Sponsorship Pricing
Part of Affiliate income for creators
Choosing affiliate products the creator can assess honestly
Use reader needs, verifiable product evidence and programme terms to decide whether an affiliate recommendation is credible.
Choose an affiliate product when you can explain a real use, verify the claims that matter to your audience, and state what you have not checked. A high commission cannot fill a gap in your knowledge. If you cannot yet make a defensible recommendation, publish a buying checklist instead.
Define the reader’s decision
Start with a particular person and task. “A microphone for recording spoken lessons in a shared room” gives you more to assess than “the best microphone”. List conditions that could change the answer: compatibility, setup effort, ongoing cost, availability, returns or accessibility. Use criteria that matter to the reader.
Write the recommendation before adding a link. Say who might benefit, who should look elsewhere, and which facts could change. If the product has no clear place in that answer, its affiliate program is not a reason to add it.
Match each claim to what you know
| Evidence available | Appropriate use | Claim to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| You used the product for a defined task | Describe the task, conditions and what you observed | Treating your experience as proof for every user or version |
| You checked current product documentation | Attribute documented features and their stated limits | Calling the piece a hands-on review |
| You have only an advertiser’s brief | Identify claims that still need independent checking | Repeating unverified performance claims as fact |
Keep dated notes on what you checked. For software, note the plan and version relevant to a feature. For physical goods, note the model and circumstances of use. If you cannot verify a feature that matters to the recommendation, leave the claim out or present it as a question to check before buying.
The ACCC can require businesses to back up claims about their products or services. The ACCC has also said influencers and businesses need to review their practices and improve compliance with the Australian Consumer Law so consumers can trust the information they find online.
In a 2026 enforcement announcement, the ACCC alleged that an influencer review was presented as an organic, unpaid review and edited to remove negative content. If a brand asks you to remove a material drawback, keep an accurate account or decline the arrangement.
Key Compliance Points from ACCC Guidance
- ACCC Enforcement Action (2026)
- Influencer review presented as organic, unpaid, with negative content removed
- Consumer Law Requirement
- Businesses must back up claims about products or services
- Ongoing Scrutiny
- Influencers and businesses under continued review for misleading advertising
Check the commercial fit
Read the program terms for eligible products and customers, permitted channels, exclusions, returns and payment conditions. Check whether an Australian reader can use the offer. Program terms define qualifying purchases and exclusions, so do not assume a click becomes a commission.
Review the recommendation when the product or its terms change. Remove claims you can no longer support.
