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Google Alerts Stay Informed

This post is inspired by Jeff Turners post on Like A Dark Cloud, When Comments Get Ugly and Personal. That post has been rumbling around in my mind all day. So I was thinking...........

I use Google Alerts to keep up with what is being said About Ann Arbor Real Estate, Saline Real Estate, Missy Caulk, Blogs about Ann Arbor and other topics on the World Wide Web I want to be aware of.

Here is how it works:

1) Go to Google and sign up for an account if you don't have one.

2) You will have a menu of The Services you can subscribe to. For instance: Google analytics, Google calendar, Google base, Google adwords, Gmail, and Google alerts to name a few.

3) Click on the Alerts logo and start to add anyting on the web you want to be alerted to, especially do your own name so you can see when anyone mentions you. The alert will come straight into your email.

In this exponential growth in blogging, it is good to see when you are mentioned or the cities we work in are mentioned.

Here is an example of a few of the Alerts I have received:

Tech Savy Realtors
By Missy Caulk GRI, e-PRO (RE/MAX Platinum)(Missy Caulk GRI, e-PRO (RE/MAX Platinum))
I was walking through Walmart a few years ago and I overheard this girl talking to her mom, in a Southern accent, "I'm gonna get me a real estate license". You can get it for 240.00". I died laughing (to myself of course). ...
Ann Arbor and Saline Michigan... - http://activerain.com/blogs/missycaulk

Saline Farmers Market Opens Saturday
By Missy(Missy)
A master gardener from Michigan State will also be on hand to answer any questions about gardening. Spend a little time visiting all the merchants in Charming Saline, MI. ann arbor, real estate, university of Michigan, houses for sale, ...
Ann Arbor and Surrounding Area... - http://ann-arbor-real-estate.blogspot.com/

Even when other people blog about you, it will get picked up.

Ann Arbor Michigan Real Estate Expert
By Thesa Chambers, REALTOR®, Sunriver, OR...(Thesa Chambers, REALTOR®, Sunriver, OR...)
Missy Caulk is the real estate expert for the Ann Arbor, Saline, and Ypsilanti Michigan areas. Missy's web page actually talks to you. She offers professional services for the buyer and seller alike. ...
Central Oregon Real Estate Information - http://activerain.com/blogs/thesa

Just about everything I post I get an Alert on ( even Localism ) so I know Google is picking it up. This was a post written by Thesa Chambers of Activerain.

Any listings you post will also be picked up.

ALERT me so I know how it works out for you. I love this feature of Google.

Posted by Missy Caulk-Ann Arbor- Realtor(R)- Ann Arbor Real Estate on 05/11/2007 09:43 PM

Comments (81)

technology, blogging, activerain

Originally posted at: Ann Arbor Undressed : Google Alerts Stay Informed

81 Comments on Google Alerts Stay Informed

MAY

2007

Hi Missy - thanks for this info. I didn't know anything about Google alerts, but with your examples above, I'll certainly be looking into this.

Thanks for this post,
Ann

Missy great post. I had no idea about this feature. I will certainly be setting this one up.

I've been using alerts for a little while and love it. I also use it to get stories about the community that are non real estate related

Missy - I didn't know about this feature either. How did you find out about it? I'm going to the Google store....

Ann and Ashley, try it as it is so a really cool feature.

Ravi, great idea, you can set an alert on anything.

Wow! Thanks for the post. I am going to check this out.

Missy,

Great post. I did not know about this particular feature.

Thanks,

Rita

It's always kind of interesting to see what shows up in my "Andy Kaufman" google alert.

This is really interesting. I was not aware of the alerts from Google that ae available.

Thank you - it is this kind of information which is invaluable - thanks for the heads up. I'm going to add an alert.

Hey, thanks for a great post...I just added it to my google services so we shall have to see if I am missing out ona nything being said!

Nice clear explanation on Google Alerts. They're a great tool to automatically keep up on new web content.

Thank you for this useful blog! I checked it out...I already use GMAIL. and added alerts and can't wait to see how it goes. This is also very good to see what is going on in your city/town. Thanks.

Missy, I have so much on my Google home page I don't know if I have room for Google Alert. But I'll fit it some how. Thanks

Wow, and Thanks

I am an epro and learning and want a certain level of practical mastery of the net without being

a Tech.

Great Article

Val Rensink Exit Desert Ocean Realty

Hey Missy,

Yep, this works great. And every now and then you find a real surprise, sort of like "Candid Camera" (boy am I'm dating myself with that one, right?). Well anyway sometime you show up where you least expected!

LOL, so far so good!

I didn't know that...Thanks. Just may keep me out of jail.....Just kidding :-)

Great information, I had never heard of that feature before. Thanks.

Missy~ Thanks so much for the great information, I had heard about it but you made me do it, thanks!

Missy,
I love this. I just went over and signed up for two alerts. Thanks for the tip!

Hi Missy,

You are the google guru!

Missy,

Thanks for the infomation. I had no idea you could do that. Great post!

David Matney

Missy... excellent advice. I do a similar thing with Google, only I do it with my feed reader to monitor lots of instances of word combinations and it's really effective. This is good stuff!

