lifestyle

FAQ: Sponsored posts on Mamamia.

This is not a sponsored post. But it is a post about sponsored posts. (Confused yet?!?)

The commercial realities of running a website the size and scale of Mamamia means that we rely on advertising revenue to be able to function. While each and every member of our team absolutely loves their jobs – what we do is still just that – a job. Mamamia isn’t a community service – it’s a business.

To ensure that the many articles we post on Mamamia each day remain free for readers, we need to bring in revenue and the way we do that is by advertising. Sometimes, this advertising is in the form of banner ads. Other times, sponsored posts.

Often, we will encourage advertisers to do giveaways. We’re always trying to maximise value for you – our readers. We know you like free stuff and we do everything possible to encourage our advertisers to give it to you.

Our team puts every single piece of sponsored editorial through the same rigorous process that all our other content. What does that mean? It means we won’t publish it unless we think our readers will find it genuinely engaging and interesting.

Here are some answers to the most commonly asked questions about sponsored posts. If you have any further concerns about sponsored posts, please email info@mamamia.com.au and a member of our editorial team will consider your queries.

Q: How do I know if a post is sponsored or not?

Every sponsored post includes a breakout box that explains that the post is sponsored. That breakout box appears on the first view of the screen that you see. There is also a disclaimer at the end that explains who the sponsor is and a bit of information about their product. Transparency is key and you can always be assured of it.

Q: Who writes the sponsored posts?

Sponsored posts are conceived and written by the Mamamia editorial team or one of our great contributors, in conjunction with the client. The stories and anecdotes that these writers share are their honest experiences and are put through the same rigorous standards that all our content is: it has to be interesting and relevant to you, the reader.

Q: What are your ethical guidelines around the advertising and sponsored posts published on Mamamia?

Great question. And there’s an easy answer to it, although not one that will make everyone happy because ‘ethics’ are highly subjective.

Quite simply, we publish whatever we’re comfortable with. Some people think we shouldn’t accept advertising for baby formula. Others think Mamamia shouldn’t accept alcohol advertising. Some are outraged by advertising for chocolate or any product high in fat or sugar because they believe that will cause obesity. Others are opposed to advertising by weight control programs. Or banks. Or fast food. Or beauty products.

We take a different view. We believe that all the people who read Mamamia are intelligent adults who can make up their own minds after being presented with information. We don’t tell you what to do. Or not to do. We just present information and expect you to make up your own mind – just like with any other form of advertising you see in any other medium.

Q: Do you limit the number of Sponsored Posts you do?

You can always choose to skip Sponsored Posts. We publish around 50 posts a week and usually a maximum of 3 or 4 are sponsored. Whenever we plan our line up of stories for the day, we always ensure Sponsored Posts are above and beyond the number of editorial posts we would usually have. They’re extras and not replacements.

Q: Aren’t sponsored posts just the same as cash-for-comment?

Absolutely not. The term cash-for-comment refers to the deceptive practice of journalists, bloggers or broadcasters secretly taking cash in order to spruik goods or services. The key here is non-disclosure. Mamamia will always disclose when a post is sponsored.

 

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