Yahoo to Prohibit Competitive Keyword Bids Containing Trademarks

Yahoo Search Marketing (searchmarketing.yahoo.com) has lately introduced its marketers of a new plan to be implemented since March 1st 2006, concerning making use of trademarks within their product or services *.
Under the new plan, no referral to a hallmark can be made (with the exception of advertisements positioned by the hallmark owners themselves, obviously), and also consequently no proposals can be make for keywords having such trademarks. Exemptions describe usage of trademarks in non-competitive ads, such as those made by re-sellers, or in useful (and still non-competitive) advertisements.
The previous plan allowed referrals to competitors’ hallmarks and also comparisons as long as they were “unbiased and also insightful” – the formulation makes me cringe, as it is clearly bothersome attempting to evaluate one’s neutrality when speaking of company rivals. When it comes to the “interesting” side of it … the possibility for someone to actually PAY for an advertisement to be helpful of somebody else’s product/service, that’s as credible just like the presence of Santa Claus.
It is truly excellent to see Yahoo making a large action onward in controling abuse and abuse of trademarks, even though that most likely equates in some earnings loss for them, by having certain advertisers migrate to a “friendlier” place such as Google. As a supplier of room for promotions, Google is not in a position to arbitrate hallmark disagreements between marketers and trademark proprietors. Appropriately, Google motivates trademark owners to fix their conflicts directly with the advertiser, especially due to the fact that the advertiser might have comparable advertisements on various other sites.
It is way also very early to state now, and also their main description is not completely credible: Yahoo states to have had the users’ finest interest in mind, by providing them with a much better experience when searching terms that have trademarks. Numerous suppositions can be made: threats of large legal actions from trademark owners, stress from particular groups of rate of interests are among the most vehiculated ones.
Nonetheless, a much more possible one is that Yahoo makes prep work for a much bigger scale activity destined to affect the marketplace in a fashion we can not prepare for just yet.
Up until more industry news, there’s something to be glad: from currently on, no “better than Botox” ads on Yahoo as well as their partner sites!
* – the services as well as items covered by the new plan are: Sponsored Search, Local Advertising, Search Submit, Product Submit, Travel Submit and also Directory Submit.

It is really great to see Yahoo making a huge action ahead in controling misuse as well as abuse of hallmarks, even though that most likely translates in some revenue loss for them, by having specific marketers move to a “friendlier” location such as Google. As a carrier of area for advertisements, Google is not in a placement to arbitrate hallmark disagreements between advertisers and trademark owners. As necessary, Google encourages hallmark proprietors to solve their disagreements straight with the advertiser, specifically since the advertiser may have similar advertisements on other websites. It is way too very early to claim currently, as well as their main description is not completely believable: Yahoo specifies to have had the users’ best passion in mind, by offering them with a better experience when searching terms that consist of trademarks.