Using Google Alerts
Each day I monitor not just my own Google alerts but those of my clients as well. If you are wondering what people have to say about your business you should be using Google Alerts as well.
Getting started is easy, simply go to Google Alerts and complete the form.
Of course like any web based tool, there are always a few tricks:
1. Don’t just track your company name, track the names of your products and services.
2. Track your name and executives names as well. If you own a blog, consider tracking the names of your main writers. This will let you know when ever a news article or blog mentions their names.
3. Think like a search engine.
Track phrases by using “quotations” and ” -negative keywords”. For example my name is Karrine unfortunately I share this name with a video vixen who receives a lot more press then I do so I search “Karrine -Steffans”.
Things to Google Alert:
Your name
Your business name
Your executives names
Your product names
Your competitors business names
Your competitors Executives names
Industry phrases with quotations
On Aug 6, 2008, Kelly @ Pass the torch said:
That is so great! I just created an alert and it took me all of 30 seconds, I think. Thanks for the great tip!
On Sep 17, 2008, Dot Design said:
Great post Karrine, I hadn’t even heard about Google Alerts until I came to your very use blog, cheers! Gareth