• by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, January 28, 2011

The search marketing industry will see many more patents filed and granted in the coming year. They will improve processes and run backend systems behind the scenes, certainly not meant for those searching the Web to see. These behind-the-scene gems will work to make online search advertising and marketing more efficient, so brands can serve less ads and gain better returns on investments (ROIs). They must as the industry matures. It's part of growing up.

Earlier this week, Covario, a San Diego-based search marketing agency, revealed it had received its first patent for geared toward Web-based software for search engine optimization (SEO). The patent No. 7877392, granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark office for a "Centralized Web-based Software Solution for Search Engine Optimization" supports features in Covario SEO Audit Score, a system that uses a weighted algorithmic formula to audit and score SEO. It has three key indicators to assess a brand's or a product's probability of ranking high in a search engine's natural results.

Covario SEO Audit Score scans a client's Web site pages for best practices of SEO. It's divided into content, technical and link-building sections. The weighted scoring algorithm helps to summarize the health of the client's site and pages. It provides insight into what to work on next. The patent supporting the platform feeds into a new concept Covario CEO Russ Mann calls "algorithmic SEO."

Mann says the patent on algorithmic SEO that combines automation and analytics relies on content, analytics and scores. The signals identify quality link analysis, content relevance and technical quality. In its latest version Covario adjusted the weighting scale to put the greatest emphasis on link quality. Earlier this month, Covario suggested clients, mostly electronics companies, increase global paid search budget between 15 and 20%, compared with last year. This increase, on average, will allow them to maintain market share in the global high-tech and consumer electronics sector as more budgets and campaigns go global.

Covario also recommended allocating between 10% and 20% of the total of their global paid search advertising budget to Facebook advertising in 2011. Budgets moving into Facebook will come from display advertising, not search, according to the report.