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SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION AND REPORTING AGREEMENT
This Search Engine Optimization and Reporting Agreement
("Agreement") is hereby entered into between AFRISERVER. (hereinafter
referred to as "Company") and the party set forth in the related order
form ("Customer" or "you") incorporated herein by this reference
(together with any subsequent order forms submitted by Customer, the
"Order Form") and applies to the purchase of all Search Engine
Optimization and Reporting Services (hereinafter collectively referred
to as "SEO Services") ordered by Customer.
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TERM AND TERMINATION. This Agreement shall be effective as of
the time frame set forth on the Order Form. This Agreement may be
terminated by either party upon written notice to the other, if the
other party breaches any material obligation provided hereunder and the
breaching party fails to cure such breach within thirty (30) days of
receipt of the notice. This Agreement may be terminated by Company (i)
immediately if Customer fails to pay any fees hereunder; or (ii) if
Customer fails to cooperate with Company or hinders Company's ability
to perform the SEO Services hereunder.
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SEO SERVICES. Company agrees to provide Customer with SEO
Services as described in the Order Form and this Agreement. Company is
authorized to use the specific keywords and/or phases set forth in the
Order Form for development, improving the ranking of, and/or
positioning the contents of the Customer's URL(s) (as set forth in the
Order Form) in search engines and/or directories. SEO Services are
intended to provide the Customer with preferential positioning in
selected search engines and report results on an ongoing and timely
basis. SEO Services include:
- Research keywords and phrases to select
appropriate, relevant search terms. The number of keywords is set forth
in the Order Form. Additional keyword purchases will require a separate
Order Form.
- Submit Customer's pages to search engines and directories as set forth in the Order Form or this Agreement.
- Create positioning reports showing rankings in the major search engines and under which keywords.
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FEES. Customer agrees to pay Company the fee(s) as stated in
Order Form. The fee(s) must be received prior to the start of any SEO
Services.
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CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITIES. For the purposes of providing these services, Customer agrees:
- To provide Company with FTP access to its web sites for uploading
new pages, and making changes for the purpose of SEO Services
optimization or approval to go through a third party.
- To authorize Company use of all Customer's logos, trademarks, Web
site images, etc., for use in creating informational pages and any
other uses as deemed necessary by Company for search engine positioning
and optimization.
- That if Customer's web site(s) is light in textual content,
Customer will provide additional relevant text content in electronic
format for the purpose of creating additional web pages. Customer
agrees to provide content, for example 200 to 500 word "articles" about
each of their keyword phrases.
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SEARCH ENGINES. Selected search engine submissions include:
- AOL
- Alta Vista
- About
- Google
- All The Web
- Excite
- Hot Bot
- Looksmart
- MSN
- Lycos
- Yahoo [web pages only]
- Netscape
*Top Major SE and SE names may change without notice
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CUSTOMER ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Customer understands, acknowledges and agrees that:
- Company has no control over the
policies of search engines or directories with respect to the type of
sites and/or content that they accept now or in the future. Customer's
web site(s) may be excluded from any search engine or directory at any
time at the sole discretion of the search engine or directory entity.
Company will resubmit those pages that have been dropped from the index.
- Some
search engines and directories may take as long as two (2) to four (4)
months, and in some cases longer, after submission to list Customer's
web site(s).
- Occasionally, search engines and directories will stop accepting submissions for an indefinite period of time.
- Occasionally,
search engines and directories will drop listings for no apparent or
predictable reason. Often listing will "reappear" without any
additional submissions. Should the listing not reappear, Company will
re-submit the web site(s) based on the current policies of the search
engine or directory in question.
- Some search
engines and directories offer expedited listing services for a fee.
Company encourages Customer to take advantage of these expedited
services. Customer is responsible for all expedited service fees unless
otherwise noted in the Order Form.
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WEB SITE CHANGES. Company is not responsible for changes made to
Customer's web site(s) by other parties that adversely affect the
search engine or directory rankings of Customer's web site(s).
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ADDITIONAL SERVICES. Additional services not listed herein or in
Order Form will be provided for up to $100.00 per hour. Company is not
responsible for Customer's overwriting SEO Services work to Customer's
web site(s). Customer will be charged an additional fee for
re-constructing meta-tags, keywords, content, etc based on the hourly
rate of up to $100.00 per hour.
