Head’s up: Twitter wants to bring more transparency to the feed.
So the platform has updated its Paid Partnership policy, urging brands, influencers, and creators to add an #ad hashtag in sponsored tweets.
Everything out in the open
And just so you know, Twitter says certain organic, non-promoted Tweets can still be considered “paid product pavements,” endorsements, or advertisements.
For example:
- A user being compensated for a tweet via money, gifts, or other incentives.
- A tweet created as a part of commercial relationship – e.g. “brand ambassador.”
- A tweet that includes affiliate link or discount code that benefits the user.
All Tweets that fall into the categories above should have “clear and prominent disclosures” like “#ad,” “#paidpartnership”, “#sponsored”… you get the idea.
Yep, there are sanctions, too
If you don’t disclose paid partnerships, Twitter says you could face enforcement actions, although it doesn’t specify what those actions would be.
What’s behind all this?
This transparency move could be tied to various countries—including the UK and Australia—which are tightening regulations to track financial ties between brands and creators.
Why we care
Whether you’re an influencer, a brand, or a marketer, it’s important that you comply with the new rules and know which tags to use.
That way you also avoid misleading or confusing your audience and inform them about brand deals within the app – which is a cool thing to do, anyway.