Creating A Website Disclosure Policy - Some Tips

The Federal Trade Commission regulations prevent people from making false, exaggerated or otherwise misleading claims about their products. The guidelines of the disclosure policy require website owners to disclose any payments received in relation to an endorsement. Being transparent about your intentions and affiliations, establishes credibility with the audience and customers. The advantages of a Website Disclosure Policy are beyond adherence to the FTC's regulations. Your transparency about all your potential influences and biases reinforces your credibility and integrity.

Tips On How to Create a Website Disclosure Policy:

• Make it interactive: The goal of a Website Disclosure Policy is to connect with the audience so always make it as much reader friendly as you can. It is not a hard and fast rule that the policy has to be in formal language. Inform your clients about your disclosure in a light manner.
• Mention FTC: Most Website Disclosure Policy statements forget to mention FTC. The relevance of a Website Disclosure Policy lies in the Federal Trade Commission.
• Explain key points: The FTC regulations state that disclosures should be clear and relevant. There are direct statements in a Website Disclosure Policy. It is transparent in content.
• Material Connection: Always mention all financial or non-financial incentives that may affect the opinion of the readers of your website content. If there are no such incentives, then mention that there are no financial or non-financial influences on your website content.
• Disclosure of any kind of compensation: Mention any kind of compensation that you earn through your site, whether it is through advertising, sponsorship or paid insertions of content. If you receive compensation to review products, you must disclose that as well. If you review products regardless of any compensation, you should clarify the same to your readers.

The Final Guides of the Federal Trade Commission or FTC govern endorsements and testimonials. The Guides are administrative interpretations of the law intended to help advertisers comply with the Federal Trade Commission Act. To avoid legal issues and to establish a good image in the market, always include the Website Disclosure Policy on your website.