"Google Sniper" Banned from Amazon

19 replies
Interesting thread over at the Amazon forum regarding MAKITA9227CX3.COM:

http://forums.prosperotechnologies.c...9.36&ctx=32768

All too common "Google Sniper" site where the domain url is a product model number.

Amazon closed his account due to the trademark in the domain. Although he was later able to get reinstated, his site is of course now dead.
#amazon #banned #google sniper
  • Profile picture of the author TrafficGuy Claude
    Sucks for him, but he should have thought twice before using someone's property for his own gain.

    We have these laws for a reason.
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  • Profile picture of the author Zeus66
    I warn everyone I coach not to get domains that run afoul of this. It's easy to say "That'll never happen to me." Don't learn the hard way.
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  • Profile picture of the author Terry Hatfield
    Didn't rich jerk get his amazon account shut down for that? Was making like 8k a month I believe.

    I may be wrong.

    Kelly Felix you there?
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    • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
      Originally Posted by Terry Hatfield View Post

      Didn't rich jerk get his amazon account shut down for that?
      And isn't he continuing to teach it in Bring The Fresh?
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  • Profile picture of the author Terry Hatfield
    In itself there is nothing wrong with using a trademarked name, that is if the company doesn't defend it's trademark.

    If you see 200 other sites using the name in the serps that are more than a couple years old then you will most likely be safe.

    But if you see no domains in the serps and you check and see that Sony.org is available, well then use your common sense.

    Of course you need to check your ToS of the affiliate program also.

    For bring the fresh, I don't think it is wrong to teach his students to use trademark domains, but like I said you need to just be careful.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jason Fladlien
      Well I don't think its wise to EVER do something that violates trademark laws, regardless of your chances of getting caught or not.

      While exact domain name matches are good for quick rankings, I wouldn't employ them for trademarked names. Instead I'd use that time to do OTHER effective seo strategies that won't run the risk of me being banned.
      Originally Posted by Terry Hatfield View Post

      In itself there is nothing wrong with using a trademarked name, that is if the company doesn't defend it's trademark.

      If you see 200 other sites using the name in the serps that are more than a couple years old then you will most likely be safe.

      But if you see no domains in the serps and you check and see that Sony.org is available, well then use your common sense.

      Of course you need to check your ToS of the affiliate program also.

      For bring the fresh, I don't think it is wrong to teach his students to use trademark domains, but like I said you need to just be careful.
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      • Profile picture of the author Terry Hatfield
        One tip I will give though is if you see a company trying to rank for a certain keyword then don't try and outrank them. They can get pretty grumpy if they see someone with there trademark in their domain out ranking them.
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        • Yip, I've always prefered to go for something more generic than the actual brand name of the product.
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    • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
      Originally Posted by Terry Hatfield View Post

      For bring the fresh, I don't think it is wrong to teach his students to use trademark domains
      I think it's irresponsible not to alert them to the dangers of doing it.

      We had someone in here just last week who got a C&D from a company for his exact-match trademark domain, and he was whinging about "why does Kelly Felix teach this then."

      I gave an answer to that, something along the lines of "sometimes you can get away with it, even though technically you shouldn't."

      I'm a member on BTF, but I don't know why. I've not read much of anything there. It's a big SEO thing, and I don't really do SEO, and basically I just got offered a good deal somewhere and said "ooh, discount."

      Kind of like when a woman sees shoes for 40% off. Doesn't matter if she needs the shoes, or even likes the shoes, that "40% off" simply cannot be ignored.
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      "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
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      • Profile picture of the author newimguy
        Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

        I think it's irresponsible not to alert them to the dangers of doing it.

        We had someone in here just last week who got a C&D from a company for his exact-match trademark domain, and he was whinging about "why does Kelly Felix teach this then."

        I gave an answer to that, something along the lines of "sometimes you can get away with it, even though technically you shouldn't."

        I'm a member on BTF, but I don't know why. I've not read much of anything there. It's a big SEO thing, and I don't really do SEO, and basically I just got offered a good deal somewhere and said "ooh, discount."

        Kind of like when a woman sees shoes for 40% off. Doesn't matter if she needs the shoes, or even likes the shoes, that "40% off" simply cannot be ignored.
        Yah I agree anyone who teaches the EMD strategy shouldn't be vague about the law. Other people do it and don't get into trouble is just not a good reason to continue to violate the law for the purpose of getting a boost in the serps.

        I didn't know kelly got his amazon account closed for this. He never stated this. Is this really true? I wouldn't really trust BTF anymore if this was true.

        I remember Kelly even stating that he used to use XYZ product recalled? as his titles when it wasn't really recalled. Amazon got upset at him for this. Pretty shady marketing if you ask me. Unethical yes but breaking the law no.

        But using the EMD that violates a trademark isn't really a question of ethics, it's a question of the law. The "good guys" of BTF shouldn't be advocating this and call it their special brand of SEO.

        Besides at the latest SMX West Conference, Google said its planning to decrease the power of exact match domains with shallow content. It's not a long-term business strategy.
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  • Profile picture of the author Zesh
    is this something to do with the domain? does it break copyright?
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  • Profile picture of the author Alex Barboza
    I would have done the same if I were Amazon for so many reasons that I don't have enough time or space to explain here.

    Note: sniper type sites should not be considered a business model, in my opinion
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    • Profile picture of the author Croz
      Originally Posted by Alex Barboza View Post

      Note: sniper type sites should not be considered a business model, in my opinion
      Only if one doesn't know how to build them.
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  • Profile picture of the author whyeyeschoice
    Sounds to me like an internet marketing tactic used to get more traffic in GOOGLE SEARCH ENGINES. Trademark infringement? I'm not touching it
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  • Profile picture of the author GarrieWilson
    Originally Posted by kindsvater View Post

    All too common "Google Sniper" site where the domain url is a product model number.
    Product name/brand and model number. I know most people know what you meant but ummm I didn't w/out looking. I thought you meant the model number.
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  • Profile picture of the author sonofskid
    Being pounced on for using a trademarked name or term has nothing to do with Google Sniper or any other niche type system.

    Also there is nothing wrong with niche marketing as a business model, might not be your cup of tea but it can work.
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  • Eventually the more general exact match domains will run sparse. At which point people will have to use meaningless variations or additions, or perhaps do what they should have done from the start and brand the website.

    After all, your website may rank easier for 1 term, but people still work hard to rank other terms on different pages... you know, the ones that aren't in the domain name. And from what I've seen, they do so just fine.

    So I don't get why this idea of wasting the opportunity to brand your site over one keyword that doesn't at all help to separate you from the majority (who also use the variation of that keyword in their domain) has been in-printed in people's head.

    The idea of doing this was coined mainly by those looking to set-up sites vigorously, and wanted a way in which to rank for terms easier.

    If you wanted a long-term business, you would realise that although you may not have the boost of the initial exact match domain, you do have time on your side.

    Which means that those who have since long gone and have stopped updating their exact match domains will eventually lose out to those who have stuck at their branded site and continued to improve their exposure.

    The majority of those who I see succeed with Amazon lately have been those who have very few pages / sites that they've spent on improving.
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    • Profile picture of the author Chris Sorrell
      It's just a numbers game like anything else. For every 'big' story you hear about you can bet there's a ton that go completely undetected so I guess it's up the affiliate whether they won't to take a relatively low risk gamble.
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  • Profile picture of the author MoneyVideo
    Oh!! I had thought of buying the product... No, i think I should avoid it.. Thanks!!
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