Guidelines from ASCI for Social Media Influencers for paid content

ASCI (Advertising Standards Council of India) has published new guidelines for social media influencers who upload content(Picture /Audio/Videos) on different social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

As per the latest guidelines, influencers will have to attach a disclosure label to explain if a post covers paid advertisements.

Set to grow into impact from June 14, 2021, these guidelines demand influencers to establish such confession at a place where an average consumer cannot refrain from it.

Subhash Kamath ASCI Chairman stated that when users watch television or read newspapers, then they can differentiate between the show or content and the advertisement.

They do not suffer any difficulty, but it is hard to modify in social media.

According to the new guidelines, if sponsored content is a video, the declaration label must be available in the video for a minimum of 3 seconds.

For videos larger than 2 minutes, the disclosure label must stay for the whole duration of the section where a product is being advertised.

For the audio type of posts, the disclosure must be prominently stated at the opening and the end.

ASCI has also started ASCI.social, a digital domain that will house information about the guidelines and an association of influencers, marketers, agencies, and consumers.

ASCI also suggests influencers initial review the product and services before pushing them to their followers. There must likewise not be any false declaration about the product in the sponsored content.

The outline guidelines were initially announced back in February and solicited feedback from all concerned stakeholders; advertisers, agencies, influencers, and customers.

According to authorities, as digital media using increases and enhances the standard, the difference between content and promotional advertisements grows crucial.

The marketing aspect is changing, and influencer marketing has shifted mainstream. Therefore, customers have a priority to know what content has been compensated for by brands, and the guidelines mean to cause this transparency to influencer marketing.

Chairman, ASCI, publishing the guidelines, stated: “We got an amazing positive engagement and feedback from influencers and others for the draft guidelines, as properly as ideas to finetune and explain some details. After lengthy conversations, we are now launching the final guidelines that balance the benefits of consumers, influencers, agencies, advertisers, and all different stakeholders. I commend everyone for following the ASCI Code and the guidelines and being an element of this transformation promising transparency and responsibility.”