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Techcrunch reported that Searchmetric's US company has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Delaware because of an ongoing patent legal dispute with Brightedge.
Let me be clear, this doesn't impact the main company - but rather the US operations only. Brightedge actually has a history of patenting things, even the SEO process and has taken legal action before suing Searchmetrics before in 2014. But Brightedge allegedly won't let this dispute go and Searchmetrics has supposedly spent $10 million over this legal spat.
Here are tweets from Searchmetrics on this:
.@TechCrunch 1/2 New products, same staff and excellent technology and services under restructuring. No change for customers around the world.
— Searchmetrics (@Searchmetrics) May 8, 2017
.@TechCrunch 2/2 Stay tuned for more exciting product announcements!
— Searchmetrics (@Searchmetrics) May 8, 2017
The SEO community is not happy with Brightedge and many are saying they are no longer going to use and pay for their software. Here are some tweets from the SEO community:
No respect for companies who think patent trolling is a substitute for innovation. Succeed or fail on your product, not your lawyers.
— Dr. Pete Meyers (@dr_pete) May 8, 2017
If this is the end for @Searchmetrics (and I really hope it isn't) I will put a "Fuck @brightedge" slide in to all my conference decks. ALL.
— Barry Adams (@badams) May 8, 2017
Patent trolling is not something people do who have a better product ... @Searchmetrics @brightedge
— Andre Alpar (@andrealpar) May 9, 2017
Major legal kerfuffle between @Searchmetrics and @brightedge. I despise businesses who litigate rather than innovate. https://t.co/KhMvRxQkKG
— Barry Adams (@badams) May 8, 2017
@rustybrick @Searchmetrics @TechCrunch Boo @brightedge
— Ronnie Jones (@Ronneh_) May 8, 2017
There are many many more.
Searchmetrics is a company loved by the SEO/SEM community. It is sad to see this.
Forum discussion at Twitter.
