Advertiser Disclosure
_Last updated: May 20, 2026._
We are transparent about how this site makes money. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission requires it; we think readers deserve it anyway. There are exactly three ways a business or product can appear on this site:
1. Editorial coverage (free, our judgment)
Most listings, profiles, and round-ups are picked by our editors based on local relevance and quality. We do not accept payment to be included in editorial articles, and we do not let advertisers see drafts or influence the angle. If a business we cover later becomes a sponsor, we disclose it on the affected article and the relationship is independent of the editorial decision.
2. Paid sponsored content (clearly labeled)
Some articles are paid for by a sponsor. These are always clearly labeled:
homepage hero rotation, or on category-page lead positions.
- A "PAID PARTNER CONTENT" tag above the article title.
- A sentence at the top of the article naming the sponsor.
- Sponsored articles never appear in our "Best of" lists, in the
We retain editorial control of the writing and reserve the right to refuse, fact-check, or edit any sponsored piece.
3. Affiliate / referral links (commissions on some links)
Some outbound links are affiliate links — when you click through and buy or book, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. We use affiliate links only for products and services we'd recommend anyway. Affiliate relationships do not affect a business's chance of being covered in editorial.
What we do not do
sites.
arrangements — ever. If you've received such a solicitation in our name, please report it to editor@bestemeraldcoast.com.
- We do not sell or share your personal information with sponsors.
- We do not run paid programmatic display ads that track readers across
- We do not accept "pay to be removed" or "pay for a better review"
Compliance with the FTC
This disclosure exists to comply with the FTC Endorsement Guides (16 CFR Part 255). If you spot a sponsored article that's missing its label, or an affiliate link that isn't disclosed, email us at editor@bestemeraldcoast.com and we will correct it the same day.
Contact
editor@bestemeraldcoast.com