Google Tips #2: Alerts

Among the tools that Google offers its users are Google Alerts. The Alerts feature allows you to set up one or more automated content "searches" for specific words or phrases. You choose the frequency (as it happens, daily or weekly) and emails will be generated when your alert is triggered. You can set up the search to just cover one type of update or all updates.

Why use Google Alerts? You can use it to monitor a specific news story or topic, your company or even yourself! The tool is designed to pick up changes/additions to website content, blogs, news stories, etc. Do note that this feature is still in beta at this time, so it's possible you'll see some unexpected results.

To set up an alert:

• Go to http://www.google.com/alerts.
• Enter the search terms following these rules:
  a. Use quotes for a specific phrase, for example, “jeanne frazer”
  b. Separate words or phrases with spaces
  c. Use plus and minus signs to include or exclude words, +vitalink –cable
• Choose the alert type and frequency
• Enter email address to receive the email. NOTE: the user does NOT need to have a Google account to create alerts. You DO have to have an account if you want to manage your alerts OR if you don’t want to have to verify each alert via email. If you DO have an account, you can set the alert up to go into an RSS feed instead of email.

It's that easy! Do note that if the keywords used are common, you may need to edit the alert and add more keywords (or negative keywords) later. As an example, I have several alerts and had to edit my vitalink alert a number of times when I found several other companies and products using this name.