Content and ads: Thoughts

[Melody]

Originally Posted by ChickenFreak

FTC regulations would require you to disclose this relationship. And, really, I would be unlikely to frequent a blog that takes money for its opinions, disclosed or not. There's just too much potential for conflict of interest.

I 100% agree with you and only want to add a random thought:

FTC regulations require that you disclose a lot! It's more than just money. If you get product for a blog post too you have to disclose it. I've been to Starbucks PR events where I've ended up with a free bag of coffee - That's enough that I have to disclose it on the blog if I am writing about that coffee or that event.

The FTC requires that companies even WARN bloggers that they must disclose these relationships. I went to a Starbucks coffee tasting and got a lonely free coffee mug and a bar of chocolate, and the Starbucks PR people gave me a sheet of paper with my mug (because they know me, and know my blog - others at the event who were normal customers didn't get that sheet of paper) and the paper said on it:

"If you plan to blog about today's tasting please remember that when you receive products or other promotional consideration from us, you need to disclose it to your readers. We suggest: "Starbucks has provided coffee or other promotional consideration" but you can be more specific if you like. Thank you!"

[ajwalsh]

Originally Posted by Melody

I 100% agree with you and only want to add a random thought:

"If you plan to blog about today's tasting please remember that when you receive products or other promotional consideration from us, you need to disclose it to your readers. We suggest: "Starbucks has provided coffee or other promotional consideration" but you can be more specific if you like. Thank you!"

I never knew exactly how strict the FTC regulations were, but that's definitely intense!

Is it required that you disclose all products received in the particular post, or can you ever get by with a site-wide disclosure page?

Do the rules distinguish types of promotional consideration received? Receiving a big cash sum or referring visitors to something important such as a hosting service is obviously a bigger deal than a coffee mug...

[ChickenFreak]

Originally Posted by ajwalsh

I never knew exactly how strict the FTC regulations were, but that's definitely intense!

Is it required that you disclose all products received in the particular post, or can you ever get by with a site-wide disclosure page?

Do the rules distinguish types of promotional consideration received? Receiving a big cash sum or referring visitors to something important such as a hosting service is obviously a bigger deal than a coffee mug...

I don't know what the specific rules are, but I know that some of the perfume blogs that I read disclose the source of _every single perfume_ that they review, perfume by perfume. Self-purchased bottle, free sample obtained as consumer, free sample obtained as blogger, etc.

The ones that think that it's overkill to report the source of everything, always report the items that were obtained through their role as a blogger. (I'm in this category, though I've never explicitly received anything as a blogger, and the only gray area was a retailer that gave me the same freebies/discounts that she was giving everyone, but I'd mentioned that I had a blog, so I Disclosed that just in case.) And when they get a free product larger than a sample size, they not only disclose the fact, they generally also give away the product after the review.

To me, this is essential. I have zero interest in reviews from people who profit from the company making the product under review. The occasional logo trinket or pretty sample, sure - for example, Melody's coffee mug and chocolate bar sound just fine - but IMO nothing of any significant value should be taken.