Multiple Oveture Accounts

Just to dominate the listings

[ogletree]

Does anybody know where Overture has said this is not ok. I have been lokking and I can not find anything in their TOS that forbids this.

As long as you have different accounts with differetn credit cards and different websites it seems ok.

[eWhisper]

OV has told us that its against their policy. Out of 25ish investigations I've seen OV initiate to remove advertisers who broke this policy, its only been successful about 15 times.

However, if you do the above, and make sure your websites are registered to different addresses/people - that pretty much seems to stop the investiation.

Only twice have I seen OV remove a group of advertisers who had done everything you included plus the above registration, and those investigations took over a month to resolve. However, when those investigations find against the offending sites, often more than 5-10 advertisers suddenly disappear, which just shows how rampant that problem is in some sectors.

[ogletree]

Where do they say in writing that you can not do this?

[vibgyor79]

If you are acting as an agent (affiliate) of two different websites (merchants), you can open two accounts and bid on the same keywords. However, the merchant should fax a statement to Overture saying you are acting as their agent/affiliate.

[ogletree]

No I'm talking about a compnay that is doing only because they want to have the top 3 ads to lower the competition ads. The sites would obviously be owned by the same company. Anybody could find out in a few minutes what was being done.

I know we all think that OV is against it I just want to see it in writing.

[eWhisper]

ogletree has an interesting pont.

I just assumed it was somewhere in their TOS or FAQs. There is information about managing multiple accounts with account managers, but I don't see it listed anywhere that having two accounts and bidding on the same KWs is against their TOS.

The only thing that it would come under is their right to cancel services if:

Overture may, in its sole discretion, terminate your account, and discontinue your participation in the Overture Marketplace, Programs the Overture Marketplace Results or on any Web site or Third Party Product that is part of the Overture Distribution Network, or your use of any keyword or any listing

...more text...

Overture believes your conduct may be harmful to other consumers, advertisers or licensees who participate in (or offer to its users) the Overture Marketplace or Programs.

from: OV TOS [content.overture.com]

[Aimee]

I also want to see it in writing.
But can't see anything.
How does OV guess these are the same company?
use different Card,different address,different website?

[ogletree]

I'm not talking about hiding it. I'm talking about overtly doing it. I just want an official "you can't do this". I don't want to break any rules.

[ogletree]

Has anybody found anything. I wonder if any of the Yahoo reps read the Overture forum.

[seth_wilde]

In writing or not... they actively enforce this policy. They will contact you first and ask you which account you prefer to keep before closing one.

The less competitve the industry the more likely you'll be able to get away with it.. If you actually make an attempt to hide the fact that both sites are for the same company your chances increase greatly..

If you don't want to be on the wrong side of the rules, give them a call, I'm sure they'll be happy to tell you their policy..