Are AI Results Impacted by Affiliate Disclosure?
by Tricia Meyer
Tricia is an Affiliate Marketer, Blogger, and Consultant. Her posts may include paid links for which she earns a commission.
Disclosure: I am not an AI expert. I didn’t even create ChatGPT. I use it to proofread and summarize documents. I’m learning…
Just for fun, I wanted to see if ChatGPT:
- Could provide sources for a question my site answers.
- Cite my site as a source.
I asked, "What is the best Riesling of the Month wine club?"
Initial ChatGPT Results:
ChatGPT provided a list of wine clubs, some with links and others without. I noticed it didn’t include WineClubGroup.com, a site with a specific post on Riesling of the Month clubs. I inquired why, and surprisingly, ChatGPT responded!
ChatGPT Talks Affiliate Disclosure (Unprompted):
It first noted that my site is a "trusted source for comparing and reviewing wine clubs," adding "(and I know you’re very familiar with the affiliate space)" – a little sassy, perhaps?
When pressed about why WineClubGroup.com wasn’t included, ChatGPT explained that my site’s openness about its affiliate links made it a suitable choice. It referenced both my Disclosure Page and in-content disclosures.
More Insight from ChatGPT:
I tested another site, Helping Moms Connect, which also uses affiliate links. ChatGPT detected them and my disclosure on that site (from the About page and within posts), but not my site-wide disclosure. It linked to the Performance Marketing Association for information about FTC disclosure guidelines, emphasizing the importance of transparency and ethical practices.
Takeaways and More Questions:
While I appreciate ChatGPT’s understanding of affiliate disclosure, several questions remain:
- Does AI pick up on disclosures in any way? Even if they don’t perfectly match FTC guidelines?
- Does AI "trust" sites that disclose links more?
- Would ChatGPT know about affiliate links even if not explicitly mentioned?
- Could it penalize sites for not disclosing links?
- Do other AIs handle this issue similarly?
- Is this a way to encourage better disclosure practices?
- Is this personalized based on my known focus on ethical marketing?
Give it a try yourself. What are your findings?