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INDEMNIFICATION. Customer shall indemnify and hold harmless
Company (and its subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, agents,
co-branders or other partners, and employees) from any and all claims,
damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including, but not limited
to, reasonable attorneys' fees and all related costs and expenses)
incurred by Company as a result of any claim, judgment, or adjudication
against Company related to or arising from (a) any photographs,
illustrations, graphics, audio clips, video clips, text, data or any
other information, content, display, or material (whether written,
graphic, sound, or otherwise) provided by Customer to Company (the
"Customer Content"), or (b) a claim that Company's use of the Customer
Content infringes the intellectual property rights of a third party. To
qualify for such defense and payment, Company must: (i) give Customer
prompt written notice of a claim; and (ii) allow Customer to control,
and fully cooperate with Customer in, the defense and all related
negotiations.
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DISCLAIMER OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES. COMPANY DOES NOT WARRANT
THAT THE SEO SERVICES WILL MEET THE CUSTOMER'S EXPECTATIONS OR
REQUIREMENTS. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE IS WITH
CUSTOMER. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED IN THIS AGREEMENT, COMPANY
PROVIDES ITS SERVICES "AS IS" AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. THE
PARTIES AGREE THAT (A) THE LIMITED WARRANTIES SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION
ARE THE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE WARRANTIES PROVIDED BY EACH PARTY, AND (B)
EACH PARTY DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY
AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT,
PERFORMANCE OR INABILITY TO PERFORM UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, THE CONTENT,
AND EACH PARTY'S COMPUTING AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. IF ANY PROVISION OF
THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE UNLAWFUL, VOID, OR FOR ANY REASON
UNENFORCEABLE, THEN THAT PROVISION SHALL BE DEEMED SEVERABLE FROM THIS
AGREEMENT AND SHALL NOT AFFECT THE VALIDITY AND ENFORCEABILITY OF ANY
REMAINING PROVISIONS.
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LIMITED LIABILITY. IN NO EVENT SHALL COMPANY BE LIABLE TO
CUSTOMER FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES,
INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES ARISING FROM COURSE OF DEALING
OR COURSE OF PERFORMANCE, LOST PROFITS, WHETHER OR NOT FORESEEABLE OR
ALLEGED TO BE BASED ON BREACH OF WARRANTY, CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR
STRICT LIABILITY, ARISING UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, LOSS OF DATA, OR ANY
PERFORMANCE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, EVEN IF SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED
OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES AND NOTWITHSTANDING THE FAILURE OF
ESSENTIAL PURPOSE OF ANY LIMITED REMEDY PROVIDED HEREIN. THERE SHALL BE
NO REFUNDS. COMPANY MAKES NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, WITH REGARD TO ANY THIRD PARTY PRODUCTS, THIRD PARTY CONTENT
OR ANY SOFTWARE, EQUIPMENT, OR HARDWARE OBTAINED FROM THIRD PARTIES.
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CUSTOMER REPRESENTATIONS. Customer makes the following representations and warranties for the benefit of Company:
- Customer represents to Company and unconditionally
guarantees that any elements of text, graphics, photos, designs,
trademarks, or other artwork furnished to Company are owned by
Customer, or that Customer has permission from the rightful owner to
use each of these elements, and will hold harmless, protect, and defend
Company and its subcontractors from any claim or suit arising from the
use of such elements furnished by Customer.
- Customer guarantees any elements of text, graphics,
photos, designs, trademarks, or other artwork provided to Company for
inclusion on the website above are owned by Customer, or that Customer
has received permission from the rightful owner(s) to use each of the
elements, and will hold harmless, protect, and defend Company and its
subcontractors from any liability or suit arising from the use of such
elements.
- From time to time governments enact laws and levy taxes
and tariffs affecting Internet electronic commerce. Customer agrees
that the client is solely responsible for complying with such laws,
taxes, and tariffs, and will hold harmless, protect, and defend Company
and its subcontractors from any claim, suit, penalty, tax, or tariff
arising from Customer's exercise of Internet electronic commerce.
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CONFIDENTIALITY. The parties agree to hold each other's
Proprietary or Confidential Information in strict confidence.
"Proprietary or Confidential Information" shall include, but is not
limited to, written or oral contracts, trade secrets, know-how,
business methods, business policies, memoranda, reports, records,
computer retained information, notes, or financial information.
Proprietary or Confidential Information shall not include any
information which: (i) is or becomes generally known to the public by
any means other than a breach of the obligations of the receiving
party; (ii) was previously known to the receiving party or rightly
received by the receiving party from a third party; (iii) is
independently developed by the receiving party; or (iv) is subject to
disclosure under court order or other lawful process. The parties agree
not to make each other's Proprietary or Confidential Information
available in any form to any third party or to use each other's
Proprietary or Confidential Information for any purpose other than as
specified in this Agreement. Each party's proprietary or confidential
information shall remain the sole and exclusive property of that party.
The parties agree that in the event of use or disclosure by the other
party other than as specifically provided for in this Agreement, the
non-disclosing party may be entitled to equitable relief.
