A recent study by Awin.com highlights how disclosures are used in affiliate marketing.
The study found 76% of Instagram influencers hide their advertisement disclosure in their posts, indicating their posts were not in line with ASA guidelines. Disclosures were mostly placed in the middle of the post, 59% of posts reflecting this pattern, while 24% were found at the end.
5% of disclosures were also located at the beginning of the post, and as many as 12% of disclosures were hidden in the comments section. Additionally, the term – “#affiliate” – was the most likely hashtag to be hidden, with 93% of uploading having it out of sight. In contrast, influencers were most open about “#gifted” posts, with only 60% of posts hiding it.
The most likely hashtag to be hidden in the comments section was “Advertisement”. Kevin Edwards, global strategy director at Awin.com, said, “It was surprising to find that so many influencers were ‘hiding’ the disclosure of their advertisements from followers, and something we hope to combat this year.”
[2 minute read]
