Florida Bar Defines Web Guidelines

The Florida Bar recently implemented substantial changes to their advertising guidelines – specifically when it comes to websites. One of the more interesting developments is in regard to testimonials. Lawyer Referral Services have often seen the power of testimonial/referral marketing, without having to follow many of the same guidelines firms do.  Testimonials can be a substantial lead generator as consumers continue to look more and more to peer review and less at “lawyer speak”. It’s a marketing fact that it’s less important what you say about yourself, and more important what others have to say!

The new guidelines allow for the use of referrals with very specific stipulations – all of which are not too difficult to comply with. They include the requirement to, in essence, require consumers to ”opt-in” to see referrals and testimonial information by clicking through to a disclaimer before viewing the testimonial page. There are, as expected, specific disclaimer guidelines that must be adhered to in order to be compliant.

The positive side is that the ruling is now very clear and all Florida firms are to be in compliance as of July 1st, 2010.

So, ask yourself, is your firm compliant and/or are you taking advantage of the power of testimonials? At Connectivity, we will provide a complimentary 1 hour evaluation of your site to determine if you are maximizing the guidelines in a way to increase leads to your firm. With over 400 testimonials under our belt, we know what consumers are looking for from their peer group. Click HERE to request an evaluation from The Connectivity Agency or click HERE for a full outline of the guidelines from The Florida Bar website.