Advertising

with

Keywords.

Keyword advertising is still one of the most popular forms of advertising on the Internet. We offer companies and agencies expert advice on legal issues relating to keyword advertising.

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Keyword Advertising

Keyword advertising is one of the most effective advertising methods on the Internet. Users can be targeted during their active search for information and products and referred to the advertiser’s own offer. It is a measurable form of advertising, comparatively inexpensive and promises high click and conversion rates. And the best thing about it is that you can segment user queries very precisely and thus target specific groups.

It is a form of advertising that is used in connection with search engines. The best known in this context is Google Ads (formerly Google Adwords), which enables ads in connection with the Google search engine. However, there are also many other providers, such as Bing Ads for ads on Bing or Sponsored Products on Amazon.

How does keyword advertising work?

Keyword advertising is the placement of text ads, sitelinks and other microformats that are displayed when a key term (keyword) is entered. As a rule, the ads are then displayed in a highlighted or labeled form together with the search results.

The search terms (keywords) that trigger an ad are defined in advance by the advertiser. To do this, they research and check relevant keywords that users enter into the search engines. Some platforms offer keyword tools to facilitate the selection of keywords.

The actual ad then regularly depends on the price the advertiser is willing to pay. The advertiser places a bid for the respective keyword. The order of the ad depends on how high the bid is.

Trademark law issues in keyword advertising

Das Keyword Advertising beinhaltet Streitpotential, insbesondere bei der Verwendung fremder Marken als Keywords oder in den damit geschalteten Anzeigen. Häufig werden Marken der Konkurrenz als Keyword zur Bewerbung eigener Produkte genutzt. Gibt der Nutzer dann die fremde Marke ein, erscheint dann nicht das Markenprodukt, sondern ein Konkurrenzangebot des Werbenden in räumlicher Nähe zur eigentlichen Trefferliste . In der Praxis stellte sich immer wieder die Frage, ob ein solches Vorgehen gegen das Markenrecht verstößt oder nicht.

As a rule, keyword advertising with a third-party trademark is a trademark infringement if the so-called origin function of the trademark is impaired. The design of the ad associated with the keyword is decisive in assessing whether the function of origin is affected. An ad is inadmissible if, from the perspective of an average Internet user, it is difficult or impossible to recognize whether the goods or services advertised in the ad originate from the trademark owner or a company economically affiliated with the trademark owner or rather from a third party.

Competition law issues with keywords

Der Einsatz allgemeiner (generischer) Suchbegriffe als Keywords ist in der Regel problemlos möglich. Abweichendes gilt nur, wenn sachfremde Gattungsbegriffe oder nicht markenrechtlich geschützte Begriffe, die jedoch trotzdem mit einem bestimmten Unternehmen in Verbindung gebracht werden, in Form von Keywords genutzt werden. Grundsätzlich ist ein Verhalten des Werbenden wettbewerbsrechtlich unzulässig, wenn er sich in unlauterer Weise zwischen potentielle Kunden und Mitbewerber „drängt“, um so die Kaufentscheidung in seinem Sinne (und entgegen den Interessen des Mitbewerbers) zu beeinflussen.

Effects on e-commerce

In principle, retailers have the option of offering competitor products alongside the goods and services of a brand manufacturer as part of keyword advertising. In order to rule out an infringement of trademark or competition law, it is essential for retailers to check in each specific case whether the use of keyword advertising is permissible. As a rule, a detailed case-by-case examination is required.

Our expertise in the field of keyword advertising

Wir bieten seit vielen Jahren Unternehmen umfassende Beratung zu allen rechtlichen Fragen im Zusammenhang mit E-Commerce an, einschließlich der rechtlichen Implikationen von Keyword Advertising. Wir unterstützen Onlinehändler beim rechtskonformen Einsatz von Keyword Advertising und verfolgen Verstöße von Mitbewerbern, welche durch Keyword Advertising das Wettbewerbsrecht bzw. Markenrecht verletzen.