On November 5, the Federal Trade Commission released guidelines outlining how social media influencers are required to disclose their relationships with advertisers. The Federal Trade Commission works to educate and protect consumers from deceptive advertising. Disclosures are paramount for an influencers’ followers to understand that free/discounted product or compensation has been made in exchange for content.
The guide issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), ““Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers,” details when a sponsorship disclosure is needed and provides examples of disclosures that meet the new guidelines as well as those that don’t.
“In the absence of an established set of disclosure guidelines, Find Your Influence has always required influencers on our platform to disclose their brand partnership in a meaningful way,” said Jamie Reardon, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Find Your Influence. “Being honest and transparent about sponsored posts is not only the right thing to do, it also enhances an influencer’s authenticity.”
Because influence comes from how others experience you, the FTC provides a series of options for influencers to consider when disclosing endorsed content.
The impact of influencer marketing continues to grow year over year. In 2020, the online advertising market on Instagram is expected to reach more than $2.5 billion. With so many influencer partnerships, the most successful influencer marketing campaigns will fall in line with the latest FTC disclosure guidelines.