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Google Alerts Stay Informed

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Missy Caulk TEAM

 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

Missy Caulk, Broker/Owner of Savvy Realty Group can be reached at 734-926-9797 or email: Missy@MissyCaulk.com

Our Team of 6 agents are available to help you relocate to Ann Arbor, Saline, Dexter, Chelsea, Milan, Ypsilanti Township, Clinton, Manchester, Whitmore Lake, or throughout Washtenaw County, MI.

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Stay strong, stay faithful, stay honest, stay loving, stay true to who you are, most importantly stay true to who God is as you'll be who you are, and you'll be happy, you'll be you, you'll be free. -Jamie Caulk

 

Comments (81)

Stefan Scholl
Buyer's Broker of Northern Michigan, LLC - Petoskey, MI
Northern Michigan Real Estate
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.
May 18, 2007 01:23 AM
Missy Caulk
Missy Caulk TEAM - Ann Arbor, MI
Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate
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 18, 2007 01:29 AM
Diane Bell, Hilton Head Real Estate, Bluffton
Charter 1 Real Estate, Hilton Head, Bluffton, SC - Hilton Head Island, SC
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. 
May 19, 2007 12:18 AM
Missy Caulk
Missy Caulk TEAM - Ann Arbor, MI
Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate
Diane, I blogged on Mike McMullan today ( this morning ) and it is already picked up !
May 19, 2007 10:17 AM
Paula Henry
Home to Indy Team @ HomeSmart Realty Group - Avon, IN
Realtor - Indianapolis Real Estate - 317-605-4174
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,
Jun 23, 2007 05:14 PM
Missy Caulk
Missy Caulk TEAM - Ann Arbor, MI
Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate
Paula, Yes, put your name in there, you never know what you'll find.
Jun 24, 2007 12:14 AM
Maggie Dokic /Indialantic | 321-252-8696
Magdalena Dokic - Indialantic, FL
Selling the beach in Florida's space coast
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!
Jul 25, 2007 10:09 PM
Krista Fuchs
Prudential Fox & Roach - Exton, PA
Chester County Realtor - (484) 459-8025 - Home Buying and Selling
Just found this post from your most recent one, thanks for the info!
Dec 01, 2007 11:20 AM
Ginger S
Wilkinson & Associates, Wilmington NC - Wilmington, NC
Wilmington NC Real Estate & Relocation~

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

Dec 01, 2007 04:31 PM
Vanessa Stalets
RE/MAX Elite - Brentwood, TN
REALTOR, Brentwood TN Homes, Real Estate
Missy- Great reminder! I have not done this yet, but I will today!
Dec 01, 2007 11:52 PM
Sarah Nopp
South Sound, WA
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 02, 2008 03:44 PM
Mesa, Arizona Real Estate Mesa Arizona Realtor
Homes Arizona Real Estate LLC - Mesa, AZ
AzLadyInRed

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

Jan 03, 2008 10:00 AM
Mary Buchner
Realty USA - Amherst/Clarence - Buffalo, NY
Amherst NY Real Estate, Relocation and Buffalo Homes for sale

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. 

Jan 14, 2008 01:05 PM
Ryan Hukill - Edmond
405home @ ERA Courtyard - Edmond, OK
Realtor, Team Lead
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 14, 2008 01:25 PM
Missy Caulk
Missy Caulk TEAM - Ann Arbor, MI
Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate

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. 

Jan 14, 2008 09:02 PM
John Chinello
RE/MAX, LLC - Parker, CO

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.
Aug 07, 2008 11:43 AM
Margaret Mitchell
Coldwell Banker Yorke Realty - York, ME
Seacoast Maine & NH Real Estate

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

Aug 07, 2008 12:41 PM
Sharon Alters
Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty - 904-673-2308 - Fleming Island, FL
Realtor - Homes for Sale Fleming Island FL

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.

Aug 07, 2008 03:13 PM
Missy Caulk
Missy Caulk TEAM - Ann Arbor, MI
Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate

John, this is such an old post but thanks for the information on sorting. I am using the comprehensive alert.

Margaret, which post of Jeff's referred to this one.

Ok off to find it.

Aug 08, 2008 02:02 AM
Anonymous
Marlie
What a neat arctile. I had no inkling.
Jul 23, 2011 05:40 AM
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