Search Marketing and its Legal Risks

* Do you have a contract with your consultants/clients that specifies who owns the AdWords account?

* Is that relationship work for hire?

* Do you understand the terms and conditions of that contract?

* Who has access to these accounts?

Another area of concern for search marketers is the use of trademarks. Two examples of when the use of another company’s trademark is allowed are as a keyword and in Web site content to make product comparisons. On the other hand, the following practices fall under trademark infringements: to get a more prominent paid or organic search listing; to divert traffic from a competitor’s site; and using a competitor’s trademark in a meta tag.