Search Engine Optimization News Blog

In May of last year a relative nobody named Jason Gambert started an attempt to trademark the term SEO.

First claiming that he just wanted to trademark the anagram as pertaining to marketing techniques, Gambert tried to convince the powers that be that it was a relatively new term.

Gambert’s application was initially rejected by the Trademark office in August, and he promptly revised his approach to read that he was merely trying to trademark for direct computerized marketing services. He also claimed that he was trade marking ‘SEO’ as standing for ‘System efficient Optimization’.

Turned down again in January, Gambert re-formed his argument a third time. The guy just won’t give up! And then he has the gall to try and tell us he is doing it for our own good.

According to Gambert, SEO is so heavily abused that it needs to be regulated and guidelines set in place. Of course, he figures he’s the best man for the job.

What could happen if Gambert succeeds? Will we all be out of a job? Will we have to register as SEOs and follow Gambert’s ‘guidelines’?

Personally, I don’t really think the guy has a prayer of ultimately succeeding, but I bet he’s getting a ton of free publicity.

I have a plan just in case, though. We all band together, stop using the term SEO, come up with a new anagram that’s even cooler and better…and let him have SEO - after we run a huge campaign explaining how outdated it is.

Let’s see. How about Search Oriented Consumer Knowledge, aimed at giving the customer credit for knowing what they want, and providing the fastest way to help them find it? I could SOCK my website.

Or Website Enhancement for Search Terms. All our sites could go WEST. Of course, Gambert isn’t going to win this, I’m just pointing out that if he by some quirk of fate did, we do have other options.

What is his goal with this, though, really? I just don’t buy the ‘for the good of the universe’ line. Even if he was for real, who is going to stand for him laying down the law? People already have fits when Google tries to set boundaries.

Of course we hope SEO can rise above black hat and be an asset rather than a dirty word. There are hundreds of scammers out there, I admit - but there are thousands of phony televangelists too.

I know! I’ll trademark the term “Call Now”, and claim that it is referring to the opportunity to make immediate transactions through the telephonic medium. All future use of the term will have to be moderated by me.

Give it up, Gambert. It’s just not gonna fly.