What is Sponsored post?
A sponsored post is a piece of content a creator publishes in exchange for payment from a brand, which must be disclosed as advertising under FTC and platform guidelines.
Sponsored posts can take many formats: a static Instagram photo, a TikTok video, a YouTube integration, or a newsletter mention. The brand pays the creator to feature their product or service, and the creator retains editorial voice within the brief.
Disclosure is not optional. Phrases like #ad, #sponsored, or Paid partnership must appear clearly and prominently. Hiding disclosure in a wall of hashtags or placing it below the fold does not meet FTC requirements.
Pricing for sponsored posts varies by platform, audience size, engagement rate, and exclusivity terms. Creators should maintain a rate card and update it regularly as their audience grows.
Related terms
- Paid partnership
- Paid partnership is the official label used on Instagram and Facebook to disclose that a creator was compensated by a brand for a piece of content, powered by Meta's branded content tool.
- FTC disclosure
- FTC disclosure is the legal requirement in the United States that creators clearly and conspicuously disclose any material connection to a brand, including payment, gifting, or free products, when publishing content about that brand.
- Influencer rate
- An influencer rate is the fee a creator charges a brand for a specific piece of sponsored content, typically based on follower count, engagement rate, platform, content format, and usage rights.
- Deliverables
- Deliverables are the specific content assets a creator is contractually required to produce and publish as part of a brand deal, including format, quantity, platform, and timeline.
- Brand deal
- A brand deal is a paid agreement between a creator and a brand where the creator produces and publishes content featuring the brand's product or service in exchange for money, product, or both.
More in Influencer marketing
Sponsored post sits in the influencer marketing part of the glossary. These terms come up in the same conversations and are worth reading alongside it.