MLMbrands.com

Brand protection is major concern for most MLM’s. Once an MLM or a Network Marketing company has become an established brand with a community of Associates selling and promoting their products brand protection and compliance becomes a concern.

Unlike most companies, MLM’s and network marketing companies are a breeding ground for false claims. With so many people out there representing these brands, doing their best to outsell their competition, many brands fall victim to abuse. While this in unavoidable there are many ways to monitor Associate claims online and deter them from breaking compliance standards.

Though it is impossible to monitor all Associates, in all of their marketing efforts at all times, the web is the easiest and most effective place to do so. While you can’t stop Jane Smith in Atlanta, GA from making false claims to a group of prospective customers and Associates in her own home, you can stop Sally Anderson in San Francisco, CA from publishing false claims on her blog. How? You may ask, through brand monitoring.

While all false or illegal claims pose a major threat to your brand, it is the written and published information that is most likely to fall into the hands of the FCC. Through our comprehensive brand monitoring platform, we can monitor all activity online containing your trademark names and images and provide reporting that details all incidents of non-compliance.

We have all heard the horror stories of successful MLM’s going under as a result of non-compliance issues, don’t be the next. Contact us today to see how we can help you stay ahead of the curve when it comes to brand protection.

Tags: Brand Protection, Network Marketing Companies, MLM Compliance

Associate Content

While the contributions MLM Associates make to their network marketing companies is truly immeasurable, they also pose big threats. Associates often make their own marketing materials, provide product testimonials and advertise independently. Most MLM’s provide very specific compliance standards which are set in place to protect the brand and the company as a whole. Unfortunately Associate marketing materials often do not meet the standards set by corporate.

So how can MLM’s and network marketing companies possibly monitor their Associates’ marketing efforts? At IOR we work with our clients to provide real solutions such as printer friendly marketing materials and corporate hosted blogs. Once corporate has provided such resources they can set company standards which prohibit Associates and Distributors from using alternative materials and blogs.

Gripe Sites

Grip sites are a reality for companies in every industry. As the internet becomes more accessible, consumers everywhere are weighing in online. Whether it is a positive or negative feedback, consumers are happy to share their experiences.

This bog for example provides a negative review of Monavie:
Ah, does Monavie Active Juice work? I’ll cut to the chase — no. Not for me anyway. To read the full post click here.

The Ripoff Report is a highly ranking site which provides negative accounts from ex-associates for almost every leading MLM on the market today, including: Fuel Freedom International and Monavie.

Though MLM’s and other companies can not hope to ever completely rid themselves of gripe sites, they can reduce the online visibility of such sites through SEO. At IOR we work with our clients to design and launch effective SEO campaigns which enable them to dominate their branded search real estate. Once this has been accomplished gripe sites are no longer a threat to their online reputation.

PPC Pricing Wars

The pay per click(PPC) landscape has been problematic to MLM’s since Associates first began to utilize it years ago. PPC advertising enables companies and 3rd parties alike to pay for placement in the top and right-hand column of a search page. Such companies as Mary Kay, Jafra and Trivita are all currently facing this problem.

The search engines have since realized the importance of brand protection for the sake of both their advertisers and the user experience. Google allows companies to register their trademarks with the search engine in order to prevent traffic pirates from falsely representing brands. While other search engines are behind the curve, they encourage companies to take steps, with the help of their legal counsel, to stop traffic pirates from using trademarks in their ad copy. At IOR we work with our clients to get this process in motion.

Duplicate Content

Duplicate content is another issue that plagues almost every MLM on the market today. Many MLM’s have responded to Associate requests for individual websites. While this is a very smart move on the part of corporate, using duplicate content on each Associate site has lead to visibility penalties.

At IOR we work with our clients to create real solutions to prevent duplicate content from ruining SEO efforts.

If you feel that any of these issues are plaguing your SEO efforts, please contact us to see how we can help you reach your goals.

Tags: Monavie, Melaleuca, Jafra, Mary Kay, Fuel Freedom, Trivita, MLM SEO

As blogging becomes a better recognized and well respected practice, many companies are letting this new medium pass them by. Blogging creates a platform for open communication between corporate and consumers. By maintaining a corporate blog, companies can learn from and react in a timely manner to consumer feedback.

Beyond the coporate blog, MLM’s are faced with a difficult but necessary task; providing Associate blogs. When talking to most MLM executives we are presented with the same concerns: What kind of resources will we need to develop a platform? How will we monitor them?

