As the influencer marketing industry grows and more brands discover the benefits of working with influencers, it is important that both brands and influencers are declaring their paid content in line with ASA guidelines. For the majority of influencers, this is very much an industry that they’ve had to learn about as they go along, so things like declaring and disclosing paid content remain a very hazy subject. Luckily, here at TBP we’re offering you our two minute guide to disclosing your content and the right way to go about doing it!
#AD or #SPON?
There are a lot of conversations between influencers around these two tags, which one is the right one to use and do you even have to use these hashtags? For the majority of paid campaigns, you would be required to use #AD on your posts. This is used when a brand is compensating you - whether that’s a fee, gift card or any product of value, in return for content where the brand has had input such as providing a brief, key messages or guidelines to create your content. The only time you would use #SPON is if a brand has gifted you with product more on a PR basis, but you have not been asked to produce content or been guided by the brand in any way to post. In regards to if you need to use the hashtag, the answer is always yes. ASA use the hashtag to search for paid content, so if your content isn’t showing up on their radar, then you haven’t declared it properly.
How To Declare Your Content
There are so many platforms that brands can utilise with influencers now, that knowing how to declare each one can be daunting. Next time you’re taking part in a paid campaign and you’re not sure, just check out our guide below:
Blog
You must disclose at the top of your blog post: ‘This is a paid advertorial with XXX’ and include ‘AD’ in the title of your post.
YouTube
For dedicated videos, the title of your video must include ‘AD’. If it is a featured video, you must include ‘AD’ throughout the frames that include paid content.
Instagram Post
You must include #AD so that it is visible in your caption and not mixed in with other hashtags. If you have the paid partnership tool, you can also use this to declare your post so long as the brand you are working with have set this up too.
Instagram Stories
For each frame that is paid content, you must include #AD as well as the campaign hashtags and handles. Any other stories that you choose to do additionally do not have to be declared.
You must use #AD and place this so it can be clearly seen within the first tweet.
You must use #AD within the main body of your campaign text.
Snapchat
You must use ‘AD’ on each frame that is paid content.
Remember that these guidelines get updated regularly, so be on top of your game and keep yourself up to date with the ASA website for the correct way to declare your content!
If you would like to read more of our tips for both influencer and brands, head over to our blog section -
