How do you Disclose for Social Media Influencers?
Make sure people will see and understand the disclosure.
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Place it so it’s hard to miss.
The disclosure should be placed with the endorsement message itself.
Disclosures are likely to be missed if they appear only on an ABOUT ME or profile page, at the end of posts or videos, or anywhere that requires a person to click MORE.
Don’t mix your disclosure into a group of hashtags or links.
If your endorsement is in a picture on a platform like Snapchat and Instagram Stories, superimpose the disclosure over the picture and make sure viewers have enough time to notice and read it.
If making an endorsement in a video, the disclosure should be in the video and not just in the description uploaded with the video. Viewers are more likely to notice disclosures made in both audio and video. Some viewers may watch without sound and others may not notice superimposed words.
If making an endorsement in a live stream, the disclosure should be repeated periodically so viewers who only see part of the stream will get the disclosure.
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Use simple and clear language.
Simple explanations like “Thanks to Acme brand for the free product” are often enough if placed in a way that is hard to miss.
So are terms like “advertisement,” “ad,” and “sponsored.”
On a space-limited platform like Twitter, the terms “AcmePartner” or “Acme Ambassador” (where Acme is the brand name) are also options.
It’s fine (but not necessary) to include a hashtag with the disclosure, such as #ad or #sponsored.
Don’t use vague or confusing terms like “sp,” “spon,” or “collab,” or stand-alone terms like “thanks” or “ambassador,” and stay away from other abbreviations and shorthand when possible.
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The disclosure should be in the same language as the endorsement itself.
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Don’t assume that a platform’s disclosure tool is good enough, but consider using it in addition to your own, good disclosure.
For more information, see here: https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers
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