Search engine optimization software provider BrightEdge announced it had been awarded an official patent late yesterday, which is a first for not just the company, but for the whole SEO niche, according to BrightEdge execs (meanwhile, it’s the 8-millionth-and-change for the U.S.). It’s called “Operationalizing Search Engine Optimization,” and it reflects the company’s capacity in measuring “share of voice” in organic search engine rankings. (Spell check, by failing to recognize the word “operationalizing,” seems at least to support the concept’s uniqueness.)