Welcome to TheTop5Games.com (“we,” “our,” “us,” or “the website”). We are committed to giving our readers thorough reviews, analysis, and suggestions on the best games on different platforms. In order to uphold transparency and trust with our readers, we think it is important to reveal our affiliations and the type of our relationships with third-party businesses. This Affiliate Disclosure explains how we work, the partnerships we participate in, and how these affiliations can impact the content shared on our website.
What is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing is an incentive-based form of marketing whereby companies compensate affiliates (such as TheTop5Games.com) for bringing traffic or sales to their services or products via the affiliate’s advertisement efforts. It commonly includes the use of specific tracking links on our content, which, if clicked by a visitor, trace any subsequent purchases or actions. In return, we could receive a referral fee or commission with no extra expense to the user.
Our Commitment to Transparency
At TheTop5Games.com, we value our readers’ trust and confidence above all else. To continue this promise:
- Clear Disclosures: We make sure that any content with affiliate links is clearly and prominently disclosed, giving readers notice of our probable financial benefit from their actions. This is in line with the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) affiliate disclosure guidelines, which require such disclosures to be conspicuously visible and clear to consumers. websitepolicies.com
- Unbiased Reviews: Although we might earn commissions from some products or services, our reviews and suggestions are derived from extensive research, personal experience, and true opinions. Our aim is to give precise and objective information to help our readers make informed choices.
- Editorial Independence: Our partnerships have no bearing on the integrity of our reviews. We have total editorial control over the information we publish and ensure our partnerships do not undermine the quality or truth of our reviews.
Types of Affiliate Relationships
- Product and Service Affiliations:
- Gaming Platforms and Stores: We can join digital storefronts, including Steam, PlayStation Store, Xbox Marketplace, and Nintendo eShop. If readers buy games or their related content through our site using links, we might receive a commission.
- Gaming Accessories and Merchandise: We can place reviews or suggestions of gaming peripherals, accessories, or merchandise on our site. Buying these things through our affiliate links can give us a commission.
- Sponsored Content and Advertorials:
- From time to time, we will publish content funded by game developers, publishers, or affiliated companies. These will be clearly marked as “Sponsored” or “Advertisement” to differentiate from our standard editorial content.
- Display Advertising:
- We can include display ads from third-party networks such as Google AdSense. Such ads are generally marked as “Ads by Google” or similar and are not under our direct control. We can earn money when users click on or view these ads.
How Affiliate Links Work
When you click on an affiliate link on TheTop5Games.com:
- A cookie is stored in your browser to record any future purchases or activity on the affiliated website.
- If you make a purchase or take a specific action within a certain time period (defined by the affiliate program), we will receive a commission.
- This act does not cost you any extra for the product or service. Any commission paid is taken straight from the merchant as compensation for sending customers.
Why We Use Affiliate Links
Maintaining a website costs a lot of things, such as hosting, content production, and upkeep. Affiliate marketing is an opportunity for us to:
- Monetize Our Content: By making commissions off referrals, we can support the continued maintenance and enhancement of TheTop5Games.com.
- Keep Content Free: Affiliate income lets us give our content to readers for free, without needing to charge them for subscriptions or set up a paywall.
- Enhance User Experience: With collaborations, we occasionally offer special promotions, discounts, or early purchase opportunities for our readers.
Our Affiliate Partners
Although our affiliate partnerships evolve, some of our current partnerships include:
- Amazon Associates: We are an Amazon Associate, and we earn from qualifying purchases. This implies that if you buy a game, accessory, or any item through a link from an Amazon link on our website, we could earn a commission. Amazon demands conspicuous disclosure of this arrangement, and we follow their terms to comply. authorityhacker.com
- Commission Junction (CJ) Affiliate: We affiliate with different gaming-related businesses via the CJ Affiliate network, advertising products or services pertinent to our visitors.
- ShareASale: Through this network, we are linked with merchants providing gaming merchandise, software, and other gaming-related products. We earn commissions when readers buy via our links.
User Responsibility
Though we attempt to present correct and current information, it is crucial for users to:
- Conduct Personal Research: Prior to any purchase from our recommendations, look to your own personal needs, likes, and situations.
- Be Aware of Affiliate Relationships: Understand that our affiliations could affect product or service choices made available, although we strive to provide unprejudiced information.
- Understand Tracking Mechanisms: Be aware that following affiliate links could lead to cookies being stored in your browser, tracking activities for purposes of commission.
Privacy and Data Collection
Our affiliate link use does not include the gathering of personal information about our readers. But:
- Third-Party Tracking: Affiliate schemes can employ cookies or other tracking technologies to keep track of their link performance. These third parties have their own privacy policies to manage the information they gather.
- Our Privacy Policy: For specific information on managing user data, see our Privacy Policy, which is available on our website.
Compliance with FTC Guidelines
The FTC mandates that affiliates reveal their associations with merchants in order to protect consumers and encourage transparency. To comply:
- Proximity: We position affiliate disclosures near the associated content, like at the top of articles that include affiliate links, so readers know before clicking on the links.
- Clarity: Our disclosures are clear and simple, free of legal language, so every reader can know the nature of our affiliations.
- Prominence: Disclosures are presented in a font size and type that is the same as the rest of the content, making them readable and visible.
Examples of Our Affiliate Disclosures
To illustrate how we make affiliate relationships clear, here are some examples:
- Within Articles: On the start of a game review with affiliate links, we provide a line such as: “Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. Purchases made through these links can result in us receiving a commission at no extra cost to you.”
- Sidebar or Footer Notices: A blanket notice in the footer of the site that reads: “TheTop5Games.com is a participant in affiliate programs and may earn commissions on purchases made through links on this website.”
- Social Media Posts: Where space is an issue, e.g., Twitter or Instagram, we use the hashtags #ad or #affiliate to denote sponsored posts, following FTC guidelines. authorityhacker.com
Updates to This Disclosure
We reserve the right to revise this Affiliate Disclosure at any time to keep our practices up-to-date or for other operational, legal, or regulatory purposes.
