Here is another almost exact copy of 4 other blog posts this time StartLogic.com is in the spot of other company names. StartLogic.com is added onto the list of Endurance International Group hosts to send out FTC compliance notices to their affiliates. If you read some of my previous posts you will see that just like Justhost.com and ipower.com they used the same exact notice. I will continue to do a post for each notice I recieve from Endurance International Group. This is my first post on StartLogic.com, I have to say that it does not have the same feel as many of the Endurance International Group sites, not to mention I don’t really recall seeing it on any review sites. I do know that they are with cj.com (Commission Junction). The first email about Federal Trade Commission guidelines was sent to Just Host affiliates.
https://hosting-reviews-exposed.com/endurance-international-group/just-host.html
https://hosting-reviews-exposed.com/endurance-international-group/ipower-com.html
https://hosting-reviews-exposed.com/endurance-international-group/fatcow-com.html
https://hosting-reviews-exposed.com/endurance-international-group/ipage-com.html
A copy of the Email from StartLogic.com
Dear StartLogic Affiliate,
As you may know, The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has strict guidelines that relate to affiliates who offer reviews, rankings, endorsements and testimonials; and we require all affiliates of our CJ program to comply with these requirements.To be compliant with the FTC Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising, StartLogic expressly requires you to disclose that there is a “material connection” between you and StartLogic anytime you offer an endorsement or testimonial on our services.View more information about StartLogic’s strict adherence to the FTC Endorsement Requirement.WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOUIf you provide reviews, rankings, endorsements or testimonials about a service for which you receive commissions from us, you must clearly disclose the fact that you receive such compensation in a clear and prominent place–that is close to your endorsement.
The FTC takes the Endorsement guidelines seriously and has started to enforce them for both content providers like yourself and advertisers like StartLogic.
As an advertiser, StartLogic will monitor affiliate sites to be sure our services are represented appropriately. Failure to comply with the endorsement guidelines could result in removal from our affiliate program and the cancellation of commissions.
TIPS FOR MAKING SURE YOUR SITE IS COMPLIANT
To make it easier for you, we’ve pulled together information, based on a recent FTC enforcement case, to illustrate ways you can disclose a material connection between you and your advertisers. Take a few minutes to review this summary at:
StartLogic Affiliate Disclosure Requirements and Examples
The FTC also offers a variety of resources to help make it easier for you to comply with the guidelines, including:
- Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising
- The FTC’s Revised Endorsement Guides: What People are Asking
- Dot Com Disclosures: Information About Online Advertising
Please note: These links are intended to provide guidance only. If you provide endorsements of some type, you should obtain legal advice on how the FTC rules apply to you.
Please take steps immediately to make sure your site is in compliance with these guidelines. Several of our leading affiliates have already posted their disclosures, and they continue to enjoy great success.
Best wishes,
The StartLogic Affiliate Team
So what does this email from StartLogic.com mean?
In short if your a review site, and you don’t disclose that you created your site for the purpose of making money they will remove you from the affiliate program. Here are the steps they recommend to be in compliance with the FTC.
- Frequent: Disclosures must be available on any page that has an endorsement.
- Clear: Language must be easy to understand; don’t attempt to hide the fact that it’s a disclosure.
- Conspicuous: Place your disclosure close to your endorsement or review. Differentiate the disclosure’s font treatment from the rest of your site.
- Require no action: The user shouldn’t need to click, hover or scroll to locate or understand the nature of your disclosure.
If StartLogic.com sticks with this, I have to commend them on doing things ethically. I hope they did not start doing this because the FTC contacted them first. I will be sure to contact them should I find any violators.