While the prospect of hosting and filtering 100’s, if not 1000’s, of blogs is overwhelming to most, it is in fact do able. After working through some minor kinks and setting up filters to block noncompliant content, a blog strategy can be launched with relative ease.

When searching the web you will find countless Associate and Distributor blogs throughout the web, touting their products and often times making false or noncompliant claims. Companies like Arbonne, MonaVie, and Mary Kay all have unmonitored associate hosted blogs floating in cyber space.

By providing a platform from which those associates are able to blog, these companies can stop their Associates from blogging elsewhere. By keeping all such content in once place, a company can feasibly take on the seemingly impossible task of monitoring Associate blogs.

At IOR we work with our clients to create and launch effective corporate and associate blog strategies. Contact us today to see how we can help you.

Tags: MLM Blog, Arbonne, MonaVie, Mary Kay

MonaVie is perhaps one of the most recognizable MLM Brands on the market today. When reviewing MonaVie’s branded search results I was pleased to find that the majority of the first page search results contain positive content about MonaVie. Unfortunately the paid search results tell a different story.

Because MonaVie has not taken steps to protect their brand in the paid search market place, they are falling prey to traffic pirates or 3rd parties looking to capitalize on their brand. As a consumer when I search a brand name without any other specifications, such as scam or testimonials, I am likely looking for communications directly from that particular company. When searching MonaVie you will be inundated with paid search results, many of which would lead you to believe they are brand advocates such as:

Before you join MonaVie
Building massive distributorship
Tap the wealth of the Baby Boomers
www.pairofdocs.biz
Phoenix, AZ

When clicking on this ad you are taken to the promotional page of a Frutiaga Associate. By taking simple steps to protect their trademarked assets within Google AdWords and other leading paid search programs, MonaVie would hinder such advertisers from using their brand name in any advertisements. At IOR we work closely with our clients to protect and monitor their brand in the online space. Contact us today to see how we can help you do the same.

Tags: MonaVie, MLM Brands, Brand Protection

Branded search dominance is one of our main focuses at IOR. Together, with our team of brand protection experts and the help of our proprietary software, we help our clients build and protect their brand in the online space. Through proper SEO and trademark protection we have helped a number of leading brands dominate their branded search results while monitoring the web for potentially harmful content.

When searching the term “Reliv International” in Google, the majority of the search results provide positive information about the growing network marketing company. But there are a few exceptions: “Reliv International: FDA Warning Letter 1998” and “Reliv’ International Inc. v Larry Kelly - Case No. 96319.” Branded search results provide the most highly targeted traffic available on the web. When a consumer searches your brand name they are likely interested in purchasing or learning more about your company or product line. Why risk losing even a fraction of that traffic to these negative sites or even to 3rd party sites?

The most important thing for a company to concentrate on, in the online space, is brand control. While it is good for there to be positive 3rd party feedback floating around the web, it is not necessary for a leading brand to be sharing their branded search real estate with those 3rd parties. Whether they are MLM Associates or the average consumer, you are forfeiting brand control when allowing them to rank for your brand name.

At IOR we work with our clients to create a comprehensive SEO plan that enables them to take control of their all important brand real estate. Contact us today to see how we can help you.

Tags: Reliv International, Brand Protection, MLM Associates

Mannatech, is yet another leading MLM with a growing number of supporters as well as brand abusers. Because of the nature of MLM’s and network marketing companies, there is plenty room for negative experiences on the part of the customer as well as the Associate. As a brand manager, you can’t possibly police every Associate to ensure that their customers are satisfied or to make sure that there are no disgruntled Associates. What you can do is keep up with the good the bad and the ugly that is floating around in cyber space and deal with it accordingly.

I was surprised to find that the second search result for the term “Mannatech” on Google reads “Scam Watch – Mannatech Fraud,.” There is really no way to completely stop brand bashing or slander. As a brand becomes well established, people begin to talk and it is not all going to be positive. When these negative thoughts or reviews become visible on the web, it is time for brand managers to step in. It is important to keep in mind that negative content should be dealt with and taken seriously.

Through effective brand monitoring and SEO, brand managers can keep up with everything that is being said in the online space while keeping negative commentary out of the leading search results. Contact us today to see how we can support both your brand protection and SEO efforts.

Tags: Mannatech, Brand Protection, Mannatech Fraud, Mannatech Scam

Gold Canyon Candle Co. has become a household name since the Arizona based company opened its doors in 1997. Offering a wide array of candles, body and home products in countless enticing scents, Gold Canyon has established a reputation for providing superior quality goods.

