The FTC is cracking down on influencers! Playing by the rules is not just about avoiding trouble, it's good for your brand and your partnerships. Let's make sure you're transparent and in compliance to avoid fines, lawsuits, or removal from brands.
Ensuring FTC Compliance for social content when leveraging Mavely Links and other performance links
In the dynamic realm of influencer and brand collaborations across online platforms, staying aligned with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Endorsement Guidelines is paramount. These guidelines serve to ensure transparency, honesty, and integrity in endorsements, safeguarding consumers. Whether you're crafting content for Mavely's affiliate program or engaging in sponsored campaigns, adhering to FTC compliance practices is crucial. Let's delve into the dos, don'ts, and recommended practices to uphold FTC compliance while creating captivating content for Mavely.
Crucial Do's & Don'ts
DO:
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Transparency First: Clearly communicate any financial or familial ties with brands and when you're benefiting from these relationships.
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Use Relevant Hashtags: Employ hashtags such as #Ad, #Advertisement, #Sponsored, or #Paid to signal sponsored content first within your posts. Hashtags are required.
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Visible Disclosures: Ensure your commission and ad disclosures stand out, being unmistakably visible without requiring users to expand the content by clicking "see more".
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Image-Centric Platforms: On platforms like Instagram Stories, overlay disclosures directly onto images for unmissable visibility.
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Commission Awareness: Inform your audience that you might earn commissions through their purchases using your Mavely links, at no cost to them.
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Genuine Opinions: Express your authentic thoughts about products or brands, reflecting a typical consumer experience instead of a misleading or inaccurate caption.
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Consistency Matters: Adhere to these practices consistently across ALL platforms and posts to maintain credibility and compliance.
DON'T:
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Assume Understanding: Avoid assuming that your followers are aware of your affiliations with brands; pretend everyone is new to your platform.
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Depend on Platform Notices: Relying solely on platform-generated disclosures, like 'Paid Partnership' or Mavely's partnership notices, might not suffice.
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Ambiguous Hashtags: Steer clear of vague hashtags like #thanks, #spon, #sp, #collab, or #ambassador.
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Hidden Disclosures: Refrain from using disclosures that users will only spot after clicking "more." These must be visible immediately with the post copy.
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False Representations: Avoid misleading your audience by falsely claiming use of a product or service, such as "Run, I bought 10! This is life changing!".
FTC Compliance Across Social Channels
Instagram and Facebook: Using the tagging tool is a starting point, but incorporating #ad or #sponsored in the caption before the "more" cutoff is essential.
Instagram Stories, Reels, and Swipe-ups: Explicitly state endorsements at the top of your visual content.
TikTok: Incorporate #Ad in your caption and overlay a disclosure pop-up within the initial 15 seconds of your video.
YouTube: Clearly verbalize and display sponsorship details at the video's outset. Include text overlays for disclosure and articulate the partnership in the video description.
Pinterest: Utilize hashtags like #Sponsored, #Promotion, #Ad, or #Commissionlink in your content or tags. Overlay disclosure pop-ups on videos within the first 15 seconds, and consider textual explanations such as "I earn commissions through links in this post."
Blog: Begin sponsored posts with a conspicuous disclosure, such as "This post is sponsored by X." prior to any mention of the product.
Discord/Telegram/Whatsapp: Your commission and ad disclosures must be shared with every link posted.
Mavely Compliance Guidelines
When sharing Mavely links on your social media or blog, explicitly reveal if they are affiliate links or sponsored content. Familiarize yourself with Mavely's compliance guidelines to ensure a seamless adherence to FTC regulations .
Upholding compliance not only safeguards your reputation as a creator but also bolsters your business and partnerships.
Implications of Non-Compliance
Mavely strongly encourages creators to review the FTC guidelines. While the title is misleading, it is not a guideline and these are laws. The FTC can take action against influencers and issue warnings, fine, or sue creators who disregard the guidelines.
If your account is found to be non compliant, Mavely reserves the right to remove your account from a brand or the platform altogether without warning as stated in the Terms and Conditions.
Brands emphasize compliance when collaborating with creators, and may reverse your sales if your post does not align with their individual terms.
Additional Resources
For comprehensive insights, explore the FTC's updated posts addressing endorsement disclosure rules. Discover sections dedicated to influencers, affiliates, and social media practices for a comprehensive understanding of compliance measures.
You can find FTC guidelines at https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/ .
Disclaimer
This article is designed for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. If you have concerns about your disclosure practices, seek guidance from legal professionals. Upholding transparency, honesty, and FTC compliance in your content creation for Mavely is instrumental in fostering authentic and trustworthy relationships within the influencer and brand community.