Missy, thanks for the blog, it is a great one, it is working, I appreciate your comments / advises, keep the good blog !

MAY

2007

I've been using the Reader, based on a post Kristal did some time ago, and I find that it picks up any AR or Localism article within just an hour or two after posting.

Thanks Missy:

I was doing one last look around before I logged off (2:15AM) and am so glad that I found your post. I do a lot of stuff on the internet and love it when I find something new - too late to implement it now but have bookmarked it for later.

Hi Missy,

Thank you so much for sharing this information. I signed up for this service less than an hour ago and already am receiving updates. This is the coolest tool I have seen lately.

I have already found a blogsite that I didn't know existed and learned about something I had no idea was happening.

Thank you again for your help.

Take care, help lots of people and have a wonderful day,

Tisza

Missy-Thanks for that informative post. I am going to sign up for an account this evening. Aloha!

Hey Missy good tip - never thought of using Google alerts like this but it's a great idea.

I just set up my first alerts. Thank you for the heads up on this.

A big group thank you, I posted it last night at 9:40 P.M. and then went to bed. What a wonderful surprise to wake up and see so many had stopped by and it was featured. I normally would answer each of you, but I'm going on a listing appointement at 10 and show a house at noon.

If anyone needs help just contact me, I think you will love the Google Alert tool. I had 4 alerts in my Inbox this morning. I know you will enjoy this tool.

One thing to add.......................I have a Gmail account. But, I forward all my email into my Missy@MissyCaulk.com account so I don't have to keep checking there and miss something.

Missy, I have had this on my to do list to check out, so its a good reminder to do it. Thanks for the post.

Steve, there is so much to do, it is hard to keep up sometimes isn't it ?

i've been needing to do this-thanks for the reminder!

Leigh, I tried to email you from your rss pieces blog, last night and it didn't go through. Check it out.

I need to talk to you, any time after 2 are you available ?

I didn't know you could do this. I tried it and wow - got a lot of information. Thanks for the tip. I sound so smart when I show my co-workers these things....

Mary, it's great isn't it ?

I like Google Base. I've got about 220 entries there. Still working on them.

I'll look into alerts. Thanks

Actually, I love Google.

Google is our friend.

Missy- Thanks I just added 3 alerts, great post. I sure am thankful I found this blog, I was just searching for Michigan realtors.

Missy, isn't Google wonderful. Great way to pick up stuff and Jeff's idea is excellent as well. Always nice to know who is talking about you, who may have taken an article you wrote and keep up with what is interesting and vital to your career. Very nice post!

Missy...

I have been using Google Alerts for quite sometime now. And you're right they do keep us informed. I love Google. Really love Google.

Someone I am very close to uses Google Alerts to get my attention out in space. It's really quite funny. I love Funny. Really love Funny.

TLW...ROAR!

Thanks for sharing this Missy. I searched myself for the first time after your post. It can be revealing.

Hi Missy, Great information. I have been using this feature for a couple of months. Usually, I am aware of where a quote is coming from, but sometimes you are surprised. Recently, I was quoted in a local newspaper several weeks after the initial request from the reports. Had I not had a Google Alert, I'd never have known.

I love using Google Alerts. I have it sent to my e-mail account, not cluttering my home page.

Google Alert your specific markets and neighborhoods, your team name, your company name, your team members or agents, your family, anything you need to know about.

Missy-I signed up last night (Hawaii time) and when I woke up this morning I had two separate emails from Google. Each one was for the two different alerts that I named. Is there any way to have all the alerts put together so I can get one email instead of two? I am thinking about putting a few more alert words in the search and I dont want to get overwhelmed with emails. Thanks and Aloha!

Lenn, I love google base too and slowly my listings are going in.

Sue, really you found it that way, Searching MI realtors ?

Gena, thanks for stopping by. Enjoyed hearing your voice.

Lola, I know and you also find out what other agents in your area area writing too.

Sharon, thanks I will do my Buyer Agents too. Hadn't thought of that............too egocentric ?

David, you can sign up weekly but it is based on the search terms or names you wanted to be alerted for.

It depends on when a person posts or mentions the key words.

I love google. I use their analytics on my website. I didn't know what the alerts were. Thank you so much for explaining. I am signing up for it!

Missy- No I was searching through the (Groups) in AR for Michigan Realtors, sorry for the misuse of words. I knew that I had subscribed to the group when I first signed up for AR and thought I would check back for information. I signed up for a lot of groups, not knowing what I was doing just trying to get as much information as I could. The one group that I read a lot of posts from is the Newbie's where there seems to be answers to a lot of questions that new ones have. But being a Michigan realtor I wanted to see what was happening in other parts of Michigan this morning.

Missy, Thanks for sharing this valuable information! I will add to my google account. :)

TLW, we know you love funny ! I would love to be a fly on the wall in your home. Send some of those google alerts over here so we can all laugh

Hey, nice tip! Thanks for sharing... I think it's important that everyone keep up with what's being published about you so you at least have a fighting chance to keep our reputations intact when a disgruntled client gets on a roll.

