Malicious Webmaster is targeting my site :'(

One of my competitors is loading his pages with my title.

[LovelyCat]

Ok, so I've had my own forum for around 6 months... Until now my biggest problem has been getting listed in DMOZ.

But now I have an even bigger problem!

A competitor of mine has a forum and lots of other pages besides which direct potential people to his forum...

What he has done is used one of these 'satellite' pages to get any potential members from me...

The name of my site is "Stepfamily Help and Advice" - so in the past week he has listed a page with MY TITLE...

He has loaded that new page with my title too, and not only that - he is listed in DMOZ so now he is outranking me!

I am most upset...

My partner suggested setting up a page of my own - using HIS main title and when he complains offer to take it down in exchange for him taking HIS down.

I am also considering getting a trademark - but I really don't want to spent $350 right now - just because this guy is being a pain...

Any ideas anyone?

Thanks for reading,
Lovely cat...

[ibQuixote]

Frankly, it doesn't seem like there is anything you can do in this situation. Probably best to just take the high road and concentrate on what you do best, and let the rest sort itself out. Concentrate on the positive rather than toiling with the negative. In the long run, your site will emerge much stronger than his. Sorry - I know this answer was a bit more "moral" than practical. but again I don't see any options that aren't tedious and of minimal overall impact.

[piznac]

You could start by finding some of the worst sites on the internet you can find and injecting links to his site there. Overtime he will be kicked out of Google,.. but you have to get dirty to have this happen. But hey,. he started it LOL jk jk

[Demaestro]

I doubt you would be able to get a trademark for

"Stepfamily Help and Advice"

It is too general... maybe if it was

"Online Stepfamily Help and Advice Forum"

But that still wouldn't stop him from using the title of "Stepfamily Help and Advice"

Also don't sink to his level and do what he has done to you... he might have a on his trademark and you could really mess things up then.

You can "lay and pray".. or you can change your title.

[londrum]

sounds like he knows what he's doing. so i wouldn't get involved in dirty tricks because he will probably just up the game and you will be even worse off.

the only way you can beat him is to have a better site, and eventually you'll get the traffic and natural links. it's a long process, but sitting there worrying about one page on DMOZ and other small potatoes like that is just going to waste your time.

concentrate on your own site, not other peoples.

[SEOMike]

concentrate on your own site, not other peoples.

Great advice to a point. You have to worry a little about what other people are doing to be able to effectively compete in your niche. You can learn a lot from other people.

Oh, and stay away from trying to knock him out with bad links and all that. Stay above the board and ethical with a nice clean conscious.

[piznac]

Just a little joke SEOMike :)