Comments on: If You Can Beat’em, Play Dirty http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty a Seattle Real Estate Blog Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:27:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Ben http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-120824 Ben Thu, 08 May 2008 16:57:57 +0000 http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-120824 G - I don't believe it violates our MLS rules but it is a violation of the Realtor code of ethics. G - I don’t believe it violates our MLS rules but it is a violation of the Realtor code of ethics.

]]> By: What are you reading? | Zillow® Blog http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-120820 What are you reading? | Zillow® Blog Thu, 08 May 2008 16:44:29 +0000 http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-120820 [...] If You Can Beat’em, Play Dirty (Ben Kakimoto) [...] […] If You Can Beat’em, Play Dirty (Ben Kakimoto) […]

]]> By: G. Dewald http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-120770 G. Dewald Thu, 08 May 2008 13:18:32 +0000 http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-120770 It's a common strategy to buy advertising on search terms that bring up competitors. Nothing unethical with that. It is, however, false advertising to place an ad that misrepresents the service/personality/product/etc as your doppelgänger has done. It's also against the terms of use for Google's advertising. If it were brought to Google's attention it would seriously hamper future Google advertising efforts by the false advertiser (Google has better things to do than monitor all of this, so when something sneaky is brought to their attention they tend to use a one-strike policy). Again: Advertising on your competitors branded search terms is smart. But don't misrepresent yourself, that's not smart. I'm not sure how this issue effects MLS rules or if there are stated rules for this in most MLSes. I'd love to know though. It’s a common strategy to buy advertising on search terms that bring up competitors. Nothing unethical with that.

It is, however, false advertising to place an ad that misrepresents the service/personality/product/etc as your doppelgänger has done. It’s also against the terms of use for Google’s advertising. If it were brought to Google’s attention it would seriously hamper future Google advertising efforts by the false advertiser (Google has better things to do than monitor all of this, so when something sneaky is brought to their attention they tend to use a one-strike policy).

Again: Advertising on your competitors branded search terms is smart. But don’t misrepresent yourself, that’s not smart.

I’m not sure how this issue effects MLS rules or if there are stated rules for this in most MLSes. I’d love to know though.

]]> By: Lani Anglin-Rosales http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-119898 Lani Anglin-Rosales Tue, 06 May 2008 20:23:55 +0000 http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-119898 AMAZING what people will do. I'm happy for you that it has been cleared up, but did you lodge a formal ethics complaint? I would, seeing as how you may not be the only victim (per comments) of this agent. Is that how you know you're "somebody" when your name is used as currency? Maybe I should change my last name to Trump or Kakimoto! :) AMAZING what people will do. I’m happy for you that it has been cleared up, but did you lodge a formal ethics complaint? I would, seeing as how you may not be the only victim (per comments) of this agent.

Is that how you know you’re “somebody” when your name is used as currency? Maybe I should change my last name to Trump or Kakimoto! :)

]]> By: David G http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-119381 David G Mon, 05 May 2008 15:24:37 +0000 http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-119381 Hey Ben, next time at least let the ad stay up long enough so we can all click on it. :-) That should get the message across. Hey Ben, next time at least let the ad stay up long enough so we can all click on it. :-) That should get the message across.

]]> By: Marlow http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-118359 Marlow Sat, 03 May 2008 02:05:25 +0000 http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-118359 Last year when you searched for Windermere, Redfin ads came up. Zip Realty is still buying the search term "Windermere Real Estate". MLS Online buys that term too, and the search phrase "John L. Scott Real Estate". They also buy the link to my webpage url name "Seattle Dream Homes". If they didn't change their search terms, I believe you could complain to the NWMLS about it. Last year when you searched for Windermere, Redfin ads came up. Zip Realty is still buying the search term “Windermere Real Estate”. MLS Online buys that term too, and the search phrase “John L. Scott Real Estate”. They also buy the link to my webpage url name “Seattle Dream Homes”.

If they didn’t change their search terms, I believe you could complain to the NWMLS about it.

]]> By: Ben http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-115455 Ben Sat, 26 Apr 2008 04:06:50 +0000 http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-115455 The ads were removed. The ads were removed.

]]> By: Curious http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-115447 Curious Sat, 26 Apr 2008 03:33:25 +0000 http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-115447 wow, how do you do that? i searched on google but didn't see the ad. wow, how do you do that? i searched on google but didn’t see the ad.

]]> By: Savvy http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-115283 Savvy Fri, 25 Apr 2008 21:39:23 +0000 http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-115283 I actually have a similar story with whom I think is the same agent. When I confronted him/her about putting a personal web address in listing details I was emailing to a client, the agent claimed to not know it was against policy and an unethical marketing strategy. Yeah right! I actually have a similar story with whom I think is the same agent. When I confronted him/her about putting a personal web address in listing details I was emailing to a client, the agent claimed to not know it was against policy and an unethical marketing strategy. Yeah right!

]]> By: Justin Bowers http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-115276 Justin Bowers Fri, 25 Apr 2008 21:27:18 +0000 http://seattlehousingbuzz.com/2008/04/if-you-can-beatem-play-dirty#comment-115276 Gotta admit, she doesn't play around;) Gotta admit, she doesn’t play around;)

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