12 June 2008
Meta Tags: The "Rules" We Follow
There are some things that you CAN do but SHOULDN'T do because the intent is questionable.
I found yet another example in the web field the other day. I was creating a website for a local company and the owner asked how he could make the site more visible to search engines like Google, Yahoo, Answers, etc.
I began to explain what meta tags were and how he could come up with a list of words for the search engines so they would return the site in searches for those words.
He seemed to understand and then asked how it could be that every time he searched for his store, the competitor came up in the list before him.
A quick "view source" showed us that the competitor had entered my clients company name (word for word) as one of his meta tags.
My Two Choices
Given this turn of events I had the following options:
- Tell him 'turnabout is fair play' and simply put the competitors name in our meta tag.
- Use the opportunity to model ethical business practice for my client.
In Summary
In this upside down world it makes sense to do anything to get one up on the competition. And while you may lose market share due to ethical decision-making I believe God will bless you. If not here and now, in the near future or at the end of it all.
Either way I'd much rather be on this side of the fence...
By the way, there is a slight chance you could be taken to court for this behavior. But this isn't the judge I'd be worried about. Even if you get away with your meta tag mayhem in this life, you will stand before The Judge someday.
3 comments:
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Is it really unethical to use a competitor's name in the meta? I have to admit, the first thing I thought when I read this was "brilliant".
I (and many others) do this with technorati tags all the time in blog posts. Put in words that you know people will search for that relate to your post in some way. The post may not be directly about that word, although it's usually related to the conversation.
Aren't competitors related to each other in a way? Just wondering, not answering. Interesting post here.on
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Matt,
I guess on one level I look at it like starting a fast food joint and calling it McBonalds or Tako Bell. It just isn't right. Get creative for crying out loud. Do something new and innovative!
I'd hope that my company could stand on it's own two feet based on mission, vision and quality and not require subversive tactics to mislead potential customers.
The link in the post to the court case suggests that putting your competitors names or taglines in your meta tags can, "...cause confusion and thus can constitute trademark infringement."
As a Christian I'd stay away from doing it (even if it's a bit gray) to keep people from even suggesting inappropriate business practice.
Just a line I've tried to draw for myself.on
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I think it's one thing to use words as tags that describe your post - but it's an entirely different thing to use the exact name of a competitor. If copyright companies won't let you do it, then something is probably amiss with doing it on the Internet.
on
