If you don’t know what Google Alerts are, you are missing one of the most powerful and free search and content idea-generating tools on the planet. Well, on the Internet, at least.
The Google Alerts tool sends you instant or periodic (your choice) emails regarding topics, companies, and keyword phrases that you specify. If it is posted online, you’ll get a link directly to the item.
For example, I am currently working on a book manuscript for a construction company with multiple locations throughout the United States. Using Google Alerts, I specify the company name, the names of its subsidiaries and divisions, and the industry type. Every day I receive email notifications with links to related articles, news releases, and other sources of content.
For blog posts and article ideas, I enter general topics of interest to writers — and many of the articles and links sent to me spark my next post or article. I read the headlines and either use the information immediately for a piece I’m working on, or save the links in a file for future use.
Google Alerts is easy to set up and has a history tracking feature for you to retrace your search actions from previous alerts.
Did I mention it takes mere minutes to get started (and, I repeat, is FREE)?
TIP: You can also use search.twitter.com to do similar research while avoiding email notification (and without having to be a Twitter aficionado). Simply enter your keywords and click the search button.
(C) 2023 T Smith, All Rights Reserved