Andy's Answers: How (and why) to make a habit of disclosure in social media - SmartBrief

All Articles Marketing Brands & Campaigns Andy's Answers: How (and why) to make a habit of disclosure in social media

Andy’s Answers: How (and why) to make a habit of disclosure in social media

2 min read

By Andy Sernovitz 05/26/16

Brands & Campaigns

Since the FTC updated their social media guidelines last year, a lot of social marketers have a lot of questions about staying legal. The bottom line: It all comes down to proper disclosure.

In his presentation at SocialMedia.org‘s BlogWell conference, Andy Sernovitz explains why paying for social media coverage makes a sticky situation that requires the right kind of disclosure. But he also shares why doing disclosure right is easy.

Here are three ways you can make a habit of staying ethical in social media:

  • Use these 10 magic words: “I work for (company) and this is my personal opinion.” When you’re open and honest about who you are, it not only keeps you out of legal trouble, but can also help your credibility.
  • Make it clear and conspicuous: The FTC doesn’t give social media marketers a script to follow. Instead, they require marketers to just be upfront about disclosure in a way that’s easy to understand and easy to see.
  • Remember these three rules from the FTC:
  1. Require disclosure and truthfulness in social media
  2. Monitor the conversation and correct misstatements
  3. Create social media policies

Watch Andy Sernovitz’s full presentation in the video below to learn more.

Download his slide deck on social media disclosure and ethics for big brands.

Want to see more social media case studies like these? If you’re a social media leader at a big brand, we’d love to have you at our next Member Meeting in Chicago, July 15.