Google has a great tool to alert you when they find a new backlink or see content written about you on the web. I was shocked when one of my clients said they didn’t even know this tool even existed. I figured if he didn’t know about the tool, others may be in the same boat. So I did the only logical next step. I jumped on Active Rain and his that magical new post button.

Google Alerts

Notifications directly to your inbox.

Google Alerts allows you to setup notification emails when Google picks up new content related to a specific search term. For example, then name of my web design company is Dakno Marketing. So I have a Google Alert that notifies me every time they index new content that contains the word “dakno”.

The process is easy to setup. Just go to the Google Alerts home page, sign in, and enter your search phase. You will get an email in your mailbox every time Google picks up new content that matches that search phrase.

A Practical Example

Google Found Me a Few Hours Later

On Friday night, I wrote my very first Blog Post on Active Rain. It was a short post about Online Real Estate Buyer Statistics. Saturday Morning, I receive a Google Alert Email letting me know the new information has been added to their search engine. Less than 24 hours and Google picked up my post! Of course this was because I had already setup a Google Alert to notify me of any new content related to me.

Keeping Tabs on Your Competition

Let Google Be Your Spy

Don’t just limit Google Alerts for your own website. Keep up with your competitors by having email alerts sent when Google indexes content that is related to your competition.

If you already use Google Alerts and want more robust information then stay tuned. I will soon be writing about Google’s other tool that gives you even more detail and SEO feedback about your website.

Untill Then,
Brad Carroll
Dakno Marketing - A Real Estate Web Design Company h2 {border-bottom:1px solid #356D9E; color:#356D9E!important; font-family:Trebuchet MS,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:22px!important; font-size-adjust:none; font-stretch:normal; font-style:normal; font-variant:normal; font-weight:normal; letter-spacing:0pt; line-height:24px; margin:0pt 0pt 2px; padding:6px 0pt 5px; } h3 { color:#DDA603; font-family:"Trebuchet MS",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:15px!important; font-size-adjust:none; font-stretch:normal; font-style:normal; font-variant:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:normal; margin:0pt; padding:0pt; } a { color:#356D9E; text-decoration:underline; } a:hover { color:#ffffff; text-decoration:none; background:#356D9E; border 1px solid #DDA603 }

 

39 Comments on Are You Getting SEO Reports Directly From Google? I Am!

20 Most Recent Comments Displayed Show All

MAY
29
2007
237,286 Points Attended Rain Camp
Great Tip -- I had not been aware of that one before.  Going there now...
5:45pm • #20
328,572 Points 2 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog
Great info. I have been using to keep up on news but not my own site, Thanks
10:16pm • #21
MAY
30
2007

Brad,

That's a super post.  I've used Google alerts for other reasons but never for my own website.  Just so I understand, would I set up an alert for my domain, www.dianebell.com or would I do it differently?
6:05am • #22
277,652 Points 11 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp
Great stuff. I like the google alerts
11:09pm • #23
MAY
31
2007
650,291 Points Localism Sponsor Outside Blog

Really good post. Thanks. Will have to come back and read it more thoroughly as there is so much there.

Carolin Benjamin
Bob and Carolin Benjamin
The Benjamin Team
Keller Williams Integrity First Realty
Gold Canyon Arizona
2:53am • #24
JUN
05
2007
322,630 Points 14 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog
I set this up last week for a couple of terms, but no alerts yet even though I've been posting.  Hmm.
10:52am • #25
5 Featured Posts
I find it is a bit hit or miss.  I have one set up for "vacation home" to give me information I can post in my blog entries, and only once has my blog entry shown up, despite numerous postings using that term.  On the alert for my website name, I often get similar ones as well.  Do I get all of them?  Who knows? 
10:57am • #26
me too, I set up the keywords for our home page of our website and what I often use in blogs but no alerts yet... not sure why.
12:24pm • #27
118,241 Points 14 Featured Posts
Keep in mind that the alerts send you emails when new pages are indexed that match that particular search criteria. Just because your post contains information on a subject doesn't mean that your going to get indexed for that particular keyphrase. You also have to consider how easy it is for Google to find you. If your post is buried then it will not index that page. Another thing to consider is setting an alert for a unique phrase that you include in your post. For example, it's easy for me because i have such a unique company name "dakno". So anything I post that contains the word Dakno will be included in the alert. Not getting alerts doesn't mean that Google's feature is broken. It means your search engine optimization efforts are broken. :-)
12:45pm • #28
118,241 Points 14 Featured Posts

In reading over the comments again  I wanted to clarify one thing. A few mentioned that you were including your domain name as the Google alert. I have not yet tried to track off of domain names (not sure if they just alert off of the content or the domain name also. I have added my domain name as an alert and will see if anything comes out of it.

Also: I realize that things don't always come across correctly in text. So I wanted to let you guys know that the comment about your SEO being broken was typed in jest and not to come down on anyone's SEO efforts. 
12:53pm • #29
JUN
09
2007
1 Featured Post
THANKS FOR THE INFO
8:28am • #30
AUG
27
2007
 Great post BRad. I Used Google Alert a lot a year or two ago, but I did not think about using it specifically for my buzz on the net. Good reminder!
5:45pm • #31
Thanks for the info Brad. We have been using the Google Alert system since June. It is such a valuable tool not only for our site but to keep an eye on our competitors! Thanks for reaffirming that we should be using this!
8:04pm • #32
APR
08
2008
 Ok, now you have my attention...just subscribed to your blog.  Looks like I have alot to learn....thanks.
2:58am • #33

Brad,

Another great idea, I am already using google alerts, however I do not have it set up to spy on my competition yet.
10:29am • #34

Hi Brad - I just followed the link and entered some terms to be notified about.  Thanks for the advice.  I look forward to reading and learning from your future posts.
10:45am • #35
Brad~ As usual,really good information. I can't wait to set it up and see what happens.
10:52am • #36
316,897 Points Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router
Thanks for the tip Brad.  I of course use a google account and use analytics, and seen some of the other tools, I guess it just takes someone pointing these things out to me to get me to do it.
10:56am • #37
488,693 Points 7 Featured Posts Outside Blog
Brad: Awesome stuff. I always benifit by paying a visit to your blog. Thanks for contributing.
2:02pm • #38
4 Featured Posts
Wow, great tool!  I can't wait to set this up to "spy".  Thanks.
2:36pm • #39

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Brad Carroll - Real Estate Web Designer

Knightdale, NC

More about me…

Dakno Marketing

Address: 1100 Navaho Drive, Suite 204, Raleigh, NC, 27609

Office Phone: (888) 325-6610

Cell Phone: (919) 926-7010

Email Me

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