Comments on: Do You Ask Permission to Post Samples on Your Site? (I Don’t…)

By: Jennifer Gniadecki

Jennifer Gniadecki — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:56:05 +0000

I never ask for permission for samples. Most of my work goes on the web and I will link to the location and then make a .pdf of the article or content I created in case the url changes or is taken down. But Google duplicate content is highly misunderstood and a .pdf on my website is not going to make anyone’s pagerank go down.

My policy is if it is a big name it goes on the portfolio page online. Smaller work doesn’t give me the same credibility and having too many names seems like overkill to me. I’m all about building credibility with a few big names.

My testimonials don’t use full names, but if someone asks I have already checked and my editors are happy to get on the phone with someone and tell them I’m fabulous I mention this on my business card as well as on my site.

By: Michele Jiménez

Michele Jiménez — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:52:58 +0000

Thanks for your thoughts, Mike.

By: Mike Klassen

Mike Klassen — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:28:42 +0000

In my case, I don’t post a testimonial unless I have permission.

One reason for that is because some companies have policies against their employees making public statements made about third parties. While rare, it can become a legal concern. I used to work for a company that had such a policy.

Obviously, if I asked for a testimonial and they send one, that is their permission. But I’ve had some cases where someone wrote a personal thanks that was so nice I asked if I could use it. I don’t consider it “fair game” to use without permission, but that’s just me.

I use the full name of the person giving the testimonial because it does help remove any speculation whether the testimonial is legitimate.

By: Michele Jiménez

Michele Jiménez — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 14:44:25 +0000

I’d like you to discuss this topic again, but in reference to testimonials, please. When someone sends a complimentary email to me is that “fair game”? There’s a problem with using names and job titles, with permission, when the source moves on to a new job and the info is old but you don’t know that. How do other FLCWs handle that to keep their sites current? Are initials, job titles without permission, still too personal? But without any real indentifying info as to the source, the testimonials are virtually meaningless. Also, internal client surveys. You survey a company about the writing project you’ve done and get good feedback. Would other FLCWs post this, even if all identifying info is removed, but in terms of the subject and your client list elsewhere on your site it’s pretty clear which company was surveyed and whose comments are whose? How do other FLCWs handle these issues?

By: tom feedcopy

tom feedcopy — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:30:48 +0000

This is interesting – I have never asked before because I always thought of it as free advertising for the client. I may start asking out of courtesy if it is something specialized.

Great topic!

By: Apryl Parcher

Apryl Parcher — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:54:22 +0000

I agree with Joe that using live links isn’t always a good answer–because I’ve used them in the past and found out much later that the content was removed or the url changed. For websites, I use a .pdf copy of the site–but then I read earlier in this post that someone said not to use them due to a duplicate content issue with Google?

I’ve never had a problem with a .pdf before, and screenshots always come out blurry for me. Does someone have a good solution that stays sharp?

I also don’t ask about using the work on my portfolio, since I have a clause in every contract that states I have the right to use the material for promotional purposes, but if a client asked me not to, or if the material was proprietary, I would certainly comply with their wishes or sanitize it.

Apryl http://www.aparcher.com

By: Joe Mullich

Joe Mullich — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:00:51 +0000

“One solution: instead of posting the sample itself on your website, if the piece is actually posted on the company’s website, you can simply link to your sample.”

There are a couple of drawbacks to this approach. One, as someone else said, it steers the visitor away from your site, which is rarely a good idea. Second, the customer’s site could take down the material at any point, leaving you with a broken link. But mostly I don’t see the advantage of linking because it’s correcting a problem that really isn’t a problem in the first place. If I made a list of things to be concerned about on the typical day, whether a client would complain about my posting material I wrote for him on my own web site would probably rank 16,595th. Hmm, or maybe a little lower.

By: Debbi

Debbi — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:53:40 +0000

My pleasure, Anne. You have a great blog. A must-read for anyone who writes for a living.

By: Anne Wayman

Anne Wayman — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:52:32 +0000

Thanks to Debbie for posting a link to my ghostwriting post on claiming credit… for non ghostwriting stuff I do exactly as Peter does. Love the company I’m in

Here’s the link to my blog where I reference this discussion.

By: peter

peter — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:31:56 +0000

Thanks Jesse,

Linking to a sample on a client’s site is one possible solution, but in my experience, it’s rare that the client does post the piece on their site. After all, most of my projects are brochures, direct mail, newsletters, etc., and those seem to rarely be posted. The only exception is case studies, which often are, but I’m with Mike: why bother doing that and have them leave your site? And more importantly, to my original point, it’s not something that’s ever been an issue so why take some “safer” fallback position to prevent a scenario that’s virtually never going to be an issue? Just one man’s opinion…