Plain-language summary — the short version
- Some links on this blog are affiliate links. If you click one and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission.
- This costs you nothing extra — the price you pay is identical whether or not you use my link.
- I only recommend books, tools, and resources I personally use or have read and vetted.
- Affiliate commissions never influence what I write, recommend, or choose not to recommend.
- All affiliate links are disclosed clearly on every page where they appear.
What is an affiliate relationship?
An affiliate relationship exists when a website earns a commission for directing readers to a product or service, and a purchase is subsequently made. The commission is paid by the retailer or vendor — not by you, the reader. The price you see and pay is exactly the same as if you had navigated to that website directly.
Affiliate programs are one of the most common ways that independent blogs and content creators generate revenue to sustain their work. Building the Mind participates in several affiliate programs, all of which are disclosed in full on this page and on any page or article where affiliate links appear.
Affiliate programs we participate in
Building the Mind currently participates in the following affiliate programs:
If Building the Mind enters into any new affiliate relationship in the future, this page will be updated promptly to reflect that relationship. This page is reviewed and updated regularly.
Our editorial principles — what affiliate links never change
Transparency about how this blog earns revenue is important. Equally important is being clear about what that revenue relationship does and does not affect.
- ✅ Recommendations come before affiliate relationshipsI do not seek out affiliate programs for books or tools I am not already prepared to recommend. The recommendation comes first. The affiliate relationship, if it exists, comes second. The order never reverses.
- 🚫 I do not recommend things I have not personally used or thoroughly evaluatedEvery book linked on this site is one I have read. Every tool linked is one I have used. If I have not personally vetted something, I do not link to it — regardless of whether an affiliate relationship exists.
- ⚖️ Commission size does not influence recommendationsI do not rank, feature, or recommend products based on the commission they pay. A book that earns a higher affiliate commission is not more likely to appear here than one that earns less — or none at all.
- 🔍 Negative opinions are expressed freelyIf I find a book unconvincing, a tool overrated, or a resource not worth the money, I say so — regardless of whether an affiliate relationship exists with that product. The obligation is to honest assessment, not to revenue.
- 💬 Affiliate status is disclosed at every point of contactWherever an affiliate link appears on this site — in an article, a book summary, or a resource list — there is a disclosure notice on that page. This page exists as the permanent central reference for all affiliate relationships.
FTC disclosure compliance
⚖️ Regulatory Basis
The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires that bloggers, influencers, and content creators disclose any material connection to products or services they recommend — including financial relationships such as affiliate commissions.
This Affiliate Disclaimer, combined with the disclosure notices included in individual articles, constitutes Building the Mind’s compliance with the FTC’s Guides Concerning Endorsements and Testimonials (16 C.F.R. Part 255) and the FTC’s updated guidance for online content creators.
For full details on FTC disclosure guidelines, see: ftc.gov
Beyond regulatory compliance, these disclosures reflect a personal commitment to operating this blog with complete transparency. Readers deserve to know the financial context of any recommendation they encounter here. That knowledge allows them to assess the recommendation with full information — which is the only kind of assessment worth making.
How to identify affiliate links on this site
How affiliate links are marked
- Articles containing affiliate links include a disclosure notice near the top of the page, clearly stating that the article contains affiliate links.
- Resource pages and book lists that contain affiliate links carry a clear disclosure at the top of the page.
- Affiliate links may appear as direct product links, book title links, or “buy on Amazon” style buttons.
- Clicking an affiliate link does not obligate you to purchase anything. You can browse freely and leave without cost or consequence.
- If you are ever unsure whether a link is an affiliate link, you may contact me directly and I will confirm within 48 hours.
What happens when you use an affiliate link
When you click an affiliate link on Building the Mind, your browser is redirected to the retailer’s website (for example, Amazon.com). A small data file called a cookie is stored in your browser. This cookie identifies that you arrived at the retailer’s website through a link on Building the Mind.
If you make a qualifying purchase during the cookie window — which varies by program but is typically 24 hours for Amazon Associates — Building the Mind receives a commission from the retailer. This commission is a percentage of the purchase price and is paid entirely by the retailer.
There is no additional cost to you in any scenario. The price you pay at checkout is identical whether or not you used an affiliate link to arrive at that page. You are not charged extra. No portion of your purchase price goes to this site — the commission comes entirely from the retailer’s margin.
Frequently asked questions
Does using an affiliate link cost me anything?
No. The price you pay is exactly the same whether you arrive at a retailer through an affiliate link or directly. The commission is paid by the retailer, not added to your purchase price.
Does having an affiliate relationship mean you only recommend products that pay you?
No. Many books and resources recommended on this site have no affiliate program, or the author is not enrolled in one. Recommendations are based on personal use and genuine assessment — not on whether an affiliate relationship exists.
Do affiliate commissions influence the content or opinions on this blog?
No. Content decisions — what to write about, what to recommend, what to critique — are made entirely independently of affiliate considerations. A product with a high affiliate commission is no more likely to receive a positive review than one with no affiliate program at all.
What if I don’t want to use affiliate links?
That is completely your choice and it is respected without reservation. You can search for any book or product mentioned on this site directly through Google, Amazon, or your preferred retailer without using any link from this site. All product names and titles are clearly stated so you can find them independently.
How are affiliate earnings used?
Affiliate commissions contribute to the operating costs of this blog — hosting, tools, and the time required to research and write long-form content. This blog does not have external investors or institutional backing. Affiliate income and advertising are the mechanisms that allow it to operate independently.
Will this disclaimer be updated if new affiliate programs are added?
Yes. This page is the authoritative reference for all affiliate relationships on Building the Mind. Any new affiliate program entered into will be added to the program list on this page within 30 days of the relationship beginning. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page reflects when it was most recently reviewed or revised.
A note on advertising
In addition to affiliate links, Building the Mind displays advertising through Google AdSense and may display advertising from other networks in the future. These advertisements are served automatically based on the content of the page and your browsing history, and are not personally selected by the author.
Advertising revenue, like affiliate commission, contributes to the operating costs of this blog. The presence of advertising on a page does not influence the content of that page. Advertisers do not have editorial access, input, or approval over the content published here.
For more information on how Google uses data in serving advertising, see Google’s Advertising Privacy Policy. For information on how this site collects and uses your data more broadly, see our Privacy Policy.
Questions about this disclaimer? If you have any questions about the affiliate relationships described on this page, the way links are disclosed in specific articles, or anything else related to how this blog earns revenue, please reach out via the Contact page. All enquiries are read and responded to personally.