Are you tired of seeing a Yahoo search engine result for your company name enveloped in a cocoon of sponsored ads (pay per click ads)?
In a case of you can’t completely replace human intelligence with machinery, apparently ads not directly related to your search term may appear because the search engine is trying "to help the searcher" with other suggestions. For advertisers the term is contextual advertising, so the ad appears if Yahoo’s engine thinks it is in the same context. Unfortunately for structured settlements and consumers of structured settlements this creates, and has the potential to create, an enormous amount of confusion for them, as well as for some judges and lawyers.
Did you know that you can do something about it?
I spoke to someone in Yahoo’s executive services department who told me that you can send a letter to Yahoo’s trademark department and, if you are the holder of a trademark, Yahoo can block the sponsored ads from appearing in search results for your trademarked term.
Here are Yahoo trademark guidelines
You can forward your request to Yahoo! Search Marketing at the following email address: trademarkconcern-ysm@yahoo-inc.com. You may also mail your concerns to:
Yahoo! Search Marketing
Attn: Trademark Department
3333 Empire Avenue
Burbank, California 91504
Fax: 818 524-3001
If you, your company or your professional association have a trade name or tag line and it is of value to your business, consider registering it with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Here is a place to start.
You may also be vigilant and contest people or companies that try to register marks that may be similar or could mislead. On of the steps to those seeking trademark approval is the period of publication, during which an application for a mark is open for opposition.
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