Ignorance of the new FTC guidelines could cost you alot of money in fines!

Are you familiar with the New FTC Guidelines?

I have received several emails on this topic today so I figured I had better do up a post about it for anyone not familiar with this.

If you aren't you could potentially get yourself in a lot of HOT water.

Some of these fines (if you are actually violating these guidelines) can go up to $11,000.

You might want to keep reading this one and take notes.

The new laws came into effect on December 1, 2009.

The FTC guidelines are mainly concerning product endorsements and or testimonials. For those of us who make a living online through affiliate links etc, this is something we must...let me repeat that WE MUST be aware of.

It includes bloggers, website owners, social media experts. (Yes, even Social Media is effected). What it all boils down to is that if you promote products and make money doing this then you have to let your potential customer aware of this fact. In English, you need to put verbage to the effect of "Hey, thanks for buying this and if you do I will make money from it or I will get a new car etc, etc..." You get the idea.

It also puts testimonials into a more honest and real perspective, at least to me. In the good old days of internet marketing, you could put up a testimonial that someone made a gazillion dollars by using a product and then throw in a screen shot of a check, it was a bad practice. I never used it and never endorsed that way of a testimonial because it was obviously B.S.

No one (that I know at least) ever made a million in a month just getting started. I do know of some folks who did it in a few months. More importantly they did it legitimately and without some useless testimonial or an obviously photo shopped check. Ever notice a check always had the pertinent info blanked out? It was done like that for a reason, we only see the amount of money on the check.

I personally love the new testimonial rules. If I write a testimonial for someone it is because that person has worked for me. Not because I liked a product I never used. SO that aspect is cool and very beneficial to newbie blogger's etc. They can't as easily get drawn in so to speak, sadly many still will. Been there, done that.

You can get more information on the guidelines by following this link. I recommend that you go check them out and learn them because they really are the new Bible of rules.

This is the FTC after all and it makes for more honest business practices which can only improve your customer base.

If you have any questions or answer's take a gander over to at Blogging Rules Draw Online Protests.

I know I will be going over the new guidelines for the next few weeks and it might be in your best interest(s) to do the same.

Thanks to all of my personal contacts who sent me this information.

Please retweet or stumble this post, I would appreciate it.

Comments or thoughts?

Garret