in addition to your own disclosure.
Are #sp, #spon and #collab acceptable?
The FTC’s Disclosures 101 guide tells influencers not to use vague or confusing terms like “sp,” “spon,” or “collab,” or stand-alone terms like “thanks” or “ambassador.”
Sources
- FTC, “Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers”
- FTC, “FTC’s Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking”
- Watchword, Dark Reach study: Beauty (October 2026)
This guide summarizes the FTC’s public guidance. It is not legal advice. For decisions about your program, talk to your counsel.