Competitor has our co name in meta keywords

Can I force them to remove it?

[Mark_A]

I am sure this has been discussed before but can't get it in search at the moment did browse forums but also could not locate.

Any tips for me.

The company name is of a UK Ltd co. active internationally for about 20 years. The competitor is also a UK company.

Competitors homepage is returned in some SEs for a search on my client's company name. The only mention of my client's name is in their meta keyword tag.

[Dino_M]

No one has actully been sued for the use of a company name in a meta keyword tag but you have a firm enough standing to demand it's removal!

[ukgimp]

Unless your name apears in the body of their page I would imagine that it would have very little benefit to them. Meta tags are not a high ranking page aspect. Now if it was in their title you may have more cause to kick down doors.

Cheers

[Dino_M]

If their nicking traffic with the use of his clients company name thats wrong. I read an article on this exact question the other day, the jist was there is legal ground for tacking them to court but no one has ever done it.

Have you asked them to remove it?

I will try and hunt down that article

[CuriousWeb]

agree with Dino_M

I'd contact them and ask to them to remove it...

if they don't then reconsider your options but it will probably worry them into removing it if you ask firmly...

my 2p

[ukgimp]

You could try and bluff them with a letter?

It will start to get costly when you bring in the lawyers.

[NeedScripts]

Check out [searchenginewatch.com...]

[Dino_M]

Send them the above if asking nicely doesn't work!

[engine]

>No one has actully been sued for the use of a company name in a meta keyword tag

Not quite correct - it has been done and settled (talking UK here so other countries may differ).

ADDED - was busy tying to find an example while others were posting.

[Mark_A]

Thanks for all the quick feedback folks.

Am in the middle of writing a polite but firm letter at the moment.

You are right that if only in metakeyw it should not make much difference but truth is that client did not want to pay to establish his site properly so the competitor site with PR3 comes up just below clients in one of the SEs on search for client company name, based only on this mention in what appears to be the only completed meta keyw statement on their whole site :-)

[Mark_A]

engine a UK example would be great as the ones in the sew article are all US precedent.

[Mark_A]

thanks for your feedback folks .. it will be sorted shortly :-) wheels within wheels :-)

[NFFC]

Example 1: [theregister.co.uk...]

Example 2:
[theregister.co.uk...]

[engine]

Thanks NFFC, I was on my way back with those but you're too quick. hehehe

[Mark_A]

thanks nffc and engine - have stickied you.

[sun818]

truth is that client did not want to pay to establish his site properly

So, why are involved in writing a letter to the competitor?

[Mark_A]

sun818 - A couple of small matters, I am surprised you ask.

1. Ethics, reliability, trust, repute.

2. "lifetime customer value", "top of mind awareness", "word of mouth referrals".

I never said this was their only site or that they had no friends they play golf with did I? :-)