On December 1, 2009, The FTC published new guidelines which affect all money making online marketing businesses. How difficult are these guidelines to follow and what must we all do to make sure we comply?
First of all no doubt these guidelines will slow most of us down a little, but they aren’t necessarily bad. Certainly, they are meant to protect the consumer from the overdone hype and wild advertisers’ claims that cannot be substantiated. We all know that online marketers seem to have a tendency to do just that.
So what do these guidelines really do. First and foremost there is mandatory disclosure of any material connection between yourself and any affiliate product you are recommending. Many of our colleagues don’t like this, but it will no longer be legal to make a recommendation sound unbiased when it is not. It even goes further in that you must disclose the fact that you rare promoting a product you have received for free.
A result of this is a notable reduction in fake blogs and blogs with raving consumer reviews when really the owner is really only reporting affiliate sales. Under the new rules it is not legal to play on a customer’s inexperience in this way.
Of course, you also need to be careful of people trying to take advantage of the concern or maybe even fear of internet marketers in regard to these rules. Innumerable programs are cropping up to guide you through the new maze. Some of this, of course,is legitimate, but also, some comes from unqualified sources. You need to be careful that anyone you contract to help you is qualified to do so.
And no one can insure compliance or protection. You need to understand the guidelines, and if you have any doubts about a marketing program you are undertaking, be sure to get quality advice before you go public with it.
The FTC is serious and not to be taken lightly. If you want to succeed in your online money making marketing business, you need to make sure you are operating within the FTC guidelines.
Sign up over to the right and get my free ebook. It will answer all of your questions about how to make money online. I recommend The Affiliate Code as the best affiliate program around, but it you want to check out some others and particularly if you are interested in assistance with investing, go to Working For Our Future and you’ll find a choice of several systems that will solve your investing problems.
