Helping Ordinary People Make Money Online

Last week, the Federal Trade Commission issued its revised guidelines concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising. It advised deceptive bloggers who make money from endorsements to clearly disclose their relationships with advertisers.

The New FTC Guidelines For Bloggers is to protect consumers from false and misleading advertising.  In order to do so, it proposes searching blogs for misleading information and failure to publicize potential conflicts of interest.

Specifically, page 75 reads:

When there exists a connection between the endorser and the seller of the advertised product that might materially affect the weight or credibility of the endorsement (i.e., the connection is not reasonably expected by the audience), such connection must be fully disclosed.

New Internet guidelines have been a long time coming and is the commission’s first since 1980.  The New FTC Guidelines For Bloggers goes into effect on December 1, 2009.  Unfortunately, it raises many questions for Publishers and Advertisers alike on how digital communication will be regulated and the future of digital marketing itself.  However;

There are no exact guidelines on how disclosures must be made. There are no clear-cut penalties for violating the guidelines. Investigations may result after complaints have been made.

For some, it may take a lawyer to figure out what the lawyers are saying about the lawyer’s new guidelines.  And some scammers will continue to make false and misleading claims.  And there will always be those who waste their money buying into outrageous claims.

But for some, deceptive testimonials need policing.

The New FTC Guidelines For Bloggers will ensure rogue bloggers can no longer rewrite the Web’s community standards in their own favor.  For everyone else, simply abiding by the basic Internet standards should keep any blogger from running afoul.  It doesn’t matter what one may receive, just disclose it.

Blogger’s disclosures should be something visibly shown in the footers, along with or included in the disclaimer, terms and conditions, and the privacy policy.  People are smart and know how to find disclosures and most can sort fact from fiction.  Consumers can distinguish between news copy and faux copy.

On the other hand, just because a material relationship exists between a publisher and an advertiser does not automatically mean the resulting review, article or ad is dishonest.

However, if bloggers respect their audience at all, they will disclose as much as is in their best interest. If their readers respect and trust them–they have nothing to worry about.  They will post their disclosure statements and further educate their visitors, enhancing their credibility as a reliable source of information.

To generate a disclosure policy, go to http://disclosurepolicy.org/

So now the rules will… or should… include disclosure.

Hey…isn’t that why I started this blog anyway…to separate fact from fiction….?  Disclosure will help.  It has always helped.

Advertisers have no choice but to send out their products to relevant bloggers, especially as there are fewer traditional news outlets today.  And good Internet Marketers will continue to write good content, attract targeted traffic, presell their visitors and increase their sales.

Feel free to contact me or comment about the New FTC Guidelines For Bloggers.  And beleive this disclosure, “I do blog to earn money”.

Feel free to contact me or comment on this post.

Jerry

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