ad disclosure

Sponsored Placements, Referrals, and Advertising Disclosure

How consumers should read sponsored placement labels, referral disclosures, advertising pages, and editorial comparison language.

Consumers and advertisers7 minUpdated 2026-05-27

Sponsored placement must be visible

Advertising can help fund a directory, but it must not be disguised as an unsupported ranking or source-backed quality claim.

Sponsored labels should be clear.
Payment should not create unsupported claims.
Editorial and advertising signals should be separated.
Consumers should ask about referral relationships.

Featured does not mean guaranteed

A featured profile can be useful visibility, but consumers should still compare source support, fit signals, service model, and current availability.

Featured placement is not a guarantee.
Profiles still need source support.
Sponsored review is separate from profile verification.
Claims still require evidence.

Ask how leads are routed

If a consumer inquiry is routed through a platform, referral network, or advertiser relationship, the disclosure should be understandable before the consumer relies on it.

Lead routing disclosure.
Referral fee disclosure where applicable.
Consumer choice and comparison.
No pressure to choose a sponsor.
Interview prompts

Questions to bring into agent interviews

Copy these prompts into your notes and ask them consistently across multiple agents.

  1. 1Is this profile sponsored?
  2. 2How are sponsored placements labelled?
  3. 3Does payment affect ranking?
  4. 4Are referral fees involved?
  5. 5Can I compare non-sponsored profiles too?
Tools

Use a worksheet next

Turn the guide into a repeatable comparison process before contacting agents.

Comparison tool

Claim checker

A rights-safe checklist for reviewing agent claims, review signals, awards, specialties, languages, and profile completeness.

Open worksheetComparison tool

Shortlist planner

A planning tool for choosing which city profiles to compare by neighbourhood, property type, specialty, and service model.

Open worksheet
Action path

Turn this guide into a city shortlist

Browse local comparison pages, prepare questions, and use the same criteria across every profile you contact.

Compare by cityOpen checklist
Consumer resources

Research-backed resources for comparing agents

These guides and tools help buyers and sellers compare profiles, prepare interviews, verify source-supported claims, and choose a service model without relying on unsupported rankings.

Compare fit

Use city, neighbourhood, property type, service model, and source support.

Ask better questions

Use the same interview prompts across multiple profiles.

Verify before signing

Check licensing, representation terms, fees, referrals, and current source links.

Compare agentsInterview questionsBuyer agentsListing agents
Browse resourcesOpen comparison tools
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FAQ

Disclosure guide FAQ

Can a sponsor buy a ranking?

No. Sponsored placement can be labelled advertising, but it does not create an editorial ranking or unsupported quality claim.

Will sponsored profiles still need sources?

Yes. Sponsored profiles still need source-supported profile fields and must avoid copied bios, copied photos, and unauthorized review text.

Can consumers report unclear disclosure?

Yes. Consumers can submit corrections or contact the editorial team if disclosure is unclear.