Guerillas In The World Wild Web

Something I have never considered offensive - SEO or Search Engine Optimisation - made headlines last week.

Mr Troy White, who is in charge of the website http://www.portstevens.com.au/, raised more than just eyebrows with his attempt to take advantage of misspelling in web searches. Web developers have long been aware of this little niche market, but it is rare for the public to become concerned.

As Ben Smee reports for the Herald, the main concern seems to be the "Ambush marketing" tactic, as expressed by 'Port Stephens Tourism marketing manager Tars Bylhouwer'. While Bylhouwer offered figures suggesting that less then 3% of the 9000 people who had arrived at the real Port Stephens site had spelt the name incorrectly, it would seem that there are still some people who do spell it incorrectly. With my trusty calculator, I have calculated that it might be a mere 270 people.

Mere? Why is Bylhouwer worried about losing those 270 people to a well crafted Google-primed site?

Mere? 270 people is quite a starter market.

Firstly, I'd like to do a bit of research into this 'ambush marketing'.

"Ambush marketing is a marketing technique which involves riding on the coattails of a major event without paying sponsorship fees, essentially using the event as a free promotion."
-wiseGEEK

"Ambush marketing is an attempt by a third party to create an association with an event without permission. This can deprive official sponsors and suppliers of public recognition, weakening their commercial investment."
-Mallesons Stephen Jaques

"Ambush Marketing (Guerilla): It is an unconventional way of doing marketing promotion on a very low budget. It could be about gaining from another’s adspend without paying a fee for it. For ex: A promotion campaign to an event such as a sporting contest sponsored by another marketer who could be a competitor. "
-businessgyan

[I love how businessgyan put that "guerilla" label there - how wild, to be using guerilla tactics in web design - there are nerds everywhere salivating at that concept! ]

So basically, ambush marketing is where you use the value of something else (in this case, the name of Port Stephens) to get people interested in your product (in this case, Port Stevens Accommodation).

Am I correct in thinking that ALL SEO is ambush marketing? You are supposed to try and use the value of the words you use (made popular by people clicking) to get more clicks.

So perhaps who Bylhouwer should be angry at is Google! How dare they invent a search algorithm that favours particular words and finds sites dependent on how often they use that word!

Further, shouldn't the businesses on that website who "did not know they were being advertised on Mr White's site" be happy that not only are they getting free publicity, but to an audience of a possible 270 people? As well as the free publicity the newspaper is providing!

It's like any guerilla designers dream come true!

If I were Tars Bylhouwer I would be more upset that I hadn't thought to buy portstevens.com.au first, so it could be redirected to the real website.

Perhaps now, Ben Smee and The Herald, you should try blowing the lid on a bigger hidden secret - the guerilla ambush marketing techniques of web developers all over the world!

I'd like to do my bit in directing web traffic to both of his sites; why not stay at Port Stevens; it seems to be the Google-friendly place to holiday this coming break!

See the full newspaper article at http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/news/general/web-row-over-port-stephens-spelling/1532407.aspx