Are you working with Facebook influencers? Facebook announced new rules for branded content that you should be aware of. This is what you need to know.
Table of Contents
What’s Branded Content According to Facebook?
Branded Content New Look
Where Can I Find the Branded Content Tool in Facebook?
What are the Facebook Branded Content Guidelines?
Where Can I See The Branded Content Performance?
Improved Feed Transparency
What’s Branded Content According to Facebook?
Facebook defines branded content as any content by a creator that “features or is influenced by a business partner for an exchange of value”.
The social network now asks creators and brands to use the Branded Content tool to tag the featured business partner when posting branded content.
Branded Content New Look
Following the branded content tagging tool, the branded posts will have two identifiers: a “Paid” tag and a “with” tag, which identifies the business partner.
Where Can I Find the Branded Content Tool in Facebook?
To mark branded content, the influencer needs to create a new Facebook update and then click the Handshake icon. This will open a “with” field, where the creator can name the business partner.
If the influencers can’t see the Branded Content tool (the Handshake icon), they can submit an application.
What are the Facebook Branded Content Guidelines?
Facebook published new rules of what cannot be included in branded content.
Here are the 5 rules:
1. No Banner Ads
An image or a video must not contain banner ads. A banner ad, as Facebook defines it, is a “branded column that is overlaid onto and visually separated from the original image or video content”. Facebook prohibits banner ads “that span more than one-third of your video or image content.”
2. No Roll Ads
Facebook prohibits pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll ads in videos or audio content.
What are roll ads? These ads are promotional video messages that play before/after/during the content the user has selected.
The branded content guidelines forbid including roll ads anywhere in the videos.
3. Interstitial Ad Cards Guidelines
Interstitial ad cards are cards “that feature the business partner and interrupt your video content”.
In order to offer Facebook users a better experience, Facebook prohibits interstitial cards in the first 3 seconds of video content and for longer than 3 consecutive seconds anywhere in the video.
In addition, “interstitial cards must not be included at the beginning, middle or end of an individual story within the Facebook Stories product”.
4. Permission is a Must
This should go without saying, but Facebook clarifies that a business shouldn’t use the Branded Content tool’s tagging option without the consent of the creator. Ask for permission first.
5. Disclose The Content is Branded
In addition to following all the rules and guidelines above, Facebook states that the influencers and brands must comply with all applicable laws, regulations and disclosures needed to indicate the commercial nature of the content.
Read more about Facebook Branded Content Policies.
Here’s an example of a branded post that is marked with the “Paid” tab, under the business partner (Estee Lauder UK), and also with an #Ad hashtag:
Where Can I See The Branded Content Performance?
After tagging a post with the Branded content tool, the business partner (the brand, or product page) will be notified about the mention and will be able to see “high-level performance insights as well as have the ability to share the post to their Page and put additional spend behind it”.
To see the branded content insights, go to Facebook Business manager and then click Branded Content (can be found under the “Measure & Report” section).
There you can view the insights for each branded post:
Improved Feed Transparency
Facebook’s branded content tool adds a layer of transparency for sponsored posts. The influencers’ audience can now see clearly which posts were made in partnerships with brands and with whom. When you’re pursuing influencer marketing on Facebook, follow the network’s guidelines to offer the audience the best experience for branded content.
