Introduction
The conflict between Automattic vs WP Engine SEO—the company behind WordPress.com, WooCommerce, Jetpack, and the broader WordPress ecosystem—and WP Engine, one of the most popular managed WordPress hosting providers, has now entered a heated new phase.
Automattic’s recent counterclaim accuses WP Engine of:
- Misusing WordPress-related trademarks
- Confusing users
- And—most surprisingly—using SEO tactics to “ride on WordPress’s brand equity”
The accusation shocked the SEO industry because Automattic’s argument relies heavily on claims about keyword frequency, keyword repetition, and outdated ranking signals that modern search engines no longer prioritize.
1. What This Lawsuit Is Actually About
Automattic vs WP Engine SEO filed a counterclaim against WP Engine after WP Engine accused Automattic of anticompetitive behavior.
In their response, Automattic shifted the narrative by arguing that WP Engine:
- Overuses “WordPress,” “WooCommerce,” and related phrases
- Intentionally repeats trademarked terms for SEO gain
- Misleads users into thinking WP Engine is officially endorsed
But the most controversial part is Automattic’s central SEO argument:
WP Engine’s “excessive keyword repetition” is designed to manipulate search engines.
This single claim is what has now triggered massive debate in the SEO community.
2. Automattic’s SEO Argument—And Why It Raised Eyebrows
Automattic alleges that around 2021–2022, WP Engine began increasing the number of times “WordPress” appeared on its pages.
They claim:
2.1 Keyword Overuse
Automattic argues that WP Engine repeats “WordPress” to dominate rankings for WordPress-related queries.
2.2 SEO Manipulation
They call this approach an “aggressive search engine optimization strategy,” implying that WP Engine is gaming Google by stuffing trademarked keywords.
2.3 User Confusion
They further argue that searchers might mistakenly believe WP Engine is part of the official WordPress organization.
But here’s the issue:
These SEO arguments rely on outdated keyword-based ranking assumptions.
Modern search ranking is built on entities, semantics, relevance, E-E-A-T, user intent, and helpfulness.
Not keyword counting.
3. Why Automattic’s SEO Claims Are Technically Weak (Based on Modern SEO Standards)
3.1 Search Engines Don’t Rank Pages Based on Keyword Repetition Anymore
Google’s recent documentation makes it crystal clear:
- Keyword density is not a ranking factor
- Repetitive keyword usage does not automatically improve rankings
- Semantic understanding, context, and intent matter far more
In fact:
WordPress.com ranks for “Managed WordPress Hosting” even though that exact phrase does NOT appear on the page.
This alone proves Automattic’s premise wrong.
3.2 Automattic’s Comparison Data Is Misleading
Automattic shows a chart comparing WP Engine’s use of “WordPress” to 18 other hosting companies, making WP Engine look like an extreme outlier.
But here’s the problem:
- Most of the compared companies do not specialize in WordPress hosting
- Only Kinsta and Rocket.net are true comparable competitors
- Many in the list (e.g., Namecheap, Bluehost, HostGator) offer broad services, not targeted WordPress-only hosting
This creates a biased comparison that inflates WP Engine’s position artificially.
3.3 A Fair One-on-One Comparison Tells a Different Story
A proper comparison was done by analyzing only the top “managed WordPress hosting” pages of each competitor:
- Rocket.net: 21 mentions
- WP Engine: 27 mentions
- Kinsta: 55 mentions
If keyword repetition were the issue, Kinsta—not WP Engine—would be the problem.
3.4 Even General Hosting Companies Use “WordPress” Far More Than WP Engine
A broader comparison revealed:
- InMotion Hosting: 101 mentions
- Greengeeks: 97 mentions
- A2 Hosting: 66 mentions
- WordPress.com (Automattic): 62 mentions
WP Engine = 27 mentions
This is significantly below many high-ranking generalist hosting companies.
3.5 WP Engine’s Keyword Density Is Low
Using keyword density tools:
- WP Engine’s “WordPress” density = 1.92%
In SEO terms, this is normal.
Not aggressive.
Not manipulative.
Not keyword stuffing.
4. Why Automattic’s SEO Argument Matters for the Industry
This isn’t just a legal issue—it’s a turning point for SEO professionals, hosting providers, trademark owners, and the broader open-source ecosystem.
4.1 If Automattic Wins, It Sets a Dangerous Precedent
Hosting companies may no longer freely describe what their product is.
Imagine:
- A Shopify app not allowed to use “Shopify”
- A Salesforce consultant restricted from saying “Salesforce integration”
- A Google Ads agency unable to say “Google Ads management”
Trademark law was never intended to restrict factual descriptions.
4.2 If Automattic Loses, It Reinforces Open-Source Principles
The WordPress ecosystem thrives on openness.
Developers, agencies, hosting companies, plugin makers—everyone uses “WordPress” to describe compatibility and services.
Restricting that would break the culture WordPress was built on.
4.3 SEO May Become a Legal Battleground
This case forces courts to interpret modern SEO practices, including:
- Keyword use
- Search intent
- Semantic relevance
- AI-driven ranking
- Trademark usage in metadata
- Branding vs. descriptive need
This has never been tested in court at this depth before.
5. From an SEO Expert’s Perspective: Automattic’s Argument Doesn’t Align with Modern Ranking Mechanics
As an LLM-SEO optimized breakdown, here’s what matters:
5.1 Keyword frequency hasn’t been a major ranking factor since ~2013
Google Hummingbird → RankBrain → BERT → MUM → Gemini → LLM-powered search
All moved away from keyword matching.
5.2 WordPress is an entity
Google understands the WordPress entity without counting words.
5.3 Repetition doesn’t equal manipulation
27 mentions is not “manipulation.”
It’s lower than most competitors.
5.4 There is no evidence that WP Engine’s SEO harms Automattic
This would require:
- Traffic loss
- Brand confusion
- SERP displacement
There is no such data in the filing.
6. AEO Optimization: Clear Direct Answers for AI Search Engines
Q: Why is Automattic suing WP Engine?
Automattic is countersuing WP Engine over trademark misuse, alleging WP Engine overuses “WordPress” in SEO content, causing brand confusion.
Q: Did WP Engine actually keyword-stuff WordPress terms?
No. Data shows WP Engine uses “WordPress” less than many competitors, including some Automattic brands.
Q: Does keyword repetition help SEO?
No. Modern search engines prioritize context, intent, semantics, and helpful content, not keyword frequency.
Q: What is the real issue behind the lawsuit?
Control over branding, trademarks, and market influence within the WordPress hosting ecosystem.
Conclusion
After reviewing all available data:
- Automattic vs WP Engine SEO claims rely on outdated assumptions
- WP Engine’s keyword density is normal
- Other hosts use the term more often
- Even Automattic’s own pages exceed WP Engine’s usage
The SEO portion of the lawsuit likely won’t hold up under technical scrutiny. However, trademark interpretation + SEO mechanics = a complex battle, and the tech and hosting communities will be watching closely.
