TikTok’s New Branded Content Policy Explained 

TikTok is taking a clear stance on disclosure and transparency. 

It has introduced new rules for branded content that every creator needs to follow starting September 2025. 

If you post product reviews, gifted collaborations, or any type of paid partnership, this update affects you directly. The goal is to make commercial content more transparent and protect the authenticity that keeps TikTok fun, creative, and REAL. 

Let’s break down what’s changing and what you need to do to keep your videos visible on the For You feed. 

What Does TikTok’s New Policy Say? 

TikTok now requires creators to disclose any form of branded or commercial content before posting. 

That means if you’re being paid, gifted, or otherwise compensated to talk about a product or brand, you must turn on TikTok’s “Disclose commercial content” setting. 

Here’s how it works: 

When posting, toggle “Disclose commercial content” ON. 

Then, choose the right category: 

• Promotional content: if you’re promoting your own brand, product, or service. 
• Branded content: if you’re promoting another brand in exchange for a gift, payment, discount, or incentive. 

TikTok automatically identifies a video as “commercial” if it includes: 

💰 Financial incentive (payment, gifting, or discounts) 

🏷️ Brand name, tag, logo, or hashtag 

🎥 Product recommendation, review, or call-to-action 

This new rule applies to all creators, whether you’re doing gifted collaborations, paid partnerships, or brand challenges. 

What Happens If You Don’t Disclose Properly 

TikTok is now actively monitoring undisclosed commercial content. 

Here’s what happens if your video is flagged: 

Within 2–3 hours of posting, you may receive an in-app notification if TikTok detects undisclosed branded content. 

You’ll have 24 hours to correct it or submit an appeal. 

If you don’t fix it in time, your video could become ineligible for the For You feed, which means it won’t appear to new audiences — drastically reducing your organic reach. 

Remember non-disclosure leads to limited visibility and proper disclosure leads to trust, compliance, and reach. 

How to Stay Compliant (and Stress-Free) as a Skeepers Creator 

If you’re creating TikTok content through Skeepers, here’s exactly what you need to do: 

1. When filming for a Skeepers campaign: 

• Always toggle “Disclose commercial content” before posting. 

2. Choose the right type of disclosure: 

• Select “Branded content” for any gifted or paid collaboration. 
• Choose “Promotional content” only if promoting your own brand or product. 

3. Double-check before publishing. 

• Once your video is flagged, you can’t edit the disclosure retroactively so it’s always better to set it right the first time. 

Skeepers update: To help you out, you’ll now see an in-app pop-up reminder when creating a TikTok campaign. This message will explain TikTok’s Branded Content Policy and link directly to our Help Center, where you can find a step-by-step guide on how to turn on the disclosure toggle. 

Why Transparency Actually Helps You Grow 

Many creators worry that adding “Promotional content” or “Paid partnership” labels might affect their engagement. 

Good news: TikTok’s data shows the opposite. 

According to TikTok’s studies (2023–2025), there’s no drop in performance between disclosed and non-disclosed content. 

By being transparent, you’re showing your followers (and brands) that your recommendations are honest and credible. It also keeps your content eligible for Spark Ads and future paid amplification. 

Regional Rules You Should Know 

While TikTok’s new Branded Content Policy applies globally, it’s also designed to align with local advertising and consumer protection laws.

That means: even if your audience or campaign is based in another country, you’re still legally required to disclose commercial collaborations clearly and visibly. 

Here’s a breakdown of what’s expected in key regions 👇 

🇪🇺 European Union (EU) 

In the EU, transparency is a legal obligation under Directive 2005/29/EC (the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive). 

Creators must clearly indicate when a post or video includes paid promotion, gifting, or any brand collaboration so that consumers can easily recognize it as advertising. 

TikTok’s new toggle fully satisfies these requirements, which means you’re automatically compliant by enabling it. 

Using TikTok’s disclosure tools also ensures your content remains eligible for paid amplification (Spark Ads, collaborations, and reposts) across all EU markets. 

🇬🇧 United Kingdom 

In the UK, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) require creators to make sponsored or gifted content unmistakably clear to viewers, ideally at the start of the video.  

Terms like “ad,” “paid partnership,” or “gifted collaboration” must be easy to see and understand. TikTok’s “Promotional content” and “Paid partnership” labels meet these standards, ensuring your videos are both platform-compliant and legally transparent. 

Hiding disclosures in captions or hashtags (e.g., #sp, #collab) is not enough under ASA rules. The disclosure must be clear within the video which TikTok’s built-in system guarantees. 

🇺🇸 United States 

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires creators to disclose any “material connection” with a brand whether that’s payment, free products, affiliate links, or discounts. 

This means even unpaid collaborations (like gifted campaigns on Skeepers) count as commercial relationships and must be disclosed. 

TikTok’s disclosure labels (“Promotional content” or “Paid partnership”) automatically meet the FTC’s requirements for clarity and visibility. 

Conclusion 

Disclosure Protects Your Work and Your Reputation 

You put so much of yourself into every video such as your creativity, your time, your personal voice. The last thing you want is for your content to lose visibility simply because you did not toggle on one small setting. 

By disclosing your collaborations, you’re protecting your hard work, your reach, and your reputation. It makes you more authentic, not less. Your followers will trust your recommendations even more, because they know you’re being transparent about the partnerships behind them. 

And brands notice this too. When you consistently disclose your collaborations, you show that you’re a professional creator who understands compliance, someone brands can trust to represent them responsibly and confidently. 

So before you hit “Post,” take that extra second to turn on TikTok’s disclosure toggle. It’s a simple step that keeps your content seen, your audience connected, and your brand partnerships stronger than ever.