Facebook has updated their branded content policy to provide clarity regarding what exactly qualifies for this type of content. Two years ago they removed their restrictions for branded content when they released their content tagging system. Since then, however, ‘organic’ posts that have been published by marketers where content creators were compensated in some way has gone up significantly.
To combat this, they are updating their policies to make it clear what must be identified that the content creator was compensated. This will apply to videos, images, written content, and more.
The change will take effect in March, and at this time Facebook will limit (or eliminate) the reach of branded content on both Facebook and Instagram if it violates the new policy. If a content creator continues to publish content in violation of the policy, they may limit or eliminate their access to any monetization tools.
Facebook will be using a system that uses a variety of signals to identify business relationships between two Pages. It is designed to distinguish between when a creator posts a link to something that they aren’t affiliated with, and a link that they are being compensated for.
The compensation can come in many forms including direct money, products, or other items of value. Any marketer using any type of branded content will want to make sure they are following these new guidelines to avoid penalties from Facebook.
