WTH is this. Google Ads

[thinksigns]

Every now and then I do a Google search for Think Signs just to see what comes up. This morning, the attached ad shows up that is almost my exact website domain.

My website: www.think-signs.com
This ad: www.think-signs.buycheapr.com

Has anyone else seen this and is there anything I can do?

 

[oldgoatroper]

Nope. Probably not. What you're seeing there is a sub-domain, not a top-level domain.

People are free to name sub-domains whatever they like.

BTW, the "www" that is so ubiquitous, is merely a sub-domain that is commonly used to denote that part of a domain that serves the web. No different than "think-signs", "mail", "webmail" or anything else you might have seen prefixed to a top-level domain...


<edit> and now that I'm thinking about it, there'd be little you could do if someone had registered and is using the domain "think-signs.biz" or "think-signs.net", etc. First come, first served. If you want more or less exclusive use of your name, then you need to get busy and register similar domains and perhaps even common misspellings, as well, and have them all point to the same site that the domain "think-signs.com" points to.

 

[TammieH]

There are things that can be done to get your website to come up with a search, and near the top. The owner of our sign shop hired a company to revamp our old website that was just sitting there doing nothing. As soon as it went online, if you type Bellevue sign companies, ours is at the top of the list, where as it used to be buried on the second page of a similar search.

There is nothing you can do about web addresses. But keywords buried on your website will get you more hits, if that is one of the questions you are asking.

 

[JERHEMI]

There are things that can be done to get your website to come up with a search, and near the top. The owner of our sign shop hired a company to revamp our old website that was just sitting there doing nothing. As soon as it went online, if you type Bellevue sign companies, ours is at the top of the list, where as it used to be buried on the second page of a similar search.

There is nothing you can do about web addresses. But keywords buried on your website will get you more hits, if that is one of the questions you are asking.

It's called Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

 

[thinksigns]

I understand about the .net etc. I think this causes more marketplace confusion than the traditional example of two companies having the same domain except for the suffix.

If an existing customer sees that site, they would believe it was mine.

 

[The Vector Doctor]

you should remove the live link to their site from here. You are only further giving them more exposure

 

[J Hill Designs]

I'll bet anything its a dynamic sub-domain created by the search itself...happens all the time with searches

 

[oldgoatroper]

I'll bet anything its a dynamic sub-domain created by the search itself...happens all the time with searches

Yes, very good point. And rather likely, too...

 

[bayshorecreations]

Those are paid ads, the owner of that site is paying google for their ad to show up for certain keywords.

 

[royster13]

I understand about the .net etc. I think this causes more marketplace confusion than the traditional example of two companies having the same domain except for the suffix.

If an existing customer sees that site, they would believe it was mine.

That is what they are probably trying to do!

 

[FireSprint.com]

I don't think there's something to be done here. They are trying to capitalize on "Think" style signs, not steal business directly from you...

"Think Green"
"Think Blue"
"Think Ink"
"Think Safety First"

Just an [un]fortunate coincidence with your name.

 

[ThinkRight]

Not sure about legality or principal but.....
Try adding clear or same color as background text to the site.
Bury / hide the keywords that the search engine puts on top.
(white background,white font)

 

[Typestries]

Have fun with it, write a script that keeps loading the sponsored link, and run up their google adwords bill

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

Have fun with it, write a script that keeps loading the sponsored link, and run up their google adwords bill

Those days are LONG gone. Sure do miss em.

 

[Just Another Sign Guy]

Not sure about legality or principal but.....
Try adding clear or same color as background text to the site.
Bury / hide the keywords that the search engine puts on top.
(white background,white font)

These days are also long gone & this is not a goo strategy or technique for creating positive or good results for your website.

Create quality,relevant content. Use good proven seo practices. Stuffing and other dated tactics will only hurt your rankings, the search engines are far more sophistacted than this..what may have worked 10yrs ago does not necessarily apply today. You should be constantly educating yourself if you are going to manage your own web presence & employ the most current & effective tactics as they change rapidly & if you don't keep up with them you will be left on the sidelines.

 

[binki]

you can click on it all day long to use up their adword budget.

 

[mikefine]

While you are at Google, you might consider google imaging "think."

There are so many neat ideas for sign and graphic inspiration for your company. I love the yellow caution sign that replaced the word "caution" with the word "think."

Something like that could be a bumper sticker you could hand out to clients.

Just a suggestion...

 

[Air Art Girl]

They are in Germany. As a consumer, I would not buy from them, I wouldn't worry about them.

 

[signswi]

I'll bet anything its a dynamic sub-domain created by the search itself...happens all the time with searches

Yep, it's this. Automated AdWords submission campaign based on search volume and competition metrics.

You can get rid of it buy buying ads yourself and out-spending them on those keywords.

This has nothing to do with on-page SEO, it's all AdWords.

 

[anotherdog]

Have fun with it, write a script that keeps loading the sponsored link, and run up their google adwords bill

About 5 years ago I was nearly driven out of business by "competitors" clicking my google ad. At that time we were looking at around a dollar a click. Before we killed our google Ads I'm thinking we lost almost 20K.

Google is laughing all the way to the bank.