Some of our clients are concerned that they are not in compliance with the new FTC “marketing disclosure” regulations.

If your website or blog features testimonial ads or endorsements, you should be aware it is now necessary to disclose all “material connections” (payments or free products) between advertisers and endorsers.

These are often connections that consumers would not expect.  For instance, the post of a blogger who receives cash or payment to review a product is considered an endorsement.  Following the new FTC guidelines, bloggers who receive endorsements must disclose the connections they share with the seller of the product or service.

So consider putting a disclaimer on your blog or website.

The FTC guide suggests:

“Results not typical” or the stronger “These testimonials are based on the experiences of a few people and you are not likely to have similar results.”

It’s good to stay informed.  A PDF of the Endorsement Guide document can be viewed or downloaded here.  It offers multiple case studies and many examples.

Or simply read a brief overview here.

Click Newz has recently published a helpful article “FTC Compliant Endorsements & Testimonials” that you may wish to read for further information.