Start with the viewer’s perspective: would someone understand your connection to the brand from the post itself, without checking your bio, searching the comments, or guessing what a platform badge means?
Identify the material connection
The FTC Endorsement Guides address relationships that viewers might not expect and that could affect how they weigh a recommendation. A fee is one example. A free or discounted product, affiliate commission, job relationship, or family connection may also matter, depending on the circumstances.
Before posting, write down what you received or what relationship you have with the brand. Then describe it in straightforward language. The useful question is not whether a particular word is magic; it is whether an ordinary viewer can readily understand the connection behind the endorsement.
Put the disclosure where people see the endorsement
Keep the disclosure with the sponsored recommendation, in a place a viewer is likely to notice before or while taking in the endorsement. A profile bio, a comment that can be separated from the post, or text that appears only after expanding a caption may be easy to miss.
Use plain wording that describes the actual relationship, such as “Ad” or “Brand X paid me to share this.” The FTC staff Q&A gives examples of labels that may work, but it does not establish one phrase that fits every post. Include the brand name when that context helps readers understand which recommendation is sponsored.
Match the disclosure to the content format
The regulation describes “clear and conspicuous” information as difficult to miss and easy to understand. It also connects the disclosure to how the endorsement is communicated: a visual endorsement calls for a visual disclosure, an audible one for an audible disclosure, and a communication using both may call for both.
- For a photo or story, check the text size, contrast, location, and time on screen.
- For a video, consider what viewers hear and what they can read on screen, including people watching without sound.
- For a live stream or a sequence of posts, consider whether viewers who arrive later or see only one piece can still notice the relationship.
These are practical questions, not a promise that one placement works for every audience or platform. Review the post as it will actually appear on a phone and in the feed where people encounter it.
Treat built-in platform labels as one tool
A paid-partnership label can help communicate a relationship, but the FTC’s staff Q&A says that using a platform feature does not guarantee the disclosure is effective. Placement, readability, clarity, and the way people view the post all matter. The platform does not take over the creator’s and brand’s responsibility for a clear disclosure.
Check how the label appears on the current version of the platform, then decide whether the post itself needs additional plain-language context. FTC staff guidance is not a safe harbor, and the outcome for a specific endorsement depends on its facts and audience.
A short pre-publish review
- What did I receive, earn, or have through this relationship?
- Can someone understand that connection from the post itself?
- Is the disclosure visible or audible in the same format as the endorsement?
- Does it remain clear on a phone, without extra taps or sound?
- Does the platform label help, and is the post still clear without guessing?
Official sources and a deeper reference
- eCFR, 16 CFR Part 255 Endorsement Guides, including the definition of clear and conspicuous.
- FTC Endorsement Guides Q&A FTC staff explanations about context, disclosures, and platform tools.
- FTC Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers
For more examples and a fuller creator reference, see the FTC disclosure reference.