How we're paid, and what that doesn't change
This page sets out where affiliate links appear across the site, how any paid or editorially selected listings in our directory are marked, and what independence means in practice here. Knowing where the money comes from helps you weigh our guides and tools for what they are.
Try the A/B Test Significance Calculator Work out your budget with the Ad Budget CalculatorHow this site is funded and what that means for you
Advertise.co.uk is a guide. The site explains how UK advertising works, from setting a budget to understanding CPM (cost per thousand impressions) and CPC (cost per click), and how the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) applies its rules. It does not plan or buy media on anyone's behalf, and nothing on the site should be read as an offer to arrange advertising for a business.
How affiliate and referral links work
Some pages link to advertising platforms, such as Google Ads or Meta Ads, and some of those links are affiliate or referral links. Where that is the case, a click may earn a small commission if it leads to a sign-up, in line with ASA and Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) guidance on affiliate marketing. That arrangement does not change what is written about a platform's pricing, features or suitability, because the advice is written to answer the reader's question first.
The channels directory
The UK advertising channels directory lists agencies and platforms across formats including paid social, programmatic and out-of-home (OOH) advertising. Some listings are paid placements, some are chosen editorially, and some are both. A listing describes what a business offers; it is not a recommendation, and its presence in the directory should not be read as independent endorsement.
Where the figures come from
Benchmarks and rules cited across the site, on CPM ranges, click-through rate (CTR) norms or CAP Code requirements, are attributed to named sources such as IAB UK, Ofcom, the ASA or figures published directly by the platforms. Advertising costs and rules change, so a figure quoted in one year can be out of date by the next. Readers checking a specific ASA rule before running a campaign should confirm the current wording at asa.org.uk.
Tools give estimates.
The calculators and comparators on the site, including the ad budget calculator and the CPM & CPC benchmark comparator, work from the figures a reader enters and general market benchmarks. They can produce a wrong or misleading result if the inputs are unusual, so treat the output as a starting point for a conversation with a platform or agency.
What to do if something looks wrong
The site aims to separate editorial explanation from anything commercial, and to say plainly when a rule needs checking against the source. If a page reads as promotional where it should be neutral, or a fact looks out of date, the contact page is the way to flag it.