Most job photos are simply a business showing its own work. The rules become more important when someone else promotes your business because you paid them, supplied something free, or arranged another benefit.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) says businesses are responsible for ensuring paid-for social endorsements promoting their brand or services are properly labelled as ads. Its guidance covers posts, photos, stories, reels, videos, tags, gifts, competitions and reviews.

Spot the commercial relationship

Before you ask a local creator, supplier or public figure to post about your work, write down what they will receive and what you expect them to publish. Payment is not the only connection worth checking. A free service, product, discount, commission or other benefit can make the relationship relevant to the audience.

Do not assume that an informal message such as “try this and post if you like it” removes your responsibility if the content is part of a promotional arrangement. Discuss the disclosure before the post goes live.

Make the label hard to miss

The audience should be able to recognise the commercial nature of the post without having to open a profile, expand a long caption or guess what a vague hashtag means. Use a clear advert label in a prominent place and check that it remains visible in the actual format: a reel, story, image or caption.

If a platform offers a branded-content label, use it where appropriate, but do not assume a platform tool replaces any other disclosure needed. The CMA guidance says businesses should take responsibility for making the relationship clear.

Keep a simple campaign record

For each collaboration, save the agreement, the benefit offered, the wording requested and a screenshot or link to the published content. Check the post before it is published and ask for corrections if the label is missing or unclear.

For a small trade business, a one-page checklist can cover:

  • Who is publishing the content?
  • What payment, gift or other benefit is involved?
  • Which platforms and formats will be used?
  • Where will the advertising disclosure appear?
  • Who checks the final post?

An ordinary customer who independently recommends your work is different from a creator paid or rewarded to promote it. Do not tell customers to add an advert label when there is no commercial arrangement, but never hide one when it exists.

Read the CMA's guidance for brands on social media endorsements and the ASA's advice on making advertising recognisable. This article is general information, not legal advice.