Sponsored Content Policy

Our Commitment to Transparency

Hydrovac News is committed to maintaining the trust of our readers and the integrity of our content. We believe that transparency about financial relationships between content contributors and our platform is essential. This policy explains how we handle sponsored content, guest articles, and paid partnerships.

This policy is guided by the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Endorsement Guides and reflects our commitment to honest, transparent communication with our audience.

What Is Sponsored Content?

Sponsored content is any article, guest contribution, or editorial feature on Hydrovac News where the author or their company has a paid relationship with us. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Guest articles from companies that pay for a listing in our Hydrovac Industry Buyers Guide
• Paid guest contributions where the author's company has a commercial relationship with Hydrovac News
• Promotional content created in conjunction with an advertising or sponsorship arrangement

How We Identify Sponsored Content

We clearly and prominently label all sponsored content so readers can easily distinguish it from independent editorial content. Our labeling practices include:

• Prominent disclosure at the top of the article — A clearly visible banner appears immediately below the article title, before the reader engages with the content. This banner includes a “Sponsored” badge and a description of the commercial relationship.
• Secondary disclosure at the bottom — A note at the end of the article reaffirms the commercial context and provides links to learn more about our Buyers Guide.
• “Sponsored” badge — Articles with paid contributors display a visible sponsored badge in the article hero section and on listing pages.

Editorial Standards for Sponsored Content

While we welcome guest contributions from industry professionals, all content published on Hydrovac News must meet our editorial standards:

• Accuracy — All claims, specifications, and technical information must be factually accurate and verifiable.
• Relevance — Content must be relevant to the hydro excavation industry and provide genuine value to our readers.
• No misleading claims — We do not publish content with unsubstantiated performance claims, false comparisons, or misleading testimonials.
• Editorial review — All guest articles undergo editorial review before publication. We reserve the right to edit, reject, or request revisions to any submitted content.

Editorial Independence

Paid relationships do not influence our independent editorial content. Our industry reporting, educational articles, newsletter content, and resource guides are produced independently and are not influenced by advertising relationships.

A company's status as a paid Buyers Guide participant does not guarantee editorial coverage, favorable reviews, or preferential treatment in our publications.

Buyers Guide Listings

The Hydrovac Industry Buyers Guide is a directory of equipment manufacturers, component suppliers, and service providers in the hydro excavation industry. Listings in the Buyers Guide are paid placements.

Companies that purchase a Buyers Guide listing may also be eligible to contribute guest articles. When a Buyers Guide participant contributes a guest article, the article will be clearly labeled as sponsored content with appropriate disclosures as described above.

Reader Responsibility

We encourage our readers to consider the commercial context of sponsored content when evaluating the information presented. Sponsored articles represent the views and expertise of the contributing author and company, not necessarily the editorial position of Hydrovac News.

Consistency of Application

This policy applies equally to all paid contributors and sponsors, regardless of the size of their company, the value of their partnership, or their relationship with Hydrovac News. We apply the same disclosure standards to every piece of sponsored content.

Questions About This Policy

If you have questions about our sponsored content policy, or if you believe a piece of content should be labeled as sponsored but is not, please contact us:

• Email: info@hydrovacnews.com
• Advertising inquiries: advertise@hydrovacnews.com

Interested in Contributing?

If you are a hydro excavation industry professional interested in contributing a guest article or learning about our Buyers Guide, please visit our Buyers Guide page or contact us at advertise@hydrovacnews.com.