Influencing 101: How to Disclose, What Different Terms Mean [AD, PR, Codes, Invited & More]

Influence comes the responsibility of transparency, especially when it comes to disclosing affiliations, partnerships, or sponsored content.

In Australia, as in many other regions, there are clear guidelines that creators must follow to ensure that their audience is fully informed about any commercial relationships that might influence their content.

Famous examples of enforcing and penalising influencers both world wide and in Australia who haven’t disclosed AD work often create a Media frenzy, but for not so famous influencers and content creators, why should you care?

Building an effective community is based on trust, and when followers learn of non disclosure, they often feel that trust is broken.

Let’s go through the platform approved ways to disclose, and what different forms of disclosure mean.

Best Practise

To comply with both Australian law and platform-specific guidelines, content creators need to be aware about how they disclose affiliations or ad work.

On platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, the key to proper disclosure is clarity and visibility.

Disclosures should be made in a way that is easily understandable, highly noticeable, and positioned where the audience cannot miss them.

For Instagram and TikTok, this often means including a clear statement such as "AD" or using hashtags like #ad, #sponsored, or #partner in the first two lines of a caption.

Instagram also offers a “Paid Partnership” label that can be added to posts, which clearly indicates a commercial relationship.

On YouTube, disclosures should be made audibly at the beginning of the video or visibly on screen. Ensuring that these disclosures are consistent with both platform requirements.

Disclosure in it should be easy to understand, noticeable, and placed where it cannot be missed by the audience.

This can look like an audible disclosure at the start of a video, a blurb at the top of a blog post, or in the first two lines of a caption on social media.

Brands will have different internal requirements for disclosing affiliated work for consistency, and some brands will request AD disclosure at the start of a caption, or the use of specific hashtags like #partner, #ad or #sponsored.

What Does it all Mean?

AD

An “AD” (advertisement) generally refers to paid promotion where a brand or company compensates (paid or gifted) the creator to display their product or service.

Paid Partnership Labels

Paid partnership labels are opt-in labels by platforms, although not essential, some brands will request use of these.

Both TikTok and Instagram have paid partnership labels that are a helpful way to disclose paid content.

If a creator uses a paid partnership label, this is a valid form of clear disclosure and no further disclosure is required in a caption.

Collaboration Posts

Collaboration posts are a way creators can have their content posted across a brand's profile, particularly on Instagram.

Contrary to popular belief, collaboration posts do not necessarily mean the creator was paid, or even that the products were sent via PR.

Collaboration posts are opt-in, are sometimes required by brands during paid partnerships, but can sometimes be a way both a brand and creator agree to share content, with no compensation.

Benefits of an unpaid collaboration post can include exposure to new audiences, views, and reach.

PR or Press Sample

PR (public relations) for a blogger involves managing their public image and relationships with their audience and media outlets.

This can include handling media inquiries, writing press releases about collaborations or new content, and engaging in community-building activities.

PR efforts help the blogger maintain a positive reputation and build strong connections with their audience and partners.

Commission Code / Affiliate Code

A commission code or affiliate code is a unique identifier provided to a blogger by a brand.

When the blogger shares this code with their audience, typically in a blog post or social media update, and a reader uses the code to make a purchase, the blogger earns a commission on the sale.

This code helps track the sales generated by the blogger’s promotion.

Commission Link / Affiliate Link

A commission link or affiliate link is a unique URL given to the blogger by a brand or affiliate program.

When the blogger includes this link in their content and a reader clicks on it to make a purchase, the blogger earns a commission.

The link typically includes tracking parameters to attribute the sale to the blogger’s referral efforts.

Invited

Invited disclosure typically refers to when a content creator is invited to attend a physical or online event without monetary payment.

The invitation usually means the creator has an experience, meal, spa day or gift pack during the event (but not always!)

Even though there is no direct payment involved, creators should still disclose their attendance by stating they were “invited” or using hashtags like #Invited to ensure transparency and maintain audience trust.

Sum it up

Transparency is crucial in the world of content creation, not only to comply with legal obligations but also to maintain the trust and integrity of the relationship between creators and their audiences.

By following best practices for disclosure on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, and aligning with Australian advertising standards, creators can continue to build their influence while ensuring their audience is fully informed about any commercial ties that might impact the content they consume.