Notwithstanding termination or expiration of this Agreement, Company
and Customer acknowledge and agree that their obligations of
confidentiality with respect to Proprietary or Confidential Information
shall continue in effect for a total period of three (3) years from the
effective date.
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FORCE MAJEURE. Neither party will be liable for, or will be
considered to be in breach of or default under this Agreement on
account of, any delay or failure to perform as required by this
Agreement as a result of any causes or conditions that are beyond such
Party's reasonable control and that such Party is unable to overcome
through the exercise of commercially reasonable diligence. If any force
majeure event occurs, the affected Party will give prompt written
notice to the other Party and will use commercially reasonable efforts
to minimize the impact of the event.
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RELATIONSHIP OF PARTIES. Company, in rendering performance under
this Agreement, shall be deemed an independent contractor and nothing
contained herein shall constitute this arrangement to be employment, a
joint venture, or a partnership. Customer does not undertake by this
Agreement, the Order Form or otherwise to perform any obligation of
Company, whether by regulation or contract. In no way is Company to be
construed as the agent or to be acting as the agent of Customer in any
respect, any other provisions of this Agreement notwithstanding.
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NOTICE AND PAYMENT. Any notice required to be given under this
Agreement shall be in writing and delivered personally to the other
designated party at the addresses listed in the Order Form mailed by
certified, registered or Express mail, return receipt requested or by
Federal Express. Either party may change its address to which notice or
payment is to be sent by written notice to the other under any
provision of this paragraph.
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JURISDICTION/DISPUTES. This Agreement shall be governed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Arizona. All disputes under
this Agreement shall be resolved by litigation in the courts of the
State of Arizona including the federal courts therein and the Parties
all consent to the jurisdiction of such courts, agree to accept service
of process by mail, and hereby waive any jurisdictional or venue
defenses otherwise available to it.
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AGREEMENT BINDING ON SUCCESSORS. The provisions of the Agreement
shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the Parties
hereto, their heirs, administrators, successors and assigns.
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ASSIGNABILITY. Customer may not assign this Agreement or the
rights and obligations thereunder to any third party without the prior
express written approval of Company. Company reserves the right to
assign subcontractors as needed to this project to ensure on-time
completion.
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WAIVER. No waiver by either party of any default shall be deemed
as a waiver of prior or subsequent default of the same of other
provisions of this Agreement.
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SEVERABILITY. If any term, clause or provision hereof is held
invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such
invalidity shall not affect the validity or operation of any other
term, clause or provision and such invalid term, clause or provision
shall be deemed to be severed from the Agreement.
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INTEGRATION. This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding
of the Parties, and revokes and supersedes all prior agreements between
the Parties and is intended as a final expression of their Agreement.
It shall not be modified or amended except in writing signed by the
Parties hereto and specifically referring to this Agreement. This
Agreement shall take precedence over any other documents which may
conflict with this Agreement.
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NO INFERENCE AGAINST AUTHOR. No provision of this Agreement
shall be interpreted against any Party because such Party or its legal
representative drafted such provision.
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DISPUTES. Customer and Company agree to make a good-faith effort
to resolve any disagreement arising out of, or in connection with, this
Agreement through negotiation. Should the parties fail to resolve any
such disagreement within ten (10) days, any controversy or claim
arising out of or relating to this Agreement, including, without
limitation, the interpretation or breach thereof, shall be submitted by
either party to arbitration in Maricopa County, Arizona and in
accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American
Arbitration Association. The arbitration shall be conducted by one
arbitrator, who shall be (a) selected in the sole discretion of the
American Arbitration Association administrator and (b) a licensed
attorney with at least ten (10) years experience in the practice of law
and at least five (5) years experience in the negotiation of technology
contracts or litigation of technology disputes. The arbitrator shall
have the power to enter any award that could be entered by a judge of
the state courts of Arizona sitting without a jury, and only such
power, except that the arbitrator shall not have the power to award
punitive damages, treble damages, or any other damages which are not
compensatory, even if permitted under the laws of the State of Arizona
or any other applicable law. The arbitrator must issue his or her
resolution of any dispute within thirty (30) days of the date the
dispute is submitted for arbitration. The written decision of the
arbitrator shall be final and binding and enforceable in any court
having jurisdiction over the parties and the subject matter of the
arbitration. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section shall not
preclude either party from seeking temporary, provisional, or
injunctive relief from any court.
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READ AND UNDERSTOOD. Each Party acknowledges that it has read and understands this Agreement and agrees to be bound by its terms and conditions.
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DULY AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE. Each Party warrants that their
representative whose signature appears below is duly authorized by all
necessary and appropriate corporate actions to execute this Agreement.
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