I am pleased to find that there is not much negative content ranking within the leading search engines. I was concerned when diving deeper into the search results to find that a number of their associates are selling Gold Canyon products along side competing products such as: Candles by Victoria, SoyLuscious, Country Light Candle Company, the Cobblestone Candle Co., Lookout Mountain Candles and more.

As a network marketing company, the Gold Canyon brand was designed to stand alone rather than to be sold alongside a number of competitors. While I am not familiar with the compliance policies of Gold Canyon, it is safe to assume that this does not fall within the realm of compliance. Beyond compliance, it is disturbing that these pages are being served in the first 10 results. Gold Canyon is taking a huge risk by allowing associates to possibly capitalize on the Gold Canyon brand while selling another company’s products.

At IOR we work with our clients to create a brand protection and compliance management strategy. Contact us today to see how you can mitigate compliance issues quickly and easily.

Tags: Gold Canyon, Brand Protection, Network Marketing

Usana is yet another successful MLM missing out on online opportunities. I was just doing a review of their paid advertising visibility on Google and I was shocked to find that 7 of the first 10 paid search results are hosted by traffic siphoners. In other words 70% of Usana’s paid traffic is being stolen or pirated by 3rd parties, most of whom are offering a “get rich quick” approach to network marketing.”

This is alarming on a number of levels. First of all, this means Usana is sitting idly by while others are capitalizing on their branded traffic, traffic they and their distributors have worked hard to create. By allowing others to use the Usana name in their paid ads, they are essentially giving those 3rd parties permission to have a free-for-all with their traffic.

Even more disturbing than Usana overlooking this is the messaging interested consumers are finding instead. Those that are unfamiliar with network marketing and have decided to look into Usana as a possible business venture are likely confused by the 3rd party messaging. Should they choose to fill out the lead capture form on one of these pages; they are not likely to return to Usana. Instead they will likely be taken advantage of by these scam artists and either be encouraged to join another MLM or be turned off by the industry forever.

This is a rather big risk for Usana to be taking. By completing a few simple tasks, Usana can protect their brand in the Search Marketing arena, and ensure that this highly targeted traffic is not lost. Contact us today to learn more about how you can protect your brand.

Tags: Usana, Search Marketing, Brand Protection

It is a well known fact that Xango has had trouble with the FDA as a result of false claims. When perusing the web for Xango, I was alarmed to find claims like the one included below:

If you have read into xango and xanthodes you will know that people all over the world are claiming that xango has helped them with cancer.

— Message edited by CancerCompass staff: for personal protection, phone number removed. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html —-
if you have any questions regarding xango.
Regards
Stuart Bonell

With the nature of the internet today, the risk of false claims has only increased. Because MLM Associates can use blogs, online forums, personal web pages, social bookmarking, and so many other tools, to spread their marketing messages, there are endless risks for MLM’s.

As an answer to this problem, we have developed a brand protection platform that not only polices the web for false or defamatory claims but it documents online conversations about your brand. Together these two functions make it possible to stay ahead of the game.

Because MLM’s have so much to lose, we work hard to protect them, and their employees and distributors. Contact us today to see how we can help you.

Tags: Xango, MLM Associates, Xangocom

When searching “Melaleuca” on Google it is no surprise that there are plenty of paid ads. Because Melaleuca is a fast growing MLM Opportunity, there are lots of advertisers eager to capitalize on Melaleuca’s branded traffic. Whether they are offering a new opportunity or Melaleuca Leads, they are dominating the paid search results.

While 3rd party advertisers can’t be stopped from bidding on the Melaleuca brand, they can be prevented from using the Melaleuca name in their ads. On the first page of results alone there are at least 5 brand siphoners funding 6 of the 8 ads. What is Melaleuca thinking? A few simple steps can be taken to protect their brand from being abused and literally pirated by 3rd parties.

When searching for a brand or product, I am at least 50% more likely to click on an advertisement which includes the correct spelling of that brand or product. This is human nature, an ad simply seems more legitimate when it is includes your search term in the copy. With a few quick steps and some monitoring from time to time, Melaleuca could stop all 3rd parties from running ads with their trademarked terms in them.

Is it just me or would this ad lose its draw if the term Melaleuca was not included in it?

Struggling In Melaleuca?
$5-10K Weekly. No Selling. No Calls
For Serious Entrepreneurs Only
www.YourMillionDollarGamePlan.com

Contact us today to see how we can help you protect your brand through paid search monitoring.

Tags: Melaleuca, MLM Opportunity, Melaleuca Leads