Beginners Guide to Conducting a Trademark Search

If you are the owner of a registered trademark many people think they can sit back and relax and that their work is complete. However, this is not the case. Your business must conduct a regular trademark search to ensure the safety and security of their intellectual property. These reasons will become evident in the following article as we try to simplify the importance of a comprehensive trademark search for all business no matter how big or small.

The intricacies of a trademark can get overlooked by many companies as the importance of trademark maintenance is not fully understood. A complete understanding of the in and outs of a trademark and gaining knowledge behind conducting regular trademark searches can only look to improve your brand, its exclusivity and its security to give your company longevity within your target market.

An Introduction to Trademark Searches

The common misconception about a trademark is that once it has been set up and registered it can be left, the job is done. But this is not the case maintenance of trademarks and conducting a trademark search is far broader than many people realise. Therefore, first, we must understand what a trademark search is and how they can be administered correctly.

Searching for a trademark is far more than just an online search, they are not restricted to just a search of a keyword or phrase, the search can also be conducted on a trademark number, image or owner. This search doesn’t only crawl external databases for the presence of a registered trademark but also will return the result of unregistered brands. A trademark search consists of much more detail where a search can be filtered by territory not only local but on an international scale to display the trademarks that are being used corresponding with your search terms.

Why Conduct Regular Searches of Your Trademark

Failure to keep up with regular trademark maintenance as discussed can have a detrimental effect on your business and your brand. If trademark searches are neglected at crucial stages, this could prove disastrous for your trademark. Intermittent trademark searches after the initial preliminary search should be conducted regularly to highlight any possible infringements to your trademark. These searches outline significantly similar marks that are being used and can affect the exclusivity of your brand allowing you to file for potential trademark infringement. If at these key stages a trademark search has failed to be conducted it may result in an inability for you to protect your registered trademark and diminish.