1st Page Google Placement and other Marketing Claim Untruths that Should be Avoided
We’ve all heard of false advertising, and many of us have probably even been fooled by false advertisements. Marketing companies and advertisers alike have an obligation to report factual information without stretching the truth, no matter what industry you’re a part of. However, fields like medical marketing and healthcare advertising have more than an ethical obligation for reporting factual information. They have to be even more careful to uphold FTC regulations as failing to do so could result in hefty fines and a public relations disaster.
Last month, Website Magazine highlighted an article that discussed the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) law suit against the promotion of Acai berries as weight-loss products on fake news websites. Although this incident is still pending trial, the advertisers on the fake news sites and the publishers’ of the material are under investigation. Medical and health advertisers face very strict regulations. With our specialty in medical marketing, this is a truth the McCauley Marketing team knows well. According to FTC regulations, disclosure statements must be added to websites that promote alternative health products, such as the Acai berry. Upholding these regulations helps minimize malpractice issues.
At McCauley Services, we understand the importance of advertising only factual information when working with clients from any field. Deceptive marketing efforts only make our jobs harder. While stretching the truth can make brands and products sound better than they actually are on flyers and brochures, we know that eventually harms your internal marketing efforts and most importantly your professional reputation. Customer relationship management is an important part of any business’ strategy. The internal side of marketing focuses on keeping your current customers happy rather than attracting new ones. If marketing materials are deceptive, customers probably won’t return to your business.
As a marketing firm however, we recognize the value of disclaimers or disclosures statements to educate and make the public aware of the content posted. Marketing outlets like social media, as innovative as they are, can get businesses into trouble if certain precautionary measures like disclaimers aren’t taken as to whose opinion is being expressed on these outlets, what the sources of the material promoted, etc.
McCauley Marketing Services feels the same way about deceptive marketing strategies as we do about black hat SEO tactics: while they may increase brand awareness or website visibility for a little bit, it’s only a matter of time before they backfire. For more information about McCauley Marketing Services visit our website. If you haven’t already, be sure to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.