Well isn’t that just the million dollar question? If you haven’t already heard, FTC released new guidelines this week that has significant changes and impact regarding endorsements and testimonials. Considering bloggers regularly get free products in exchange for a review or get paid to write/review a product, this is a show stopper. I’m still unclear about some areas and looking around, seems like I’m not the only one.

What I do know for sure is…

If you receive payment in form of product or cash to blog about someone/something then disclosure is much recommended or face a potential fine.

What is not so clear is, how does this affect affiliates?

What if I purchased the product (which I most often do), review it and use my affiliate links? The product was certainly not free for me but it could be if someone purchases it on my recommendation and I earn the money back. Do we disclose on the eventuality of getting paid?

I am all for transparency and making things better.

Good thing for me, I don’t do flat out paid reviews – at all. So there’s a big relief, no need to go back to change the texts but still… how does it affect my affiliate pages which is in a good percentage of my content? For now, I’m just going to go by the if it was outright free for me then I’ll disclose. Otherwise, a new disclosure clause is going up on the content. I have no idea if that will satisfy big brother but he has to be clearer. Some people say “just play by the rules and you’ll be safe” but it’s kinda hard to “play by the rules” when you don’t exactly know all the rules.

Like you, still learning and reading. Things could change in a week.

Here are more good places to read up and the differing opinions wagered.

• If you’re into reading pages and pages of government documentation, you could review the guidelines here and here.
• A mommy blogger’s perspective
• From WOMMA
• From WebProNews
• On AdAge
• eWeek
• From an affiliate perspective
• And finally, the best and most entertaining explanation in my opinion, from Frank Kern.

Oh and no, I did not get paid to link to anybody 🙂

Image courtesy of Orin Zebest