Transparency brings trust in everything you do. However, in the past few years, the upsurge in digital content consumption makes it difficult to distinguish between sponsored and organic content.

The sponsored content available on social media platforms in the forms of video, images, or podcasts is available without any declaration. Hence there is a possibility of misleading the audience. 

Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has released draft guidelines that influencers and agencies must follow. I don’t about the influencers or brand opinions.

But I feel the guideline is a good step in preserving interest for everyone whether it influencers, consumers, or brands. Like you can’t eat food with closed eyes, it can reach your nose, ears, etc.

Similarly, posting sponsored content without disclosure can’t be the case anymore.

Why there is a need for specific digital guidelines?

As per the reports, the Indian influencer market has grown into the mainstream. It is expecting to grow further as more Indians go online.

As per the ASCI research, content on digital platforms has misleading marketing messages.

Lines between organic and paid content are blurring as digital consumption is growing. Hence regulating digital content is the need of the hour.

Nowadays, it’s difficult to differentiate between the organic or paid content. The guidelines help the audience to identify the sponsored content. Hence, their decision would be more rationale.

What are the prominent things in the ASCI’s draft guidelines for influencers?

The final guidelines will be issued March 31. It will be applicable to all digital content on or after 15 April. The prominent things of the guidelines are:

1. It’ll be compulsory to add disclosure label to paid content. So that audience can easily differentiate that content is brand sponsored. You have to use following hastags:

#ad
#collab
#promo
#sponsored
#partnership

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2. The disclosure label should be appearing in first two lines of the content description. That means audience doesn’t have to expand to see whether content is organic or paid.

3. The disclosure label should be clearly visible on all devices be it laptop, tabs or mobile etc.

4. If your content doesn’t have the description or caption. Then influencer has to superimpose the disclosure label #sponsored or #ad on the video, images, and audios. In case of audio content you have to give disclosure in the starting. In videos, disclosure should be appeared in the starting 1/3^rd of the video length.

5. Disclosure should be in English and can be translated into different languages as per audience preferences.

6. Influencer can’t use the filter to exaggerate the brand or products claims.

What are specific guidelines for social media platforms?

Instagram & Facebook

The disclosure label should be included in the first two lines of caption in case of image, videos. And if not label should be superimposed in the beginning of the reel, IGTV, stories, videos and images.

Twitter

The disclosure label should be included in the start of the tweet.

YouTube

The disclosure label should be included the title or the description of the video.

Pinterest

The disclosure label should appear right at the start of the message.

Blogs

The disclosure label should be included the title of the blog.

How the ASCI guidelines will impact the influencers?

As per the experts the guidelines will build transparency and trust between audience and influencers. It will reflect that the influencer is responsible while promoting the sponsored content.

However, it will definitely reduce the reach of sponsored content. Being an influencer I’ve noticed whenever I’ve declared the content as paid, my audience lose their interests.

Though predicting the impact of these guidelines on influencer performance is tricky.

Let’s see what will happen next. Till then stay glued for further updates.