What is a sponsored post? Cost and labels
Nishant · Updated 10 Oct 2026 · 4 min read
Short answer
A sponsored post is content a brand pays you to publish, through money, gifts or another benefit. Disclose that relationship clearly before readers reach the promotion, and mark paid links rel="sponsored" (or rel="nofollow"). Unlike a monthly ad spot, a post takes writing or editing and usually stays in your archive. Price that work and agree the terms before publishing.
On this page
How a sponsored post differs from other ads
| Format | Who writes it | Where it sits | How long it runs | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sponsored post | The site owner, the brand, or both | In the content itself | Usually stays up for good | Up front, per post |
| Banner or sidebar ad | The brand supplies an image | Beside the content | A set period, often a month | Up front, per period |
| Sponsored link | The brand supplies a line of text | In a list, a footer or a newsletter | A set period or one issue | Up front, per period or issue |
| Affiliate link | The site owner | Inside any post | As long as the post | Per sale |
| Network ad | An auction picks it | Beside the content | Changes per view | Per 1,000 views |
The difference that matters: a banner is plainly an ad, while a sponsored post looks like the rest of your writing. That is why the disclosure rules are stricter for it.
What sponsored posts cost
Across 25 published websites with monthly USD prices, the median cheapest offer is $125; the middle half ask $50 to $300. These are asking prices, not confirmed sales.
Currently published directory: 43 unique domains. Source observations: 2026-10-08 to 2026-10-09. Asking prices, not confirmed sales. USD monthly website offers; each domain contributes its cheapest offer. A format cohort includes sites offering that format, not the individual placement price. Traffic bands describe stated visitors or pageviews; they are not CPM estimates. Groups need at least 10 unique domains.
| Published website | USD asking price |
|---|---|
| 12voltmag.com | $149 starting price a month |
| 2regularguys.com | $100 starting price a month |
| 3dprintmetal.co | $500 starting price a month |
Worked example
Disclosure: what the FTC expects
In the United States, the FTC's Endorsement Guides (revised in June 2023) say a paid or gifted connection between you and a brand must be disclosed when readers would not expect it. The FTC's points, in short:
- Say it plainly. "Sponsored by Acme" or "Acme paid for this post" works. Vague tags like "#sp" or "collab" can be missed or misread.
- Put it where readers will see it. A disclosure readers may miss is not clear and conspicuous, so place it before the pitch and the links, not only at the end.
- Make it clear and conspicuous. The 2023 revision defines this: easy to notice and easy to understand, for the audience reading it. There is no fixed formula.
- Do it every time. Each sponsored post needs its own disclosure; one note on an "about" page does not cover them.
- Don't rely on a platform toggle alone. The revised Guides warn that a platform's built-in disclosure tool may not be enough.
The Guides are not regulations themselves, but the FTC uses them to judge whether a practice is deceptive under the FTC Act. The UK (ASA and CMA) and the EU have similar rules: if it was paid for, label it as an ad. Source: ftc.gov/endorsementguides.
Note: This is a summary, not legal advice. Check the rules for the countries your readers are in.
Links: rel="sponsored"
Google asks sites to mark paid links so they don't pass ranking credit. Since September 2019 the preferred attribute is:
<a href="https://brand.example" rel="sponsored">Brand</a>
rel="nofollow" is still accepted for paid links. A followed link that was paid for counts as a link scheme under Google's spam policies and can cost your site rankings (Google's spam policies). Use rel="sponsored" on every link in a sponsored post, and on banner and logo links too.
Should you sell sponsored posts?
They fit when readers trust your recommendations, the brand is something you would mention anyway, and you want a larger single deal. They fit less well when you are short on time or the brand wants control over what you say: you write or edit each one, it stays in your archive, and a poor fit costs reader trust.
The alternatives each suit a different owner. Affiliate links pay only on sales but need no deal. An ad network needs no selling at all. A monthly sponsor spot is lighter than a post: the brand supplies a logo, a line and a link, and it comes down at the end of the month. You can sell that by email, through a marketplace, or with a booking tool such as Sponsor.st. See how to sell ad space on your website.
Common mistakes
- Disclosure only at the bottom. Readers must see it before the pitch and the links.
- Followed sponsor links. Every paid link needs
rel="sponsored"orrel="nofollow". - Letting the brand write it unedited. It reads like an ad and costs reader trust.
- Pricing like a banner. A post takes hours and stays up for good; price for both.
- No written terms. Agree the topic, links, review rounds and whether the post can ever be removed before you start.