Be The First To Know

Google Alerts are something I have recently started using and I love them!

Here's what to do.

1. Go to Google Alerts and (assuming you have a Google login)
2. Enter your search terms (whatever you want to search for)
3. Choose whether or not you want all of Google searched or only a part (e.g. blogs)
4. Decide how often you want to be notified (the chooses are "Once a day, As it happens, or Once a week)
5. Enter your email address
6. Click Create Alert

Then you will get an email with the contents of your search at the interval you specify.

Let's say for instance that you have heard rumors that your company is going to merge with another. You could set up a Google Alert that would notify you as soon as any news hits Google about the merge.

One way I use this is to find out what's being said about me. I just created an alert with my name in it. Yesterday, I connected with a blogger who mentioned my upcoming speech in a post. The only way I knew about this post was because of Google Alerts.

Yet another great tool from the geniuses at Google.

See also:

• 2 Great Google Apps
• Don't Be An Online Loner