Disclosure Policy
A note on gifted, sponsored, affiliate and commercial content.
The Finer Edit is built on trust. Readers should be able to enjoy the magazine without wondering whether a feature is independent, gifted, sponsored, affiliated, hosted or paid for in some way.
When there is a commercial relationship behind a piece of content, we will make that clear.
This page explains how The Finer Edit handles disclosures across editorial features, gifted experiences, press invitations, affiliate links, sponsored content, advertising and paid directory listings.
Last updated: [insert date]
Independent Editorial
Independent editorial means The Finer Edit has not received payment, a gifted experience, a free product, a hosted visit, affiliate commission or other commercial incentive directly connected to the feature.
Some independent articles are based on personal visits and first-hand experience. Others may be carefully researched using official information, reliable sources and current details.
Where it is useful, we may explain whether a feature was personally visited, locally known, researched, or written from a mix of experience and verified information.
Personally Visited Features
Some articles are written after a personal visit, meal, stay, event or experience.
If The Finer Edit has visited independently and paid in the usual way, the article may be treated as independent editorial.
Where relevant, we may include a note such as:
“This feature is based on a personal visit and was not paid or gifted.”
Or:
“This is one of Lara’s own recipes, cooked and loved at home. Not a paid or gifted feature.”
Researched Features
Some features are researched rather than personally visited. This is especially relevant for wider guides, county pieces, seasonal features, launch content, cultural articles or articles covering several places at once.
A researched feature may use official websites, reliable published sources, local knowledge, current listings, guide information and other relevant material.
We do not pretend to have personally visited somewhere if we have not.
Where appropriate, we may include a note such as:
“This is a researched feature, written from reliable sources and local knowledge rather than a paid or gifted visit.”
Gifted Experiences and Products
Sometimes The Finer Edit may be gifted a meal, stay, ticket, product, service, visit or experience for editorial consideration.
A gifted experience does not automatically guarantee coverage. If it is not a natural fit for the magazine, it may not be featured.
If a feature is written following a gifted experience or product, this will be disclosed clearly.
Example wording may include:
“This experience was gifted to The Finer Edit for editorial consideration.”
“This product was gifted for review consideration.”
“The Finer Edit was invited to experience [place/event/product]. Opinions remain editorially independent.”
Press Invitations and Hosted Visits
The Finer Edit may attend openings, previews, restaurant visits, hotel stays, press launches, exhibitions, events or other experiences by invitation.
Where a feature is written following a press invitation or hosted visit, this will be made clear.
A hosted visit allows us to experience something first-hand. It does not remove editorial judgement, and it does not guarantee praise.
Example wording may include:
“The Finer Edit attended this event by invitation.”
“This feature follows a hosted visit. Editorial views remain our own.”
Sponsored Content
Sponsored content is content that has been paid for by a brand, place, business or partner.
Sponsored features will always be clearly labelled.
Example wording may include:
“Sponsored Feature”
“Advertisement Feature”
“Created in partnership with [Brand]”
“Paid partnership with [Brand]”
Sponsored content must feel at home within The Finer Edit. It should be useful, enjoyable or relevant to readers, not simply squeezed into the magazine because a budget exists and someone has described a product as “elevated” in a PDF.
Paid content does not buy dishonest praise.
Affiliate Links
Some articles may contain affiliate links. This means The Finer Edit may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase, booking or enquiry, at no extra cost to the reader.
Affiliate links help support the magazine, but they do not decide what deserves editorial attention.
Where an article contains affiliate links, this will be disclosed clearly.
Example wording may include:
“This article contains affiliate links. If you buy or book through one of these links, The Finer Edit may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.”
If a whole article is built around affiliate-linked products, stays, bookings or recommendations, the disclosure will appear clearly near the beginning of the piece. If only certain links are affiliate links, we may identify those links or include a clear disclosure within the article.
Advertising
The Finer Edit may sell advertising placements across the website, newsletter, social channels or other magazine spaces.
Advertising will be kept distinct from editorial recommendation where appropriate. If a placement is paid advertising, it will be labelled or presented in a way that makes its commercial nature clear.
Advertising may include display adverts, newsletter placements, sponsored blocks, brand placements or other clearly marked promotional opportunities.
Paid Directory Listings
The Finer Edit may offer paid directory listings in the future.
A paid directory listing is separate from an editorial recommendation. A business may pay to appear in a directory, but that does not mean The Finer Edit has personally visited, tested, reviewed or endorsed the experience.
Directory pages will include a clear note explaining how listings work.
Example wording may include:
“Directory listings may include paid placements. Paid inclusion does not guarantee that The Finer Edit has personally visited, reviewed or endorsed the business.”
Press Samples
The Finer Edit may receive press samples, review products, books, food items, homeware, beauty products or other relevant lifestyle items.
If a product has been sent for consideration and is featured editorially, this will be disclosed where relevant.
Receiving a sample does not guarantee coverage.
Events, Awards and Future Projects
As The Finer Edit grows, the magazine may develop events, awards, printed editions, guides, directories or other commercial projects.
If any feature, award, guide, event or placement includes sponsorship, paid participation, gifted access or another commercial relationship, this will be disclosed clearly.
If future awards involve sponsors, entry fees, judging partners or paid promotional packages, the relevant terms will be explained at the time.
Editorial Independence
The Finer Edit may accept commercial opportunities, but the magazine’s editorial judgement remains its own.
We will not knowingly recommend something we believe to be poor quality, misleading, unsuitable or out of step with the magazine simply because it is paid, gifted, affiliated or advertised.
If something is not a natural fit, it may be declined.
If something is useful to readers but has limitations, we may say so with care.
If something is average, we will usually leave it alone. The internet has survived long enough without another dramatic paragraph about a disappointing sandwich.
How We Label Content
Disclosures may appear at the beginning of an article, near relevant links, within a feature, at the end of a post, or wherever makes the relationship clearest to the reader.
Common labels may include:
Independent editorial
Researched feature
Personally visited
Gifted experience
Hosted visit
Sponsored feature
Advertisement feature
Paid partnership
Affiliate links
Press invitation
Directory listing
The wording may vary depending on the article, but the intention is the same: readers should understand the nature of the relationship before relying on the recommendation.
Corrections and Questions
If you believe a disclosure is missing, unclear or incorrect, please contact us so we can review it.
Contact:
[insert editorial email address]
We will review the issue and update the relevant article where appropriate.
Our Promise
The Finer Edit exists to share good recommendations, thoughtful guides, beautiful ideas and useful details with warmth and honest judgement.
Commercial relationships may help support the magazine, but they should never blur the reader’s understanding of what they are reading.
The edit remains the edit.
