Native content is advertising and the FTC is watching

No matter what you call it - native content, sponsored content, native advertising - it's subject to FTC regulation.

This might be a new concept to news people, as they are protected from government regulation by the First Amendment. But commercial speech - advertising - is a different matter.

The FTC's native advertising rules are lengthy, but if you're putting advertising in your digital news hole, give them a close read. The FTC is levying fines.

The short version: Don't try to be cute. Make it clear that the content that's in front of the reader has been sponsored and by whom. Don't hide the sponsorship. Indeed, be proud of it for the client's sake.

The rules apply not just to your website, but your social media and messaging accounts as well.

The FTC: "Consider the ad as a whole, and not just focus on individual phrases, statements, or visual elements. Factors to weigh include an ad’s overall appearance; the similarity of its written, spoken, or visual style or subject matter to non-advertising content on the publisher site on which it appears; and the degree to which it is distinguishable from other content on the publisher site."

Bottom line: Don't be ashamed that it's sponsored. Tell the reader. If it's good, useful information, they won't care that it's paid for. They'll read it. Maybe save it. Maybe share it. Maybe contact the client.

If it's written more to make the boss proud than to satisfy users' needs, they'll move on whether it's labeled sponsored or not.