Short version: Some links on Live Tech Updates earn us a small commission when you click and buy. This never costs you anything extra, and it never changes what we recommend. We only suggest products and services we genuinely believe are useful. Full details below.
Live Tech Updates is an independent digital publication. To keep our website running and to support our editorial team’s work, we participate in affiliate marketing programmes. This page explains precisely how these relationships work — and the strict separation we maintain between commercial interests and editorial independence.
1. What Is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing is a performance-based arrangement where a publisher earns a commission when a reader clicks a specially tracked link to a product or service and completes a purchase. The price you pay is exactly the same whether you click our affiliate link or navigate directly to the provider’s website. The commission is a referral fee paid by the merchant — not a surcharge added to your purchase.
2. Our Commitment to Editorial Independence
This is the most important section of this page. Our editorial decisions are never driven by commission rates.
Here is how we protect the integrity of our content:
- We evaluate and recommend products and services based on their actual quality, reliability, value, and relevance to our readers
- We do not accept payment to include products in ‘best of’ lists — placements are editorial decisions, not commercial ones
- We include affiliate links only for products we would recommend even without a commission
- We publish honest comparisons where non-affiliate alternatives are recommended when they are genuinely superior
- Negative assessments and critical reviews are published regardless of affiliate relationships
- Our editorial team operates independently of our commercial partnerships
- Commission rates for specific products are not shared with our writers during the review process
Our long-term credibility with readers is worth more than any short-term affiliate commission. We will not compromise the trust you place in our financial and technology content.
3. Affiliate Programmes We Participate In
Financial Technology and Insurance
- Selected insurance comparison platforms — for insurance guide content
- Fintech platform referral programmes — for digital banking and payments content
- Investment platform affiliates — for fintech and savings app recommendations
Technology and Software
- Amazon Associates — hardware, accessories, and consumer technology products
- Hostinger Affiliate Programme — web hosting and domain registration
- Bluehost Affiliate Programme — web hosting for bloggers and small businesses
- NordVPN and Surfshark — VPN and cybersecurity tools
- Semrush Affiliate Programme — SEO and digital marketing tools
- Jasper AI / Copy.ai — AI writing and productivity tools
- Canva Pro Affiliate Programme — design tools for creators and marketers
Online Learning
- Udemy, Coursera, Skillshare — online courses and professional certifications
Affiliate Networks
- ShareASale, Impact, Commission Junction (CJ) — various technology, SaaS, and financial brands
4. How to Identify Affiliate Links
We make affiliate disclosures visible and accessible:
- Articles containing affiliate links display a disclosure notice near the top of the article
- All ‘best of’ guides and comparison articles that include affiliate links carry a prominent disclosure
- This Affiliate Disclosure page is linked from the footer on every page of livetechupdates.com
- Newsletter content containing affiliate recommendations includes an inline disclosure
5. Regulatory Compliance
This disclosure complies with the US Federal Trade Commission guidelines on endorsements and testimonials (16 CFR Part 255) and the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) Code on endorsements. While Live Tech Updates is based in India, we serve a global audience and take disclosure obligations seriously across all jurisdictions.
6. Sponsored Content vs Affiliate Content
These are two different commercial arrangements and we want the distinction to be clear:
- Affiliate content — editorial content written by our team that may contain tracked affiliate links. We control all editorial decisions. The brand does not pay us to include the link — we earn only if readers click and purchase.
- Sponsored content — content for which we have received direct payment from a brand to publish. Sponsored articles are always clearly marked ‘Sponsored’ at the top and within the article. The sponsor is identified.
Both types of commercial content are held to our accuracy, balance, and quality standards.
7. No Additional Cost to You
Using our affiliate links costs you nothing extra. You pay exactly the same price whether you use our link or go directly to the provider’s website. In some cases, our affiliate partnerships enable us to negotiate exclusive discounts for our readers — we highlight these clearly when they exist.
8. Financial Content and Affiliate Links
Given that Live Tech Updates covers financial technology, insurance, and investment-related topics, we want to be especially transparent: affiliate links in our financial content are always disclosed, and any financial product recommendation includes our standard disclaimer that the content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
9. Questions
Questions about our affiliate relationships or whether a specific recommendation is affiliate-linked? Contact us at contact@livetechupdates.com. We will always answer honestly and directly.