Ad Disclosure Guide
Last updated: March 2026
Why Disclosure Matters
As a KOCOA partner earning commission, you have a legal obligation to disclose this relationship to your audience. The EU Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (UCPD) treats hidden commercial intent as misleading. The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) actively enforces these rules in the Netherlands and has issued fines for non-compliance. All forms of compensation — including commissions, free products, and discount codes — trigger disclosure requirements. Transparency is not optional; it is the law.
Core Rules
Disclosure must appear at the BEGINNING of your content, not buried after a "read more" link or fold. Each individual piece of content requires its own disclosure — a blanket statement in your bio or profile description is NOT sufficient. Consumers must be able to immediately recognize the commercial nature of your content. In the Netherlands, use "advertentie" or "#ad" at the very start of your captions. The disclosure must be clear, prominent, and impossible to miss.
Platform Guidelines
Use the built-in "Paid partnership" label AND include "#ad" at the start of your caption. Stories require disclosure as well — add a visible text overlay or use the paid partnership label. Do not rely solely on hashtags buried in the caption.
TikTok
Enable the "Sponsored" content toggle in your post settings AND include "#ad" in the description. A verbal disclosure at the beginning of the video is also recommended for clarity.
YouTube
Check the "Includes paid promotion" box in your video settings and include a disclosure in the video description. A verbal disclosure within the first 30 seconds of the video is strongly recommended.
Blog
Include "This post contains affiliate links" prominently at the top of the post, before the main content begins. Mark individual affiliate links with "(aff)" or a similar clear indicator throughout the article.
Twitter / X
Start your tweets with "#ad" so the commercial nature is immediately visible. Do not place the disclosure at the end of a thread or buried among other hashtags.
What NOT To Do
Do not hide disclosure in hashtag clusters at the end of a caption. Do not use small, low-contrast, or otherwise camouflaged text. Do not place disclosure behind a "read more" fold or below the visible area. Do not post Stories or Reels without any disclosure. Do not use only "#sponsored" as it is considered insufficient by regulators. Do not use ambiguous terms like "#collab" or "#partner" without an explicit statement about the commercial relationship. These practices violate EU and Dutch advertising transparency rules.
Examples
Good
#ad — As a KOCOA partner, I'm sharing my honest experience with this product. If you purchase through my link, I earn a commission.
Good
Advertentie — In samenwerking met @kocoa.nl. Via mijn link ontvang ik een commissie.
Bad
Caption ending with "......... #ad #kocoa #skincare" — disclosure is buried at the end and easily missed.
Bad
Only using "#gifted" without mentioning the commission relationship. Receiving products for free AND earning commission must both be disclosed.
Consequences
First violation: written warning with 7 days to correct the content. Second violation: commission hold for all content related to the violation. Third violation: account suspension and full commission freeze. If KOCOA faces regulatory action from the ACM or other authorities due to a partner's failure to disclose, KOCOA reserves the right to seek recourse from the responsible partner. Compliance protects both you and KOCOA.