Google Alerts, that is. Do you use them? I am very fond of them and think they are an absolute must for monitoring your internet presence - a big part of marketing. (This is essentially a recycled post, but I bet there's a bunch of you who haven't read it.)For those of you who are unfamiliar with Google Alerts, here's a blurb from the Google website about what this nifty function does:
Google Alerts are emails sent to you when Google finds new results -- such as web pages, newspaper articles, or blogs -- that match your search term. You can use Google Alerts to monitor anything on the Web. For example, people use Google Alerts to:
- find out what is being said about their company or product.
- monitor a developing news story.
- keep up to date on a competitor or industry.
- get the latest news on a celebrity or sports team.
- find out what's being said about themselves.
If you aren't using Google Alerts, please do! It's the best way to track your image through the web and find out what people are saying about you. You can track as many terms as you like with this tool, even your competition or things you just like to follow. I recommend you at least follow your name or author pseudonym and your book title(s). Maybe you also want to follow your agent or editor, up to you. You can specify how often you get the alert so you aren't inundated and you can end at any time. Sign up for your alerts here.
How do you use Google Alerts? Has it been helpful for you?
62 comments:
I haven't used Google Alert before, but thanks for giving me something to think about!
It took me a while to get into Google Alerts, but know I love using them. It's awesome to get a little beep in my inbox and get up to date coverage of web happenings.
Jamie Gibbs
Mithril Wisdom
Love the phrase in your profile "from nobody to known." And no, I don't use google alert, but thanks to you, I'll have to check it out. Thanks for the heads up. And for the follow. Right back atcha.
I use it for my name but nothing else. I just like to make sure that nobody is pretending to be me :-)
I've signed up for GA several times, but it never works. I get one email from them, then nothing. I'll have to try again... :)
Haven't used Google Alerts yet...it's on one of my "to do" lists for blogging. Thanks for the reminder. Any tips as to why Blogger is acting weird?
Let me count the ways I use Google Alerts — to find memoirs/current news stories about people with a similar medical condition as my late husband, to track current stories on my neighborhood (makes me feel sort of creepy to say "Oh, yeah, they're moving," because I saw their house for rent), to track hydraulic fracturing across the world and in my neighborhood, to track news on a current medical conditions in my family (I've found patients and their blogs to offer more personal information on how to cope), to track news on an issue I would like to make a central plot in a novel, and my name - you know just in case something pops up. I think it's great for businesses and individuals. Most alerts I receive on a weekly basis, so I don't become overwhelmed. I may set up a daily alert in the beginning to gather info and see what's available. Good luck with the challenge.
I use Google Analytics for my small business. Will have to check this out now.
Yep - I don't use them for myself, because I'm not really anyone yet. But I do have an IP tracker on my blog and have noticed when Google Alerts have alerted a publishing house that I've written something about one of their authors or books. Maybe I'll sign up for me. Should be pretty nothing.
don't use 'em....great challenge
Hello Laura! Enjoyed your post. I've never used Google Alerts, but thought it might be fun to give it a try. Will see. : )
Susanne
PUTTING WORDS DOWN ON PAPER
Yes I do use them - usually to see who reviews me. Looking forward to reading your A-Z posts (I know they're going to be great!)
Excellent! Thanks for this, I had no idea Google Alerts even existed *newbie shows her stripes*
I've tried Google Alerts and it's been pretty hit and miss for me.
I wish there was a way to refine it so posts from my blog wouldn't show up.
Thanks Laura - I use this for work but never considered using it for myself before! How silly of me! Thanks
I haven't used this but can see how it'd be helpful if I ever have a product (like a book) to sell and endorse.
Sounds very interesting, and something worth checking out. Thanks for the advice!
K.S. @ Adjective, Not a Noun
Love Google Alerts. Been using them forever. I did some freelance writing for a company that did outsourced research work for all major companies (usually for patent research or R&D). So one of the tricks the researchers taught me was to use Google Alerts when it first came out.
Thanks for pointing this out. I was not using it. Great entry for the A to Z.
Hm. Had no idea this was out there! Thanks for the info :) Good luck with the rest of the challenge!
Anna @ Herding Cats & Burning Soup
I love Google Alerts! I use them to track my own stuff, but at the moment, as a prepublished author, most of the mentions of my name happen on my own blog.
I co-administer a Facebook Group for children's writers, and am always looking for new content to post, articles, blog posts, discussion starters. Google Alerts are invaluable for this.
