Sponsored Content on CluedUp
Quick answer: Sponsored content on CluedUp is a clearly labelled article that tells your story, produced to our editorial standards and shown to our South African how-to readers. It is always marked as sponsored and never presented as official or independent guidance. Ask about sponsored content to begin.
Key takeaways
- What it is: a labelled branded article that tells your story to an engaged, task-focused audience.
- Always disclosed: marked as sponsored, in line with the FTC endorsement guidelines.
- Never disguised: sponsored articles are never presented as independent or official guidance.
- Quality bar: produced to our standards so it is genuinely useful, not just promotional.
- Pricing: by scope and format — request current rates.
What sponsored content is
Sponsored content is an article you fund and shape, published on CluedUp with a clear label telling readers it is sponsored. Unlike a banner advert, it gives you room to explain your product, service or cause in depth. Unlike our independent guides, it carries your point of view — which is exactly why it is labelled. Readers should always be able to tell in an instant whether they are reading our own guidance or a message from a sponsor.
Think of it as a place to make your case honestly and at length, on a page people trust. You get to set out what you offer, who it helps and why it matters, in your own voice. What you do not get is our independent endorsement dressed up as neutral advice — that is the one thing sponsorship cannot buy, and the label is there so no reader mistakes one for the other. Handled well, that clarity is a feature, not a limitation: an audience that knows exactly what it is reading is an audience that can actually be persuaded.
Why sponsored content works on a public-service site
People come to CluedUp while they are making decisions, which is precisely when a well-judged sponsored article can help. If someone is reading about a process your service simplifies, a labelled piece that explains how you fit is genuinely useful to them, not an intrusion. The trust readers place in the site rubs off on honest sponsors who respect it — and evaporates for anyone who tries to game it. That is why we hold sponsored work to the same clarity standard as our own guides: the format only keeps working if readers never feel misled.
How sponsored content differs from our guidance
This distinction is central to how CluedUp works:
- Independent guidance — our own plain-language how-to and public-service guides, decided by our team and never for sale.
- Sponsored content — a labelled article funded by a sponsor, telling their story to our standards.
- Advertising — labelled display and promotional placements around our guides.
Sponsorship never changes what an independent guide says, and a sponsored article never claims to be official advice.
What makes good sponsored content here
Because our readers arrive to get something done, the sponsored articles that perform best are useful first and promotional second. A piece that genuinely helps someone understand a topic — while making clear how your offer fits — earns attention and trust. A thinly veiled sales pitch does not, and we will steer you away from it. We help shape sponsored work so it respects the reader and still meets your goal.
One thing a sponsored article can never do here is borrow authority we do not have. CluedUp is an independent publisher, not a government agency or official body, and we are not affiliated with or endorsed by any government. A sponsor cannot use a labelled article to imply official approval, and our own guidance remains independent and never for sale regardless of who sponsors what. That boundary is fixed, and it is part of what makes a placement on a trusted public-service site worth having.
How it is labelled
Every sponsored article is clearly marked as sponsored so there is no ambiguity, and it is styled to be distinguishable from our independent guides. We follow the FTC endorsement guidelines on disclosure. This protects readers and also protects you: honest labelling on a trusted public-service site is far more valuable than a placement people feel tricked by.
What we will not do
We will not publish sponsored content that impersonates an official government communication, promises guaranteed outcomes, or misleads readers about a public process. We do not sell undisclosed or disguised paid links inside sponsored articles. And we will not drop the sponsored label to make a piece look like independent guidance — that is precisely the line we exist to hold.
What we need from you
To produce a strong sponsored article we need a clear brief: what you are promoting, the single main message you want readers to take away, any facts or claims you want included, and the action you would like readers to consider. Accurate supporting detail helps — and any claim you supply must be one you can stand behind, because we will not publish figures or promises we cannot square with our standards. If you have brand assets, links or a preferred call to action, send those too. The clearer your brief, the closer the first draft will be to what you want.
The production process
Tell us your goal and audience; we agree the angle, length, labelling and timing; you provide the brief and any assets; we produce or refine the article to our standards; then we publish it clearly labelled. Our team reviews the final wording so it stays accurate and reader-friendly, even when the message is yours. You will see the piece before it goes live, and we will work with you on revisions — within the limits of accuracy and honest labelling, which are not negotiable. Once published, the sponsored label stays in place for the life of the article; we do not quietly strip it later to pass the piece off as independent guidance.
Pricing
Sponsored content is priced by scope, length and placement rather than a flat fee, because a single article and an ongoing series are different commitments. Share what you want to achieve and we will send current rates, a media kit and realistic timing. Request a quote.
CluedUp is an independent publication with a named team and published methods — see about us and how we verify and edit our guides. All sponsored work is disclosed in line with the FTC endorsement guidelines and kept clearly separate from our independent guidance. Sponsored articles, like our guides, are information only — not legal, financial or professional advice — and that honesty is what keeps a sponsored placement here worth having.
Frequently asked questions
Is sponsored content labelled?
Yes, always. Every sponsored article is clearly marked as sponsored, following the FTC endorsement guidelines.
Can sponsored content look like your guidance?
No. Sponsored articles are never presented as independent or official guidance, and our guidance is never for sale.
How is it different from advertising?
Advertising is a display or promotional placement; sponsored content is a longer labelled article that tells your story in depth.
Do you include paid links?
We do not sell undisclosed or disguised paid links. Any commercial relationship is disclosed and compliant.
Will your team edit it?
Yes. We produce or refine sponsored articles to our standards and review the final wording for accuracy and clarity.
What will you not publish?
Anything that imitates an official communication, promises guaranteed outcomes, or misleads readers about a public process.
How much does it cost?
It depends on scope, length and placement. Request current rates and a media kit.
How do I commission a piece?
Tell us your goal via our contact page or [email protected] and we will propose an approach.
How much does sponsored content cost on CluedUp?
It depends on scope and format. Request current rates via our contact page.
Is sponsored content the same as a how-to guest post?
No — sponsored content is a paid, clearly labelled promotional article; contributor guest posts are unpaid editorial. Both follow our standards.