An interesting post and subsequent debate…. Thanks for the resource, I do agree that the image on every post may be overkill, whether large or small, however think that it is a topic that we cannot afford to overlook and perhaps the way forward is to take on board the wording from the statements to incorporate into our blogs/posts.
All the best

Tom
.-= Tom Harvey´s last blog ..2009 Draws To A Close and Looking Forward to 2010… =-.

Sounds like a little bit of controversy here.

I read every bit of the new FTC rules and as I was reading it I just kept shaking my head and muttering to myself, “this is going to do nothing but cause mass confusion”.

At the moment I don’t have a disclosure policy on my blog but I’ll get to it when I have time. (not at the top of my to do list)

The only thing that really caught my attention was the stuff about testimonials on sales pages. This is something you need to pay attention to. There are so many sales pages out there with bogus testimonials it’s not even funny.

If you buy a product with MRR or PLR rights that comes with a sales letter the first thing you need to do is strip out the testimonials because they are not from your customers. Testimonials are great to have and they will definitely help conversions but they must be your own.

If you’re selling your own products just ask your customers if they like what they have purchased could they please give a testimonial. I think you might be surprised at the response.

Later,
Jeff Sargent
.-= Jeff Sargent´s last blog ..Aweber Click Tracking – How Not To Do It =-.

However I can see the time coming more sooner than later when I’ll need to find out what all the hype is about.

I’ll know where to come to start my research.

Cheers
Sean K

@ Luca I have to agree on the confusing bit there, as you say though everyone has to comply it is not something we can just ignore.

@ Annie Glad I could help out.

@ Chuck The disclosure presented is one of six to choose from and they do cover monetized blogs and websites too. As this is a post that I decided to write for a free service that I have no conection with I used the one above that states just that.

Check out the others and I am sure you will find one or more you can use.

Great little service. And I like the fact that it is FREE. Looks fairly simple to use and the short links can be included in tweets.

Will be signing up. I have already taken care of the stuff for my website. I actually bought the software from Mike Young, however I was wondering about twitter etc.

Hope everything is going well.

Jacinta
.-= Jacinta Dean´s last blog ..X Stripper And John Thornhill! =-.

This is a great debate!

Personally, I don’t see any need whatsoever to emblazon adverts for (likely) non-FTC regulated website or give them free links at any opportunity, in the name of staying “safe”.

All you need is one Disclosure Page. I believe these are a good idea because it makes you transparent to your readers, but there is no need to link to this page within your posts etc. either.

If the worst thing you ever do online is link out to an affiliate offer and not shout from the rooftops that you will get paid as a result of any sales then you have done very well indeed.

I encourage EVERYONE who has read this post to vist JohnChow.com and read his disclosure page. He treats this entire situation with the good humour and non-seriousness it deserves.

There are far more important things to worry about – like actually ranking well enough and getting enough traffic to your site so the FTC actually become aware of your existence.

They are NOT the all seeing eye (that’s Google, surely?)

Anyway, I gotta go as two guys in dark suits and sunglasses have just pulled up outside my house.

I guess they just want directions or something…

David

I hear you man, this is just one option, I would never use the image one myself if I was going to use it then I would just link it up.

But if you take a look through all the disclosures it gives you a good idea where to start with your own if needed.

Also as David said I doubt very much that I would need one here anyway, as he also says it is a problem that doesn’t exist, even so many people are worried that it does, I am not trying to fuel that fire but this will help them if they feel they need to have one and save them hours of wasted time searching for what they need to do.

Which is probably nothing

Cheers,

James