Rules and ethics
Part of Landing page software rules and ethics: a UK review guide
Pre-release checks on a landing page's claims, overall impression and testimonials
Check landing page advertising evidence, overall impression, qualifications, disclosure, testimonials and continuity before an England release.
This pre-release checklist covers England non-broadcast advertising rules for landing pages, funnels and lead-capture software. The rules apply to the finished communication, not the builder setting. Review the acquisition message and landing page together, including what an ordinary visitor is likely to understand before acting.
This checklist was researched on 6 September 2026 for non-broadcast advertising directed at England within the cited authorities' UK remit. It is not legal advice or CAP Copy Advice, and it does not approve any advert. An ASA/CAP Copy Advice reviewer or the relevant sector regulator must examine the actual evidence and regulated-product context.
What to take away
- Review the acquisition message and landing page together, not the builder setting.
- Objective claims need evidence, and the overall impression matters to the ASA.
- A qualification should clarify rather than contradict the claim it sits beside.
- Testimonials need genuineness, permission and a record of commercial interests.
- Regulated products need sector specialists, not a copied general disclaimer.
Pre-release evidence checklist
- Define the communication.Save the advert, sender or publisher, audience and channel. Add the destination URL and release date. Section 2 of the CAP Code covers recognition of marketing communications and commercial intent. Record why the item is advertising, editorial, service information or another class rather than assuming a page label decides.
- Capture the likely impression.Read headline, imagery, price, call to action and sequence as one communication. The ASA's misleading advertising guidance says objective claims need evidence and the overall impression matters. Ask a reviewer to write the proposition a visitor would probably take away.
- Link each objective claim to substantiation.The claim file should identify the exact product, population, method, geography and period. It should also name the owner and expiry. Software output, supplier copy or a confidence score is not evidence for the advertised result. Stop if the record supports a narrower statement than the page makes.
- Test every qualification in context.CAP Executive guidance explains that a qualification should clarify rather than contradict. Preserve screenshots at the intended viewport and journey stage. A condition that changes the central offer may need to appear with the claim, not after a form submission.
- Make advertising recognisable.Record the commercial relationship and the label used before the visitor engages. Recognition depends on placement, prominence and context. A disclosure in a footer should not be treated as a universal solution.
- Verify testimonials and reviews.CAP advice dated 31 July 2026 on testimonials and endorsements addresses genuineness, permission, relevance and commercial interests. Keep the original statement, contact and permission record. Do not edit a review into a broader performance claim or present staff as independent customers.
- Check consumer information.The CMA's unfair-commercial-practices guidance, updated in November 2025, states that the DMCC Act provisions apply to practices from 6 April 2025. For a consumer invitation to purchase, record the seller, main characteristics, price route and material information. Analyse business-only offers separately.
- Identify a regulated product before approval.General CAP review may sit beside sector rules rather than replace them. The FCA states that websites can be financial promotions and points firms to product-specific requirements in its financial promotions record. The MHRA's medicines advertising guidance, last updated 11 April 2025, distinguishes product status, audience and territory. Give the final page to the competent specialist instead of copying a general disclaimer.
- Trace channel-to-page continuity.Compare the exact advert promise with the loaded destination, including product edition, stock or eligibility, price basis and expiry. Define who monitors both versions and who can withdraw them together.
Worked example. A page claims 'saves five hours a week'. The qualification says 'for teams of 10 or more'. The claim file would need a record naming the user group, the task measured, the period and the method. If only one team was tested, the page should say so beside the claim.
Release decision
Record pass, fail or unresolved per item, with reviewer, evidence, date; privacy, PECR, accessibility, IP and sector rules need separate reviews and cannot be inferred from an advertising pass.
Recheck the CAP Code, regulator pages, claim evidence and live render on publication day. If destination changes after approval, return affected claims and qualifications to review before traffic resumes.
Common questions
What must a claim file identify for each objective claim?
It should name the product, population, method, geography and period. It should also give the owner and expiry. Supplier copy or software output is not evidence. If the record supports a narrower statement than the page makes, stop.
How should a qualification be handled on a landing page?
A qualification should clarify rather than contradict. Keep screenshots at the intended viewport and journey stage. If a condition changes the central offer, place it with the claim.
When does a regulated product need a specialist review?
When general CAP review sits beside sector rules rather than replacing them. The FCA treats websites as possible financial promotions. The MHRA distinguishes product status, audience and territory. Give the final page to the competent specialist.