I'm also working at building my platform as an arts advocate, and so I use Google Alerts to find information in that area that I can then pass on.
The possibilities are limitless!
I've never used them, but I probably should.... Thanks for reminding me!
Lately I have been finding they miss more than they catch.
Great post for AtoZ. I do use Google alerts, but more often than not what they send isn't important. The once in a while good catch, though, makes it worth it.
I set up google alerts because of your other post about them. I can't wait until they actually start getting results!
Ooo, I like the word choice, Laura! Google Alerts are awesome. Thanks for sharing this!
Ooo, I like the word choice, Laura! Google Alerts are awesome. Thanks for sharing this!
Ack, sorry for the double post. I responded before with my Celebutaunt Author ID. Sorry! :)
I have Google Alerts set for my name and both book titles.
That's good tip - thanks.
Thanks, Susan. It doesn't pop up too much for me (yet) but it's worth checking out.
Especially now that people are going to be talking about you so much. Congrats on your recent news!
It's pretty nothing for me right now. But I'm prepared :)
Oh, no, the pressure for good posts! I do have some good ones planned, actually. :) Thanks for the comment.
Yay! I edumacated someone! My day is now complete :)
I wish there was a way for me to tell it which Laura Barnes I am so I could only get alerts about me.
I really can't use it for my name. It's too common. So I use it for my blog name - see if anyone's quoting me unexpectedly :) (hasn't happened yet, by the way)
Really? Weird. It doesn't always pick up my blogs like it should, either. But it works for some of my query terms pretty well. Good luck with it!
Excellent, Stacy! I knew I liked you :)
Good luck with it!
That's what I'm here for!
Awesome! I'm glad I'm not the only one ;)
Hi, this is really good info. Thank you.
Ack! That's sucky. Good to know, though.
It won't be long. Hey, what's going on with your pub deal and agents by the way?
No prob. I enjoyed reading your Celbutaunt profile! I think I still have Grease memorized. :)
That must keep you busy! Especially right on the heels of a release.
Your welcome!
Ugh, Blogger sucks lately! And I hate to say that because I'm all team Blogger. I don't know the problem. I have a feeling it has to do with trying to make Blogger less compatible with other whatevers and make it all Google. But that's just my guess.
Thanks!
Totally limitless. Thanks for the comment. :)
I didn't know about google alerts. Great idea though.
Good advice. I use them, but I don't think I use them to their full potential.
I don't either. But I will if (when) I get published. ;)
Great reminder. It's one of those things I say I'm going to do and then immediately forget. :)
Do it now!! LOL
It wouldn't really work to use my name on Google alerts, as it's the same as the name of the main character in an urban fantasy series, and I'd then keep receiving updates for whenever the "Rachel Morgan series" is mentioned anywhere! But I do use it to keep up with my book and series titles.
My name is too common also. I use it for my blog address and will use it if (when) I get published. Thanks for stopping by!
This is a really good suggestion, Laura. I actually signed up for them a long time ago, but I stopped using gmail as my primary email because I have like 200-500 spam messages a day. I don't know how or why ad I got so tired of trying to filter through to look for real email. I have been using my yahoo for a couple of years now, but am beginning to suffer the consequences. I have my yahoo listed on my contact page, but I get messages in the comment sections now from people who ask me why I never reply to their email and then I learn they are mostly sending to gmail, (duh). I suppose that with blogger/blogspot owned by google and connected to my gmail account means I must use gmail. I just have to figure out a better method of gmail organization and figure out how to remove spam and stop it from coming back and growing.
What a dilemna. Hmm, I think you have some options though. You don't have to use gmail with blogger - do you? If so, you could create a new gmail account. I have like 4, ha ha. And you can also spend a day or so marking all your spam. Then you never see it again. I hardly ever see any of my spam - they have good filters.
I started up Google Alerts when you mentioned it the last time, but since then I've changed my email and had forgotten about them. I don't really know if I want to sign up again.
@Melissa I use Yahoo for my Blogger and YouTube account, though I do have a Gmail. The reason for this is when I first started my blog I did not have a Gmail (I had to make one later to be able to use my phone) so I used the one I had. Caution though, Google will not let you then hook up your Blogger account to a Gmail. I found this out when I tried to switch everything to my Gmail since it had a more professional name. I ended up having to make a new Yahoo.
I signed up ! Thanks for the information, Laura!
http://betty-alark.blogspot.com/2012/05/what-type-of-character-are-youhanging.html
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