Why the ASA wants to watch your copy 2 September 2010
Six months. It’s not long, but it’s the amount of time companies have to make sure their online marketing messages meet regulatory standards set by the Advertising Standards Authority. Yesterday marked an important decision for every company (regardless of size or sector) communicating about their products or services on their website or through social media. From 1 March a company’s
marketing message is subject to the same scrutiny as the content of ads featured in the press and other media.
A grey area for business
But what are they talking when they refer to “marketing communications”? It looks like this will be defined as things progress.
Watch out online
What do the new rules actually mean for businesses?
Your content must be accurate: the ASA and the search engines could get together to remove your advert linking to the page with the marketing communication.
Your copy is under scrutiny: the ASA will have the ability to demand the removal of paid-for links to pages which host a banned advert.
You need a long-term strategy: if you carry on breaking the rules, you could end up with an advert from the ASA on your own website – highlighting your non-compliance!
Start from the right place
It all sounds rather complicated, but the answer is about making sure that marketing copy is of a good standard right from the beginning. Companies can build credibility and protect their reputations by coming from the best starting point – high quality copy which is relevant to their customers.
Written by Camilla Zajac
Camilla Zajac is an award-winning copywriter dedicated to uncovering what’s exciting and unique about organisations and empowering them to communicate that with impact. Learn more about copywriting services from Green Light Copywriting.
