By now, you probably know what social media influencers are and what they do, but just in case, here are the basics. A social media influencer can be anyone who has established themselves on social media as a credible voice and has the power to sway other people’s opinions and habits.
As social media has become more prevalent in our everyday lives, influencers do exactly what their title suggests – they influence. And with so many people listening to influencer’s opinions on products and services, it’s no surprise that there are laws governing their behavior online. There are even influencer lawyers to help with this.
For example, let’s say Michelle is an influencer and goes online to say The Social Media Law Firm is the best and that there’s no better social media lawyer than Ethan Wall. There’s nothing wrong with saying that (thanks, Michelle!), but if I paid Michelle to say this, her followers have a right to know. Basically, the law says that you should let someone know in a clear and conspicuous manner that you were compensated for giving your opinion. So, it doesn’t matter if Michelle has five followers or 5 million, she has to disclose any association with the company she’s promoting. And this is true even if Michelle is my employee!
Many influencers use #ad at the top of their posts or state within the first couple lines of their post that they were compensated for their opinion. In doing so, they’ve made the connection between themselves and the company they’re promoting. This gives people the chance to use their own judgment on whether they’re going to go out and support that particular product or service based on what they see with the full knowledge that the influencer is a spokesperson for that brand as opposed to just a regular everyday consumer who happens to love that product.
If you’re thinking about using a social media influencer to promote your products or services, or if you are an influencer who wants to make sure they are following the law, it’s a good idea to meet with an influencer attorney, like The Social Media Law Firm. We can write or review your influencers contracts, ensure that your influencer content complies with the law, and help you maintain social media compliance. Contactv us today to learn more!
