using competitor names as keywords

Dustin07 · 01-25-2006, 10:49 AM

I did some brief searching here before asking this so if it's been discussed to death I apologize, but I did at least make an attempt

so anyways, does anyone here use competitors or vendors or anything like that as keywords?

My thought is that sure, it may bring more folks in..... but will it also send them back out? I think from a branding perspective I'd rather them come to my site and think TCA, TCA, TCA............not "Someone Else" "Someone Else" "Someone Else"...lol...

thoughts?

MadKad · 01-25-2006, 12:14 PM

hmm i wouldnt as i think it could be classed as bad to most SE's as they penerlize for keywords that have no content on your webpages that are related to the keywords

Dustin07 · 01-25-2006, 12:26 PM

no, I would definately make sure the content matched. either by way of an article, or by products manufactured by them, or reviews, etc.

but I think I should just focus on branding my company while people are on my site...

MadKad · 01-25-2006, 12:31 PM

lol maybe we could chat if the website in question is the top link in your sig

Dustin07 · 01-25-2006, 12:38 PM

lol, it is! I already broke one rule. the page on my sig is www.tca-inc.net/computer_cables.html... rather than the SEO suggested www.tca-inc.net/computer-cables.html. I'm thinking about changing it and moving the content over to the second one, but I've already got a few backlinks established.

although, it might be worth it, as the SE's haven't even indexed it yet.

John Scott · 01-25-2006, 12:42 PM

It's all good. It's a commonly used technique. When RackShack pissed me off, I targeted their company name and was #1 for "RackShack" for several months.

MadKad · 01-25-2006, 12:45 PM

I have a UK computer compony high in the SE's and going up for other keywords lol

any how just stick to your keywords dont use other websites that are high ranked if you do this you will nether out rank them as they will most likly have it in there domain etc etc so out rank them in other ways

Dustin07 · 01-25-2006, 12:53 PM

Quote:

It's all good. It's a commonly used technique. When RackShack pissed me off, I targeted their company name and was #1 for "RackShack" for several months.

Thats hillarious. I actually had a similar tactic in mind...

Quote:

any how just stick to your keywords dont use other websites that are high ranked

as in, don't use the first 5 results that currently come up for 'blue widgets' as my competitor keywords?

I wouldn't anyways, but thats a really good point. because I actually wouldn't have checked.

Maybe I'll just wait until I need a good serving of vengeance before I go this route.