Ad description

A TV ad, for 1&1 Internet, showed people making alterations to their business websites using the advertiser's web design software.  A voice-over stated, "You've built your own business, so now build your own website. Choose from countless designs made specifically for your industry."  The graphics changed to a full-screen representation of a website for "Damian B Bradley Interior Design".  The voice-over continued, "You can customise everything and make changes anytime. Enhance your website with powerful apps and integrate social media" as the graphics showed changes being made to the website's design. The voice-over then stated, "With search engine optimisation tools, everyone will find you", as the graphics showed a web search for "interior designer chester [sic]" which returned the "Damian B Bradley Interior Design" website at the top of the search results.

Issue

Two complainants challenged whether the claim "With search engine optimisation tools, everyone will find you" was misleading, because it implied that using the advertiser's product would guarantee top search rankings.

Response

1&1 Internet Ltd (1&1) said the search engine optimisation (SEO) function of their 'MyWebsite' software included various features which optimised customers' websites to make it easy for them to be found on the internet: relevant keywords were automatically generated based on company name, industry and location; content was optimised based on chosen keywords; the SEO positioning of major competitors was monitored and continuously compared against the customer's website; a reporting dashboard meant customers could monitor the status and success of their SEO actions; advice on how to generate links in order to increase visibility in search engines as well as how to create a Google Places listing; and access to additional information including a glossary, help guide and professional SEO experts. They said those types of features were proven to lead to higher search rankings, and referenced an article on a business website which gave advice on how SEO worked and which mentioned some of the features included in their product.

Clearcast said that at script stage they interpreted the claim to mean that by using MyWebsite, customers would be able to take advantage of software that would optimise the likelihood of their websites being found in internet search results. Because 1&1 gave advice on keyword generation, content optimisation, how to increase online visibility and included a dashboard to monitor competitors and provide statistics on how 1&1 customers ranked against them, Clearcast thought the claim was acceptable.

Assessment

Not upheld

The ASA noted the ad stated "With search engine optimisation tools, everyone will find you" whilst on-screen graphics showed the website of the interior designer featured earlier in the ad appearing top of search results for "interior designer chester [sic]". We understood the complainants considered the ad therefore implied that MyWebsite's SEO tools guaranteed that a business would be listed top, or very near the top, of search results. We considered, however, that viewers would not interpret the claim in such an absolute sense. Rather, we considered that in the context of an ad which targeted the advertiser's product at small businesses, viewers would understand the statement "everyone will find you" to mean that if a business made full use of the MyWebsite SEO tools, it was likely that a search for their company name, or a search for their type of business in a particular location, would return their business's website on the first page of search results.

We understood that a large number of factors could contribute to the ranking of a website in relevant search results, but that there were some generally recognised key elements which would help optimise that ranking. We understood those key optimisation elements were provided for in MyWebsite's SEO tools. We noted that 1&1's website featured examples of businesses that had used MyWebsite, and noted that when we used relevant search terms (such as the business name, or the type of business plus location) to find a random selection of those businesses, in all cases their websites appeared at or near the top of the search results. Because we considered that viewers would interpret the ad to mean that if used appropriately the MyWebsite product was likely to result in a website appearing on the first page of search results for relevant search terms, and we had seen evidence that was the case, we concluded the ad was not misleading.

We investigated the ad under BCAP Code rules  3.1 3.1 Advertisements must not materially mislead or be likely to do so.  (Misleading advertising),  3.9 3.9 Broadcasters must hold documentary evidence to prove claims that the audience is likely to regard as objective and that are capable of objective substantiation. The ASA may regard claims as misleading in the absence of adequate substantiation.  (Substantiation) and  3.12 3.12 Advertisements must not mislead by exaggerating the capability or performance of a product or service.  (Exaggeration), but did not find it in breach.

Action

No further action necessary.

BCAP Code

3.1     3.12     3.9    


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