How to label a sponsored post: FTC and Google rules
Two sets of rules apply to every sponsored post: telling readers it's paid, and telling search engines the link is paid.
Facts checked 29 Sep 2026 · by the AdSworn team
Readers: the FTC's native advertising guide lists labels likely to be understood, such as "Ad" or "Sponsored Advertising Content", and advises putting the disclosure in front of or above the headline, in plain, readable text. Search engines: Google's spam policies treat links bought for ranking as link spam, but say paid links are fine when marked rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow". Do both on every sponsored post.
For readers: label it clearly
- Plain words. The FTC guide lists terms like "Ad", "Advertisement", "Paid Advertisement" and "Sponsored Advertising Content", and warns against ambiguous terms such as "Promoted".
- Where people look first. It advises placing the disclosure in front of or above the headline.
- Readable. Font size and colour that stand out from the background, on every device.
- A logo alone isn't enough, according to the guide.
For search engines: mark the link
Google's spam policies list buying or selling links for ranking as link spam, including exchanging money for posts that contain links. They also say paid links for advertising and sponsorship are fine when qualified with rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow".
Checklist
- Label: "Sponsored" or "Ad", above the headline.
- Every paid link:
rel="sponsored". - No hidden or tiny disclosure.
- Don't sell a "dofollow link"; sell the audience.
Straight answers
Do I have to label sponsored posts?
The FTC expects advertising to be identifiable as advertising, and its native advertising guide explains how. Label every sponsored post clearly.
Can a sponsored post have a dofollow link?
Google's spam policies treat paid links for ranking as link spam. Mark paid links rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow".
What label should I use?
Plain terms like "Sponsored" or "Ad", placed above or in front of the headline.