Search Engine Optimisation Web Log (BLOG)
Editor: Matt Paines

| This News Blog is dedicated to bringing news, information and innovations targeting the Search Engine Optimisation industry.

Internet marketer tries to trademark SEO

Search engine optimisation companies have been angered by the possibility that they may not be able to freely use the expression SEO to describe what they do, as a cheeky internet marketer has registered for a trademark on the term.
 
Californian Jason Gambert has been determined in his attempts to get a certificate of registration and his persistence looks to be paying off.
 
Gambert has so far managed to push his application to the US Trademark Office (TMO) to the publication stage, having managed to convince the reviewing attorney that he has a valid case based on a play on the definition of SEO.
 
Gambert is now at the final hurdle, with the TMO issuing a notice of the application requesting that anyone believing that they would be damaged by the registration of the mark file their opposition within a specified time.
 
The reviewing attorney agreed with Gambert's argument that, while SEO could not be used as a trademark to refer to the generic process of manipulated keywords, the mark could be used for providing marketing services in the field of computers. 

The application is available to be seen at http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=doc&state=1leg4h.2.86

It now rests with the SEO community to convince the TMO otherwise.

Comment:

Become a Fan on Facebook

Follow Matt on Twitter