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Using Brand Name In Domain Name

by the_icon
11 replies
Hey there

Just wanna check before I jump in here. Is it legal/accepted to use a brand name in the domain name?

For arguments sake lets say its Ford Valve Kits. Its not, but lets say if I wanted to call my site fordvalvekits.com or org or whatever would it be ok to do so.

The area I am targeting isnt high on competition and looks good for adsense and amazon income as well as affiliate opportunities, however I am just looking for clarification on it being ok to include the brand name in the domain name.

Cheers
#brand #domain
  • Profile picture of the author Danny Cutts
    Ok you have to let your common sense run with this.... the fact you ask means you already know the ethical answer.

    I personally wouldnt use trade or brand names as it limits you to what you can promote and also your building a business on soft foundations...

    Its upto you really but my advice is run as fast as you can away from trademarks etc

    Danny
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  • Profile picture of the author JMSD
    A similar question is asked in another thread and this link may answer the question(s) you have:

    Trademark FAQs

    Brand names may be registered trademarks and so will be protected from use by third parties (that's you).

    James
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  • Profile picture of the author Quentin
    Simple answer is don't do it.

    Add a post to promote the product.

    EG Ross Performance Parts we target products with posts.

    Fiat F600 balancer

    Quentin
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  • Profile picture of the author mattjay
    agree. i had a facebook business site built and namecheap wouldn't even let me use it in the domain name lol. i see a few with that name in there but i wouldn't want facebook breathing down my neck about it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Vogin
      Of course you can - if the brand is your own...
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      ppcsluzby.cz/en - PPC agency


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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        As a general rule, do not use trademarks in your domain names. At best, you'll eventually get a takedown notice and lose the domain. At worst, you'll end up on the wrong end of a nasty lawsuit that could put you in the poor house even if you win.

        That said, there is a gray area. If you had a shop that sold nothing but valve kits for Ford cars, you might get away with calling it "Ford Valve Kits". Maybe.

        In the real world, it's much easier to avoid the kind of brand confusion that leads to trademark infringement suits. No one is ever going to confuse "Joe Bob's Corvette Repair & Restoration" (a mechanic that works only on Corvettes in a small town) with the Chevrolet brand or General Motors.

        Online, the distinction isn't as easy.

        You might be better served to get the keywords in your url in this fashion:

        valvekits.com/ford/
        valvekits.com/gm/

        etc.
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        • Profile picture of the author Jill Carpenter
          You can ask permission from the company. You might even get a yes. I have.

          But you need to ask for it and not assume.

          A lot of IM products (like clickbank stuff) seem to be more lenient as getting the brand name out is more helpful to them (my thoughts).

          Companies who are more established like Sony, Ford, Mac, kmart, etc already have an established brand name and typically don't need that extra push to spread branding.
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          "May I have ten thousand marbles, please?"

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  • Profile picture of the author glassextreme
    Nope, don't try. Getting cease and desist letters isn't a good feeling to have.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    The best route is to ask the company in question. If you're not willing to do this, I recommend that you do not use other people's trademarks. They can sue you or file a UDRP or simply send a cease and desist by their lawyer.
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  • Profile picture of the author the_icon
    Kl, started it anyhow, but now going to stop it. Dont want the hassle. Shame really because the cpc was through the roof. Going to start another thread on cpc subject anyhow coz it confuses me why we look for low competition high cpc keywords when it doesnt really make a difference in payout that we get from adsense.

    Cheers for replies on this subject tho
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  • Profile picture of the author madison_avenue
    No I would not use a brand as the domain name, so companies are very fussy about it. But you are perfectly free to use the brand name as a sub-domain. This is can be a good option.
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