Next month at our March Luncheon, we will be focusing on Online Marketing: Legal Pitfalls and Best Practices.  We’ve snagged a great guest speaker and to gear up for this great event, we’re asking the top five questions that get asked over and over again when it comes to avoiding legal issues with digital content.

The Issue

The exponential rise in popularity of social networking websites and other social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and individual blogs, is due in large part to their viral nature. Social networking sites are essentially self-promoting, in that users spread the word for the sites. The more quickly social networking sites grow, the more quickly they spread. The viral quality of social media makes it an appealing way for businesses to market products and services, and marketers have long recognized and tapped the potential of social media outlets. Many advertisers have conducted consumer promotions involving social media to generate attention to and participation in their promotions, thereby maximizing brand exposure. Incorporating social media into a marketing campaign is not, however, without legal risks. Companies utilizing the power of social media must be cognizant of the relevant legal issues in order to protect themselves from liability risks.

Top 5 Questions to Ask Yourself

1. Is all of your online marketing content truthful and substantiated?
If not, you could find yourself sued for false advertising.

2. Are you using native advertising and using social media influencers?
If so, you better be making proper disclosures.

3. Do you and your clients have a robust online privacy statement to protect consumer data you are collecting?
If not, you’re going to want one.

4. Did your marketing department get permission to use that photograph they pulled from Twitter?
If not, you might be infringing somebody’s copyright.

5. Celebrity images for endorsements? Non-celebrities on your website?
If you didn’t get their permission, you may be violating their rights.

We’ll cover all of these topics and more next month at the luncheon.  Tickets are selling fast so be sure to get yours today!