Income Claims
Advertising claims about potential earnings or income, heavily regulated and frequently rejected by ad platforms.
What Income Claims means
Income claims are advertising assertions about earning potential — 'Make $10,000/month from home,' 'I earned six figures in my first year,' etc. These claims are among the most commonly rejected by ad platforms and scrutinized by regulators. The FTC requires that income claims be truthful, represent typical results (not outliers), and be substantiated by evidence. Platform policies generally prohibit unrealistic income claims, 'get rich quick' messaging, and implied income without proper disclaimers. MLM (multi-level marketing), online course, coaching, affiliate marketing, and financial product ads most frequently trigger income claim violations. Best practices include using verifiable average results rather than exceptional outcomes, including 'results not typical' disclaimers, and ensuring testimonials represent typical experiences.
Related terms
Misleading Claims
Advertising statements that deceive or are likely to deceive consumers, prohibited by both regulations and platform policies.
Substantiation
The requirement to have evidence supporting advertising claims before making them, enforced by the FTC and platform policies.
Disclaimer
A statement in or accompanying an ad that limits liability, clarifies claims, or provides legally required disclosures.
Testimonial
A statement from a customer or user about their experience with a product, subject to FTC guidelines and platform policies on authenticity.