These are guidelines culled from a popular blog marketing company which needs its clients to maintain proper compliance with the FTC rules, so these should work for GeekDad:
SPONSORED POSTS AND PRODUCT REVIEWS
When writing sponsored posts and product reviews, you need to let your readers know immediately they are reading sponsored content. While the disclosure does not need to be the first sentence of your post, the disclosure must come before any sponsored links.
The following must be added:
1. Put the following at the end of the excerpt:
[sponsored]
2. Include the following code anywhere in the body of your post, but before you have a link out to the product:
This is a sponsored post.
This does not apply to cases where you received a review unit; only formal sponsored content. For review units, you just need to mention the fact that you received it in the text of your review.
If the sponsored post requires a longer, more descriptive disclosure, you can add this to the bottom of your post.
Be sure to disclose any affiliate links you have at the top of the post, as well.
SOCIAL MEDIA
When you send a tweet, post to Facebook, upload an image to Instagram, pin an image to Pinterest, or update any other social media channel that is promoting (amplifying) a sponsored post or sponsored content, you need to once again let your readers know they are reading sponsored content.
To let readers know the are reading sponsored content on a social media channel, simply add the word AD (or #ad) before any URL links. This disclosure must be in every social media amplification and it needs to be in a prominent place. This is true for any social media amplification for which you are being paid.
You must make sure the disclosure stands out, and must be placed before any links.
Here are examples of what tweets that are compliant with the new guidelines look like:
#ad Loved meeting my #GracoJogger buddies today and trying out our new strollers! Have u seen how pretty they are? http://bit.ly/UJOMAl
Come see how much my baby Jane LOVES her new #GracoJogger today on my blog. She’s smiling from ear to ear! #ad http://bit.ly/UJOMAl
As always, we encourage you to take some time to read through the FTC guidelines for yourself! You can check out a copy here: FTC Guidelines.
