Blogs used to be a place to go for an honest, unbridled opinion ? be it on a product, current event or campaign. Now, whenever I see a cool product on a blog or read a review, I find myself second-guessing the source. Each post begs the question: would I even be reading about this product, business or event if money hadn?t exchanged hands?
? Stephanie Fusco, Let?s talk about disclosure, baby
When I first started blogging in 2006, we were all learning to navigate this new world together. Social media culture was in its infancy. There were few rules and we were a long way from any talk about government regulation. Best practices started evolving and were ever changing. Words like transparency, trust, authenticity, credibility and disclosure were mentioned often. Many of us ?early adopters? felt adhering to those principles helped us maintain our integrity and build our reputations online. Things aren?t any different today, if you want to build your online reputation or increase your ?social capital?, you?ll need to earn and maintain the trust of your readers and of your community.
?What Price Integrity?
That?s the name of the panel Gini Dietrich, Danny Brown and I were on at PodCamp Toronto2011, and referenced in Stephanie Fusco?s blog post quoted above. Our focus was on the importance of disclosure and transparency for both bloggers and brands. It was shortly after the United States? Federal Trade Commission (FTC) updated their Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
As part of those guidelines, the FTC mandated brands and the agencies representing them, with ensuring the bloggers they work with disclose their material relationships with brands to their readers. In Canada, although we?re legally responsible for what we share about products and services, we don?t have similar guidelines that address social media or blogs specifically. However, that doesn?t mean we?re exempt, especially not if we?re working with marketers in the U.S. Similar regulation may come to Canada and when it does, regulators will play close attention to our neighbours south of the border.
Disclosure is not limited to blogs
Disclosure isn?t limited to blogs, it extends to paid engagements, product or recipe sampling, event attendance and anything else directly from or on behalf of the brand that has the potential to influence content published on blogs and other social media. The Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) has clear guidelines pertaining to disclosure in social media. WOMMA outlines the responsibilities of both ?Marketers? and ?Advocates?. ?Advocate? refers to a blogger or anyone else sharing content in social media as a result of their relationship with a brand.
With so many product ambassadors, perks and sponsored blog posts, it?s becoming more difficult for readers to distinguish a blogger?s organic content from a sponsored post. Whether true or not, there?s an underlying feeling that bloggers who are compensated may not be objective in their writing. Smart bloggers know either way, the value they bring both to brands and their readers is when they?re sharing honest accounts about their personal experiences.
Sponsored posts can and should be honest and objective in order to build trust, even if they?re not always favourable to the brand. Think about it for a minute. When you search for product reviews, are you more likely to purchase something that only has favourable reviews? Generally, people have more confidence in product reviews that appear balanced, clearly identifying pros and cons.
Disclosing your affiliation with a brand is simple. First, add a disclosure statement on your blog that outlines how you work with brands, particularly if you have a review site.
Disclosure guidelines
Here are some examples from WOMMA?s Social Media Disclosure Guide* you can adapt for personal use:
Personal and Editorial Blogs
- I received product/sample/information from company name, or
- Company name sent me product/sample/information
Product Review Blogs
- I received product/sample/information from company name to review, or
- I was paid by company name to review
Providing Comments in Online Discussions and/or Reviews
- I received product/sample/information from company name, or
- I was paid by company name, or I am an employee [or representative] of company name
Microblogs
Include a notation that reasonably discloses any material connection, such as:
- A short phrase indicating that a specific type of ?material connection? exists
- URLs indicating that a specific type of material connection exists and directing people to a ?Disclosure and Relationships Statement.?
- Any of the following hashtags:
Status Updates on Social Networks
- I received product/sample/information from company name, or
- I was paid by company name
*Posted with permission from WOMMA
The best way to ensure your reputation remains intact is to write honestly, objectively and clearly disclose any relationship(s) you have that may influence your writing. Nothing is more valuable that the trust you build with your readers and once you?ve lost that you?ve got nothing. It?s near impossible to gain it back.
What about you ? do you feel you gain more credibility and trust with you readers when you disclose relationships you have with brands? Why or why not?
Eden Spodek is a digital communications strategist with a unique perspective on emerging media. Client-side, agency-side and high profile blogger and community builder, she?s seen the digital world from all sides. She?s happiest helping colleagues and clients to be a little disruptive, challenging the status quo and how people think about brands. Eden is also outspoken about the importance of building online engagement and targeted relationships, one influencer at a time. Eden is based in Toronto and can be found on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram where she loves sharing photos of her adventures in food.
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