Many B2B Marketers Not Aware of FTC Sponsored-Content Guidelines
Content marketing spending is expected to increase
Many companies have adopted sponsored content as a marketing tactic, but when it comes to FTC guidelines, content creators are more conscious of the rules than the B2B marketers they partner with.
August 2015 research from Izea and Halverson Group looked at how aware B2B marketers were of the FTC guidelines, which outline how sponsored-content compensation in the form of cash, coupons, discounts, experiences, or free products or services must be publicly disclosed.
More than two-thirds (67%) of sponsored-content creators were aware of and understood the FTC guidelines for sponsored content. To compare, only 8% of B2B marketers felt the same way. In fact, one-third of B2B marketers said they were not aware of the guidelines, while only 7% of sponsored-content creators were in the same boat.
Being aware of such guidelines is important, especially for B2B marketers who are increasingly implementing these marketing tactics in their overall strategies. Almost two-thirds (64%) of B2B marketers in North America have used content marketing. And more than half of respondents polled have used sponsored social as well.
According to August 2015 research by the Content Marketing Institute (CMI) and Marketing Profs, more than half (51%) of B2B marketers in North America expect to increase their content marketing spending over the next 12 months. Therefore, making sure the sponsored content is in line with FTC guidelines will be important for marketers.