What an advertorial needs before it goes live
Advertorials live in a regulated grey zone: they look like editorial but they’re advertising, and the rules that govern advertising still apply. This checklist walks the basics the FTC and (for supplements) the FDA expect, so you can catch the obvious gaps before a page — or an ad account — gets flagged. It’s a self-review aid, not legal advice.
Disclosure comes first
The FTC’s core expectation for native advertising is simple: don’t deceive people about what they’re looking at. An advertorial should carry a clear “Advertisement,” “Advertorial,” or “Sponsored” label above the fold, where a reader sees it before they start reading — not buried in a footer.
This is the single most common gap, and the cheapest to fix. A visible label at the top costs you almost nothing and removes the most basic deception risk.
Structure/function language, not disease claims
For supplements and wellness products, claims must describe how an ingredient supports normal structure or function of the body — not that it treats, cures, or prevents a disease. “Supports healthy joints” is structure/function; “cures arthritis” is a disease claim and is not allowed.
This applies to the whole page, including testimonials and image captions: a customer quote that makes a disease claim carries the same risk as your body copy.
Required disclaimers and testimonials
Dietary supplements that make structure/function claims must carry the FDA’s required disclaimer — the “These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration…” language — somewhere the reader can find it.
Wherever you show a customer result, pair it with an honest expectations note (“Results may vary”) and make sure the testimonial reflects typical, not cherry-picked, outcomes. A money-back guarantee, by contrast, is a legitimate trust element — it’s a promise about your refund policy, not a prohibited claim.
Seller transparency: contact and refunds
Visitors — and ad platforms — expect a real business behind the page. Reachable seller information and a linked refund/return policy are part of the trust floor, and ad networks frequently reject pages that lack them.
None of this is exotic: it’s the same transparency a good product page already has. The point of the checklist is to make sure the advertorial format doesn’t cause you to drop it.
This checklist covers the common, high-impact basics — it isn’t a substitute for review by qualified counsel, especially in regulated categories like supplements, finance, or health. When in doubt, get a professional opinion before you publish.