Why do I have to identify myself as an Associate? How should I do this on social media

Anytime you share an affiliate link, it's important to disclose that to your audience.  They will trust you more if you are transparent about where you are directing them and why.  To meet the Associate Program's requirements, you must (1) include a legally compliant disclosure with your links and (2) identify yourself on your Site as an Amazon Associate with the language required by the Operating Agreement.

To comply with the applicable laws regulations, your link-level disclosure must be:

  1. Clear.  A clear disclosure could be as simple as "(paid link)", "#ad", or "#CommissionsEarned".
  2. Conspicuous.  It should be placed near any affiliate link or product review in a location that customers will notice easily.  They shouldn't have to hunt for it.          

In addition, the Operating Agreement requires that the following statement clearly and conspicuously appears on your Site:  "As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases."  For social media user-generated content, this statement must be associated with your account.

Associates should also consider the relevant social media platform's guidelines.  For example, Associates may use Facebook's Branded Content tool.

For more information, see https://competitionandmarkets.blog.gov.uk/2019/04/30/influencer-marketing-what-you-need-to-know/ and https://competitionandmarkets.blog.gov.uk/2019/04/30/influencer-marketing-what-you-need-to-know/