Twitter has become an integral part of our daily lives. Many of us check Twitter in the morning to catch up on the latest news and connect with friends. Brands have also realized the power of Twitter to reach prospective customers. As a result, Twitter is flooded with all kinds of ads and promotional tweets.
However, in recent times, many users have complained about coming across unlabeled ads on Twitter, especially from brand X. This is an increasing trend, with X running sponsored campaigns and promotions without disclosing them as ads.
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What Are Unlabeled Ads on Twitter?
Unlabeled ads refer to paid promotions or sponsored tweets that do not explicitly identify as advertisements. Instead, they are designed to blend in with regular non-promotional tweets from a brand.
Here are some ways unlabeled ads can be identified on Twitter:
- No ‘Promoted’ label – Twitter ads are required to use the ‘Promoted’ label. Unlabeled ads do not include this label.
- No ad disclosure – No disclaimer in the tweet copy or image identifies it as an #ad, sponsorship, or promotion.
- Appear in feed – The ads appear in the normal Twitter feed instead of separated as promoted content.
- Look like regular tweets – The ads are made to resemble the brand’s typical tweets rather than sales-oriented ad copy.
- Amplify engagement – The unlabeled ad tweets may get unusually high engagement, likes, and retweets compared to normal tweets.
Examples of Unlabeled Ads from X on Twitter
Brand X has been criticized recently for running unlabeled promotions on Twitter without identifying them as ads. Here are some examples of such tweets from X that appear to be stealth promotions:
Conversational Tweet for New Product
“Have you tried our new Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel yet? It’s silky smooth with a hint of sea salt. Let us know what you think! [link]”
This reads like a regular tweet inquiring customers about a new product. But it got very high engagement and was aimed to promote the product without a proper #ad label.
Lifestyle Tweet for Brand Campaign
“Ready for adventure. #LiveLife to the fullest with the all-new Trekker Collection. [link]”
This tweet uses an aspirational lifestyle image and hashtag to push the brand’s new clothing line. But nowhere does it indicate it is a paid ad.
Engagement Bait for Giveaway
“Who else loves our cookies? RT and reply with your favourite for a chance to win free cookies for a year!”
This tries to bait engagement in the form of likes, retweets, and replies. However, the giveaway is not revealed as a sponsored promotion.
Hashtag Hijacking Popular Trend
“These #GameDay treats will surely be a hit at your watch party! [link]”
X used the unrelated #GameDay hashtag to force their tweet into a popular conversation. But it is designed to simply look like a contextual brand tweet.
These examples illustrate how easily brands can disguise ads as regular tweets. When done repeatedly, it can overwhelm user feeds with unlabeled promotions.
Why Unlabeled Ads on Twitter Are Concerning
The rise of unlabeled ads on Twitter raises some ethical concerns and impacts the user experience:
- Lacks transparency – Users have a right to know when a brand is trying to sell them something. Undisclosed ads deprive users of this transparency.
- Violates FTC guidelines – FTC requires clear disclosure of paid endorsements and sponsorships. Unlabeled ads go against these rules.
- Confuses users – It becomes difficult for users to distinguish between authentic content and advertising when undisclosed promotions invade feeds.
- Undermines trust – Users feel duped when they unknowingly engage with disguised ads. This gradually erodes platform and brand trust.
- Creates clutter – Too many unlabeled ads make feeds noisy. It drowns out real conversations users are trying to have on Twitter.
- Can be deceptive – Drawing users in under the garb of regular tweets and then hitting them with a sales pitch can be deceptive.
Brands have a responsibility to be ethical and transparent with their advertising. Twitter must also do more to monitor and curb this practice on its platform.
Twitter’s Stance on Labeled Ads
So, what is Twitter’s own stand on properly labeling advertisements?
According to Twitter’s Ads Policies:
“Ads must be distinguishable from non-promotional content, and promoted accounts and Tweets must be clearly labelled.”
Twitter requires all ads to use the ‘Promoted’ tag for transparency. Their policy states:
“To make sure that people can clearly distinguish Promoted Tweets or Accounts from non-promotional content, we require the use of the Promoted Products tool.”
Some specific rules around ad disclosures as per Twitter’s policies are:
- Promoted Tweets must use the “Promoted” tag above the tweet.
- Promoted Accounts must have a “Promoted” label on their profile page and tweets.
- Advertisers cannot remove or obscure the “Promoted” tag.
- Ads cannot be identical to recent organic (non-promoted) tweets or profile bios.
So, while Twitter’s policies require proper ad labeling, the growing instances of unlabeled ads indicate that brands are finding ways to flout these rules.
Steps Brands Should Take to Properly Disclose Ads
Brands investing in Twitter ads and promotions must adhere to FTC guidelines and Twitter’s policies around ad disclosures. Here are the steps brands should take:
- Use Promoted Tag – Enable the ‘Promoted’ label offered by Twitter Ads to identify all paid ads and sponsorships.
- Add Disclosure in Tweet – Voluntarily add disclosures like #sponsored or #ad in the tweet copy where character limits allow.
- Avoid Masquerading – Do not intentionally disguise ads as organic content or conversations.
- Follow FTC Rules – Understand and comply with FTC guidelines around social media advertising disclosure.
- Train Teams – Educate marketing and social media teams to ensure they follow proper protocols for ad disclosures.
- Monitor Campaigns – Audit ongoing campaigns to identify unlabeled ads and immediately add appropriate disclosures.
Being transparent about paid promotions is not only an ethical obligation but also necessary from a legal standpoint. Brands should adjust strategies and put better monitoring in place.
How Users Can Report Unlabeled Ads on Twitter
So, what should you do if you come across an unlabeled ad from X or any brand on Twitter? Here are a few ways you can report such tweets:
- Use the ‘Report Tweet’ option – Tap the three dots icon on the unlabeled ad tweet and select ‘Report Tweet’. Choose the reason as ‘It’s suspicious or misleading’.
- Directly contact the brand – Politely highlight the unlabeled ad to the brand handle in a reply and ask them to add appropriate disclosures.
- Contact Twitter Support – File a complaint with Twitter Support explaining the unlabeled ad issue and provide tweet details.
- Report to FTC – You can submit an online complaint on the FTC website about the unlabeled ad under ‘Social Media & Advertising’.
- Tweet about it – Speak up on Twitter and tweet about the unlabeled ad. Tag the brand and Twitter Support to highlight the issue publicly.
The more users report such unlabeled ads, the more pressure it puts on brands and Twitter to address this practice. This will help make Twitter a transparent platform.
Things to Remember about Unlabeled Ads
- Unlabeled ads lack transparency and violate FTC & Twitter guidelines.
- Identifying them requires looking for missing promoted tags, disclosures, and Organic vs ad tweet patterns.
- These undisclosed promotions undermine user trust and create feed clutter.
- Twitter requires the Promoted tag on all paid ads, but brands find loopholes.
- Users should report unlabeled ads via Report Tweet, contacting the brand/FTC/Twitter Support.
- Brands must make proper disclosures on sponsored tweets part of their social media strategy.
In Conclusion
Unidentified ads on Twitter threaten the integrity and user experience of the platform. While Twitter’s policies require appropriate labeling and disclosures, marketers continue to flout these rules. This practice raises ethical, legal, and transparency concerns.
As platform users, we must call out unlabeled ads and report them through the proper channels. Simultaneously, brands must realign their social media marketing strategies with clearer disclosure norms.
Together, we can all encourage more transparency on social media. Have you encountered unlabeled ads from X or any brand on Twitter lately? Let me know your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
