FTC Internet Marketing Regulations Shake Things Up a Bit…

Hey everyone. Today’s post is a bit of a downer in some ways. Some might consider it a good thing though. Basically, the FTC just issued some new rules that are going to have a HUGE impact on the way we do Internet marketing. It doesn’t just affect fake blogs either. It also has a huge impact on anyone who uses testimonials.

To be honest, there are a bunch of unscrupulous marketers out there who need to get a kick in the pants, and these rules provide just that. On the other hand, there are other marketers who have integrity, and these new regulations are certainly going to make things a bit more difficult for them as well.

Anyway, without further ado, instead of typing my own post outlining what is going on, I’ll just forward you to Frank Kern’s blog where he did a pretty decent job of summarizing what the FTC has cooked up for Internet marketers. Check it out. FTC Declares Shenanigans On All Kinds Of Stuff!

Your Favorite Guru is a Liar…Yeah, That One

A lot of the big name Internet marketers out there produce high quality products that do a good job of teaching people how to make money online. The big question is: at what price? I’ve had the unfortunate experience of buying certain products from big name marketers and seeing the sort of tactics that they promote.

One product by an Australian marketer states that you need to give products you review on your affiliate sites a high rating. Hmmm…what if the product sucks? I guess that doesn’t matter. Admittedly, the product is good. But stuff like that still rubs me the wrong way.

Another product, and this one rhymes with Commission Blueprint, teaches people to create a story around a character for a more persuasive sales tactic. These character based stories have become very popular in the past few years, taking the form of fake testimonials and fake blogs.

These fake blogs are very common in the health niche, especially in the weight loss market. A storyline is created around what is often a female who lost a considerable amount of weight using a weight loss product, like one of the Acai weight loss products, or the Rachael Ray Diet.

The problem is that oftentimes a man wrote the blog, and the picture of the women who allegedly lost 40 or so pounds was bought from a photo site. So basically, some guy searched the Internet for a before and after picture of a lady who lost weight, then the guy makes a blog posing as that lady and telling everyone a completely made up weight loss story designed only to sell an affiliate product without any regard for whether the product really works or not. There is one picture featuring a German model that is especially popular, being that at least 80 different fake blogs have used. Of course, the woman in the picture has a different name depending on which blog she is on. Scandalous behavior in my book. The marketer just plays on the vulnerability and the desperation of people to get fatter pockets.

The FTC has kept up with things as best as it can, and it is cracking down on these fake blogs. There are new rules that have really shaken up the affiliate industry. People now have to *gasp* actually be honest when promoting products. Wow, picture that. You can see an overview of some of the laws the FTC enforces here. Pay close attention to the section on testimonials and endorsements.

Anyway, there are certainly plenty of ethical marketers out there. I just wish there were more. The marketers that are less than ethical should be warned that the government is cracking down, and the chickens might just be coming home to roost sooner than they like if they don’t straighten up their acts.