MarketUK.uk publishes sponsored content as part of its funding model. This page sets out our policy on sponsored content: what it is, how it is labelled, the rules that govern it, and how it differs from other types of content on this site. Sponsored content is always clearly identified and never disguised as independent editorial. Our editorial independence is guaranteed by the policies linked below.
What sponsored content is
Sponsored content is editorial-like material that has been paid for by a third party – typically a brand, company, trade body or other commercial organisation. It may take the form of an article, a series of articles, a video, an infographic or another content format. The sponsor pays MarketUK.uk to produce and publish the material, and we agree on the general topic and scope in advance. However, the sponsor does not control the content’s conclusions, facts or tone unless the material is explicitly labelled as a paid partnership or advertisement feature (see labelling below).
How sponsored content is labelled
All sponsored content on MarketUK.uk carries one of the following labels, placed prominently at the top of the piece and sometimes repeated within the text:
- “Sponsored by [Brand]”
- “Advertisement feature”
- “Paid partnership with [Brand]”
- “In association with [Brand]”
- “Promoted business feature”
- “Promoted financial product feature”
The label is visible before a reader begins the article, and the sponsorship is also disclosed in any social-media promotion, newsletter inclusion or other distribution channel. If a piece is labelled “Promoted business feature” or “Promoted financial product feature”, it means the content has been produced by our editorial team but funded by a sponsor – the sponsor has no approval over the editorial content.
Rules
- Sponsored content is always clearly labelled. No payment, commercial relationship or other incentive may be used to disguise paid material as independent editorial.
- Commercial partners (sponsors) receive no approval over independent editorial reviews or news articles unless the material is clearly labelled as sponsored. Sponsors may not request changes to an independent review or news story.
- Sponsored material is never disguised as independent editorial. If a piece is sponsored, it must be labelled as such. Any attempt to hide the commercial nature of content is a breach of this policy and our editorial standards.
How sponsorship differs from affiliate links and independent reviews
Sponsorship is distinct from affiliate linking and independent reviews. For full details of our affiliate disclosure, please see our advertising and affiliate disclosure. In short: affiliate links are links to products or services that may earn MarketUK.uk a commission when a reader clicks through or makes a purchase, but the editorial content around those links remains independent and unsponsored. For our policy on independent reviews (including review methodology and how we handle free products or sample copies), please see our reviews policy. Independent reviews are never influenced by sponsors or commercial partners, and any product or service provided for review is disclosed in the review itself.
Editorial independence
No commercial relationship – whether sponsorship, advertising, affiliate partnership or content licensing – determines the editorial conclusions, the selection of news stories, the tone of analysis or the content of opinion pieces. Our editorial independence is enshrined in our editorial policy and our ownership and funding statement. Sponsored content is clearly separated from independent editorial, and our newsroom operates without interference from commercial teams.
Enquiries
If you are interested in sponsoring content on MarketUK.uk, please contact our partnerships team at sponsored@marketuk.uk. For general enquiries about our policies, including this sponsored content policy, please visit our contact page.