MAY

2007

Ryan, yes it is important to know, if you read Jeff's post. Linked above.

Missy, thanks for more good info. You seem to be able to find out about more interesting info than anyone I know. One more item on my 'to do' list - oh boy!

Missy, I started using Google Alerts about 2 months ago. It's great. I'll check out analytics and the google calendar. Thanks

Carol, thanks you know how much I love technology. If I was younger, I'd work at Google.

Kay, thanks for stopping by, Google calender is great if you have a TEAM, everyone can see what the others plans are for the day.

I didn't know about this feature, I just went and set it up and now will get all my alerts. Thanks for the tip

MAY

2007

Missy thanks for the great tip - I forgot about this great feature I use to use it then got a new computer and well you know how that goes. I actually need to see if I can use it with the network at the office too.

Linda, you are very welcome.

Thesa, it should follow your email address, if you didn't change it, to your new computer.

MAY

2007

Missy,

Congratuations on making the top 25 list.

I have used Google Alerts for some time to keep track of articles on real estate market conditions in Orange County.

Thanks for bringing it to the attention of the AR community.

Missy, very useful information. Everytime you turn around there is some new technique to try. Not enough hours in the day.

Mike, what is the top 25 list ???

Gary, you got it........my head and fingers keep spinning.

MAY

2007

Thanks for the tip, Missy. I hadn't heard of this before. Google is amazing. I now have GMail and have used Google Docs & Spreadsheets extensively for real-time online collaboration.

Stefan, Make sure to set up a goole alert for your name. I got one this morning on a post Leigh Brown in N.C did on me.

MAY

2007

I use Google alerts all the time. They're great if you want to be sure to receive the latest news on anything you have an interest in.

Diane, I blogged on Mike McMullan today ( this morning ) and it is already picked up !

JUN

2007

Missy - I love Google Alerts, but have never had one for my name. Guess I'll get busy on that. Thanks for posting this, I never thought to add my name,

Paula, Yes, put your name in there, you never know what you'll find.

JUL

2007

Missy, although I've been told about Google alerts before, I still enjoyed the ease of being able to come here and have the info at my fingertips. Thanks for the informative post!

DEC

2007

Just found this post from your most recent one, thanks for the info!

DEC

2007

Missy, I signed up for the alerts about a month ago. i am getting alerted for blog that have nothing to do with the keywords I entered. eg: One of the alerts is my town real estate... I will get alerts for sporting events and other non related stuff. IShould I be putting the keywords in quotes? never thought of putting my own name in ...

Ginger

Missy- Great reminder! I have not done this yet, but I will today!

JAN

2008

Ok... yet ANOTHER great googley thing you have taught me in about 3 minutes LOL I should really look at the options in these things I ahve signed up for. I never even paid attention before.

JAN

2008

Hey Missy, Jeff Belonger just shared this tip from you. I'm checking it out. Thanks,

JAN

2008

I have also been using Google alerts. Recently, however, after clicking on some of the stories, my computer got a Trojan virus. This has happened more than once, on both my desktop and laptop and I am almost certain that I got them right after I viewed the alerts. My son, (who told me never to open them again or he would not fix my computers again) is pretty sure that was the source also. Has anyone else encountered this? I have turned off the alerts for now.

I've not picked anything up as a result of these alerts (at least not that I'm aware of), but I appreciate the heads up. It does make you wonder.

JAN

2008

Mary, I do not open sites that look suspicious, yes you can get a trogan from opening any site. But, I still do them and check the site for authentisity.

Ryan, AR for some reason is not picking them up, but outside blogs do.

AUG

2008

Excellent post and recommendation Missy! As I always say these days, "you are as you appear on Google"! Your clients are Googling you!

In case anyone is wondering about the different options Google has for alerts: (from Google Alerts Help page)

Google Alerts currently offers 6 variations of alerts - 'News', 'Web', 'Blogs', 'Comprehensive', 'Video' and 'Groups'.

A 'News' alert is an email aggregate of the latest news articles that contain the search terms of your choice and appear in the top ten results of your Google News search.
A 'Web' alert is an email aggregate of the latest web pages that contain the search terms of your choice and appear in the top twenty results of your Google Web search.
A 'Blogs' alert is an email aggregate of the latest blog posts that contain the search terms of your choice and appear in the top ten results of your Google Blog search.
A 'Comprehensive' alert is an aggregate of the latest results from multiple sources (News, Web and Blogs) into a single email to provide maximum coverage on the topic of your choice.
A 'Video' alert is an email aggregate of the latest videos that contain the search terms of your choice and appear in the top ten results of your Google Video search.
A 'Groups' alert is an email aggregate of new posts that contain the search terms of your choice and appear in the top fifty results of your Google Groups search.

Awesome post, Missy. I came here from a link from Jeff Turner's blog. Good advice and just set up my alerts!

Thanks, Missy. Ditto coming from Jeff's blog. The last Google alert I subscribed to was when Natalie Holloway disappeared (embarrassed to admit it, but true), but I never thought of it for real estate. Brilliant! Just another proof of the goldmine AR and all you folks are.