Instagram Branded Content — Partnership and Disclosure Guide

What Is Branded Content?#

Branded content is any post, story, reel, or live where you've been paid or received free products in exchange for promoting a brand. Instagram requires clear disclosure of these partnerships.

Disclosure Requirements#

Legal Requirements#

• FTC requires "clear and conspicuous" disclosure
• Must be visible before clicking "more" on the caption
• Must be in the same language as the post
• Generic terms like "sp" or "ambassador" are not sufficient

Instagram's Branded Content Tool#

Use Instagram's built-in tool:

• When creating a post, tap "Add Paid Partnership"
• Tag the brand partner
• "Paid partnership with [brand]" label appears
• This is the recommended method

Acceptable Disclosures#

• "Paid partnership with [brand]" (Instagram tool)
• "#ad" at the beginning of caption
• "#sponsored" prominently placed
• "Paid partnership" or "Sponsored by" in text

Not Acceptable#

• "#ad" buried at the end of 30 hashtags
• Abbreviations like "sp" or "spon"
• Only mentioning the brand without disclosure
• Relying solely on the brand's disclosure

Setting Up Branded Content#

For Creators#

• Go to Settings > Business > Branded Content
• Enable the branded content tool
• When posting, tap "Add Paid Partnership"
• Search for and tag the brand
• The brand approves the partnership tag

For Brands#

• Go to Settings > Business > Branded Content
• Manage approved partners
• Approve or deny partnership requests
• Access branded content analytics

Best Practices#

For Creators#

• Always disclose, even for gifted products
• Use the Instagram branded content tool
• Be authentic in your endorsement
• Only promote products you genuinely use
• Keep a record of all brand partnerships

For Brands#

• Provide clear creative briefs
• Allow creative freedom (their audience, their voice)
• Approve branded content requests promptly
• Monitor partnership performance
• Build long-term relationships over one-off deals

Common Mistakes#

• Forgetting to disclose gifted products
• Hiding disclosure in hashtags
• Not using Instagram's official tool
• Inconsistent disclosure across platforms
• Over-scripting creator content