How to Label Paid Partnerships on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube
Each major platform offers a built-in way to mark content as sponsored. These tools add a visible label, help platforms apply their branded content policies, and in some cases are required for brand-related posts. They are not a complete replacement for your own clear disclosure, but they are an important part of doing it properly.
This guide explains the tools on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, with practical tips. Platform settings change frequently, so always check each platform's current help pages for the exact steps.
Why use platform labels
- Transparency: viewers see a standard label they recognize.
- Policy compliance: platforms have branded content policies, and some require the label for sponsored posts.
- Brand access: some labels let the partner brand see post insights or promote the content.
- Protection: using the tools shows good faith if questions arise later.
TikTok
TikTok offers a content disclosure setting when you post. Turning it on lets you indicate that the video promotes a brand, product or service. Depending on the options you choose, TikTok adds a label such as "Paid partnership" or "Promotional content" to the video.
TikTok's branded content policies also restrict promoting certain products and categories. Check those policies before agreeing to a collaboration.
Tips:
- Turn on the disclosure setting for any video with a material connection, including gifted products.
- Add "ad" or "sponsored" in the video itself, on screen and spoken, especially near the start.
- If a brand will run your post as a Spark Ad, follow the authorization process separately. See our guide to whitelisting and Spark Ads.
Instagram offers a paid partnership label for posts, Reels and Stories. When you add a brand partner, the label "Paid partnership with [Brand]" appears above the content. The tagged brand can typically see performance insights for that content and, with permission, may promote it.
Tips:
- Use the paid partnership label whenever there is a material connection.
- Make sure you tag the correct brand account.
- Also disclose in the content itself: on-screen text in Reels and Stories, and early in the caption for posts.
- For collab posts that appear on both your profile and the brand's, the relationship should still be disclosed clearly.
YouTube
YouTube asks creators to tick a box indicating that a video contains paid promotion, including product placements, sponsorships and endorsements. When this setting is on, YouTube shows a "Includes paid promotion" message to viewers at the start of the video.
Tips:
- Turn on the paid promotion setting for sponsored long-form videos and Shorts.
- Disclose verbally in the video, ideally before or at the start of the sponsored segment.
- Add a disclosure near the top of the description, especially if it contains affiliate links.
- For long videos, mention the sponsorship again when you return to the product.
Facebook offers branded content tools similar to Instagram's, with a "Paid partnership" label and brand tagging. If you post sponsored content on Facebook, use the tool and disclose in the post itself.
Why platform labels alone may not be enough
FTC guidance indicates creators should not assume a platform's built-in label is automatically sufficient. Labels can be small, appear in places viewers skip, or be hidden by app layouts. The safest approach is:
- Turn on the platform's branded or paid partnership tool.
- Add your own clear disclosure in the content itself.
- Repeat it in the caption or description where viewers read.
Our FTC disclosure guide explains the reasoning in more depth.
Wording that works
Clear, plain words work best:
- "Ad"
- "Sponsored"
- "Paid partnership with [Brand]"
- "Gifted by [Brand]"
- "Hosted stay from [Hotel]"
- "I earn a commission from this link"
Place them where they will be seen without tapping "more."
Common mistakes
- Forgetting to turn on the label for gifted collaborations.
- Tagging the brand but not using the paid partnership tool.
- Relying only on hashtags buried at the end of a caption.
- Disclosing only in your bio.
- Adding a label after the post has been live for days.
For brands
Brands should remind creators to use platform tools and clear disclosures, provide the correct brand handle for tagging, and never ask creators to hide or soften a disclosure. Accept tag requests promptly so labels display correctly.
Brands can also make disclosure part of the brief itself. A short section listing the required label, the exact brand handle to tag, and the preferred disclosure wording removes guesswork and reduces the chance of a post going live without proper labeling. If a post goes live without a disclosure, ask the creator to add it promptly rather than ignoring it; fixing it quickly is better for everyone.
Disclosures in livestreams and Stories
Livestreams and Stories are easy places for disclosure to slip. In a livestream, say the disclosure aloud at the start and repeat it periodically, since viewers join at different times. On Stories, put the disclosure on every frame that features the brand, not just the first, because viewers often tap through quickly or start partway through a sequence.
A pre-posting checklist
- Is there a material connection? Then disclose.
- Is the platform's label turned on with the right brand tagged?
- Is there a clear disclosure in the video or image itself?
- Is the disclosure visible without expanding the caption?
- Are any affiliate links clearly labeled?
Frequently asked questions
Do gifted products need a paid partnership label? Gifts are a material connection, so disclosing is the safe choice, using the platform tool and your own wording.
Can I add the label after posting? Some platforms allow it, but disclose from the start whenever possible.
What if the brand has not approved my tag request? Disclose in the content anyway, and remind the brand to accept the request.
Unresourced encourages clear disclosure on every sponsored and gifted collaboration. Create a free account to find campaigns where expectations are set out from the start.