Business Blogging -- Should it Be A Protected Free Speech Right?
By Kamau Austin

Leading SEO Expert Aaron Matthew Wall Author of SEO Book Sued over Blogging Free Speech Issue.

Blogging has come a long way as it relates to becoming a part of mainstream media.  Blogging has more recently been credited with breaking major news stories and influencing major political campaigns.

One of my favorite sources to read on current SEO developments is leading search engine marketer Aaron Matthew Wall.  He has recently been commenting on a law suit from a company called Traffic Power.

Quite frankly I don't know all the issues involved, but I know young Mr. Wall (only 25) to be a straight shooter on what works and doesn't work in SEO work.  People like Aaron are becoming personal brands online because of blogging.

This legal action is some what setting a standard on legal rights and actions brought against bloggers.  The right of a blogger to express their opinions about businesses has caught the attention of the Wall Street Journal (obviously not owned by Aaron Wall).

I am a reader of SEO Book and have emailed Aaron Wall on occasion.  I even have a review of his book on my site.
 
From Aaron's blog I knew this was brewing for some time.  Aaron will praise useful services and also tell others when something is a scam.
 
As a blogger it is hard to tell where to draw the line.  There are so many rip-off traffic companies out there you feel obligated to tell your subscribers.

I don't know all the issues in the Traffic Power law suit, however I think a person should be able to express their opinion about their business experiences and outlook online.
 
I see sites advertising and have even experienced some services telling you they will run your ad and get you millions of impressions.  Then you discover their Alexa ranking is 3,500,000 and they are putting your ad in rotation with 16 other advertisers.
 
It would take them forever -- and they still couldn't get you a million impressions!  They are just rip-offs and when you let others know to avoid these traffic fraud type companies they get mad and want to sue.
 
I am doing a lot of testing of different ways to drive lots of targeted traffic to my sites, but 60% of the companies I try are total rip-offs.  Many of them I suspect generate traffic bots and not actual people.
 
When we blog our readers expect us to have a personality and give them the inside scoop and our opinion on things.  Legal action like this will really make our jobs more challenging to say the least.

Not only are companies trying to sue bloggers for their commentary, but also for feed back left by blog users. Believe it or not Mr. Wall is also being sued just for his remarks, but also for remarks some of his blog readers left on his blog!

I think Aaron is courageous in taking a stand for the ability to express his opinion, and the right of his blog users to also state theirs.  He is helping to keep the Internet a media of free speech.
 
I wish Aaron Wall well in his decision to not take his personal or critical commentary down on Traffic Power.  He shouldn't have to feel  afraid to state his opinion on web marketing matters, even when some companies don't approve of their reviews.  These companies would do better improving their product and put less time into suing and other forms of intimidation.


Kamau Austin is publisher of www.eInfoNEWS.com and runs www.SearchEnginePlan.com.  He is author of Always On Top "How to Get the Highest Search Engine ranking for your website. See more about his strategies at www.AlwaysOnToptheBook.com