FTC guidelines for influencers and content creators

[shaownhasan]

Running influencer marketing campaigns that are engaging and FTC-compliant is a tricky balance. You want your influencer partnerships to feel natural and engaging. But at the same time, brands and influencers must be upfront about partnerships to avoid hefty penalties. Plus, keeping up with new marketing trends and shifting guidelines across different platforms only adds to the challenge.

In this article, we’ll break down the FTC influencer guidelines, why they matter and the branded content policies for each major social media network. We’ll also share tips on how to fit these guidelines smoothly into your strategy so your content stays compliant, authentic and on-brand.

Please note: The information provided in this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute formal legal advice. Please review our full disclaimer before reading any further.

In August 2023, the Federal Trade Commission introduced updated guidelines dentist data for online reviews and social media endorsements. These guidelines apply whenever an influencer or content creator has a “material connection” with a brand, defined as a financial, personal, family or employment relationship.

In other words, if a content creator is paid to talk about a product, receives a free item or gets a discount, they must make it clear in their posts. These guidelines ensure endorsements are honest and transparent, so it’s obvious when an influencer has a brand connection.

If an influencer wants to share about something they bought and liked, they can do so if there is no relationship with the brand. But whenever there is a material connection, these rules apply, and it’s both the brand and influencers’ responsibility to make sure their followers know.