Is this legal? Anyone have experience w/ this?

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RaskyKat

RaskyKat

New DJ
Sep 13, 2007
369
0
67
Philly Suburbs...Top of the food chain!
So there I was, searching Google for my website name just to see how many times it appears and on what sites. I found some sites where I expected to find my name. But then, I saw a site that is a competitor's DJ site. I said WTF?! :sqeek:

So I went to his site and at the bottom of his site there is a large white space. I drew my cursor over the large white space, and lo and behold, my name, my business name, and several other local DJ's names are there, along with other generic search terms. All written in white text on a white background so you can't see it (but a search engine can).

Can anyone tell me if this is legal? What what is my best recourse?

The intent is clear. He wants to steal my web traffic. Anyone searching for my business name will get my site but will also get his site. In fact, this is EXACTLY how I found his site.

So whatchu think?

--Will
 
That's an old SEO trick that doesn't work anymore. Google actually penalizes you for doing this now. Check his Meta tags you are probably there too.

I don't think it's illegal unless he is breaking a trademark and your only real recourse is contact and ask to remove it. If he's sleazy enough to do it good luck
 
Jeff Romard said:
That's an old SEO trick that doesn't work anymore. Google actually penalizes you for doing this now. Check his Meta tags you are probably there too.

I don't think it's illegal unless he is breaking a trademark and your only real recourse is contact and ask to remove it. If he's sleazy enough to do it good luck
Click to expand...

Yeah, I checked his meta tags...nothing there. I figured a certified letter requesting him to remove it would be the first step, then after that, call Tony Soprano.
 
I know a couple of local DJs that do that with some of the long established DJ companies in town. Myself don't think it's illegal, but no it's not a good thing to do.
 
First I would be pissed and a bit honored that my business was that much of a threat that he felt he had to cheat to draw my potential clients away from my site.... it's underhanded and a cheap trick.... but not uncommon... Compuhost does this with their google ads.... they use AutOKdj in their adwords campaign.... the jerks.
 
Just to add a slightly differing opinion here...

It's fairly normal to do that (not hidden though) -- I mention all the major DJ software on my sites.

It's not trying to steal yer hits, it's putting relevant text, to what you want the search engines to use to find you. You put as much relevant text as you can, and it increases your chances of moving up the page ranks, for the search terms you are looking for.

Nothing illegal about mentioning a competitors product/service. If you use a registered trademark, you are supposed to put the register mark next to it, to keep the lawyers all happy though. For example, if you put Microsoft on there, you should put the circle R, if you put Windows, you don't have to because it is not a registered trademark (they have some variations though -- windows is too generic to be registered).
 
SimpsonHomer said:
call google. they dont allow this stuff.
Click to expand...

Google has no say in what you put on your website. :sqrolleyes:


As Jeff mentioned, it used to effect page rank, but from what I gather, is no longer in the algorithm.
 
I will admit that I look at the source of many of the other local DJ's sites and will take note of the keywords they are using. But I don't put their company name in mine.
 
Jeff, you should know enough, not to believe "official" Google press releases... :sqwink:

In English, it means:

We can afford to hire competent programmers to to write our web crawlers, but we are too cheap to do so, and are required to pay dividends to our stockholders (many are VPs). So, please police yourselves appropriately.


Their crawlers are stupid, just like the people that run the company :sqlaugh:
 
No it isn't legal depending upon what is used.
The ADJA attorney is very well versed in copyright law.
If your an ADJA member, drop him a line.

Of give me a call to discuss your options.

There are things that you can do.
 
Some times I wonder about folks...


You can do something to market, and be successful.

Or you can sue someone, because they got the idea first, and you were too stupid to think of it. Then you feel like you were taken advantage of.


Work harder, and stop slacking -- marketing will win the day :)
 
To be honest, I think it's dis-honorable. It makes you look cheap.

As a matter of fact, one of our very own members has done the same thing to me.

Heres the link: http://www.1stcarolinadj.com/

Once you get there, scroll down the page to the square box that's just above the availability checker that says "50,000 songs from the last 65 years" and All the new stuff.

Hover your mouse over the box and watch what appears in the little yellow window.

'Nuff said.
 
sparkieg said:
Hover your mouse over the box and watch what appears in the little yellow window.

'Nuff said.
Click to expand...

I see nothing (firefox).

You're right though, I did find this!
<img src="images/musicbannersmall.jpg" alt="kick it productions, greg mcleese, winston salem dj" height="144" width="144"> </a> <br>
Take A Sneak Peak at the <br>

I'm shocked and disappointed.
 
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