WHY ALL LAWYERS SHOULD FILL OUT AN AVVO PROFILE
WHAT IS THE AVVO RANKING SYSTEM?
AVVO is a ranking system and directory used to help people find lawyers. Some attorneys consider it to be a nuisance or unnecessary. However, the truth of the matter is that AVVO has earned the trust of the public and has become a number one source for people seeking the help of a lawyer. For this reason, every lawyer should take AVVO seriously and take charge of creating and managing their own AVVO profile.
If you’re an attorney, AVVO should be used in addition to your normal marketing, like your own website and local directories. There are also a number of other lawyer directories online offering varying degrees of detail to potential clients – some for free and others for a small fee from the lawyer. AVVO is considered better than other online directories, at least by clients; it’s free, and on top of that, it offers a higher level of detail about each lawyer profiled. For lawyers, AVVO profiles function like an online resume, where you can list your academic and career history, contact information, special areas of expertise, and more.
CRITICISMS DIRECTED AT AVVO
It’s hard to see why anyone would turn away from free advertising. But AVVO has not gone without criticism from lawyers. The initial distaste of AVVO many lawyers share likely stems from the fact that the website uses public data to create profiles on behalf of lawyers who haven’t created their own. The site can also make it difficult for you to remove yourself from its listings, so long as you are still a practicing attorney. This is simply the infrastructure of the directory aspect of the site and is intended to ensure that customers can find the lawyers they need and have a voice if they feel they weren’t represented well. Taking offence at the creation of profiles for them without permission, some lawyers recently filed a suit against AVVO, but it wasn’t found to be crossing any legal lines.
Indeed, the site can maintain and host reviews for you as a lawyer without you needing to lift a finger. But you can claim your AVVO profile with just a few simple steps and a quick verification. As long as there’s going to be a profile of you as an attorney on AVVO, you might as well claim it. This gives you control of the information listed, so you can keep it as accurate and up-to-date as possible. You’ll also be on top of any reviews you get, so you can continue to improve your services for each future client.