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Hey Mr. Google or is it Ms. Google? What's up with the Comments in Google Alerts?

By Missy Caulk

Real Estate Broker/Owner with Missy Caulk TEAM

January 15, 2009 04:31 AM

When I first started blogging two years ago, Lenn Harley wrote this incredible post on Google is Like your MOM.

It was in response to a post Jeff Turner did on a phone conversation he had with Lenn and some things she said about Google being a woman. The comments are hillarious if you care to read. Now I don't really care what sex Google is but......

What I do care about is.........

What's UP google?

What is Google doing?

Of course we wil NEVER really know what Google is up to but here is my question, Mr., Ms., or Mom Google?

Google Alerts

The last month I have been getting Google Alerts on all of my comments here on Activerain and other places I leave a comment. When this first occured I ask Bob Stewart what was going on, as I was under the assumption that Activerain had no follow tags in the comments. He said that was true they do not have follow tags in the comments and he had noticed a huge change too as he follows the Google Alert for Activerain.

I follow probably way too many Google Alerts but.....

Below is an example of what I am seeing and curious if you are too. In the first one, I made a comment on Larry Brewers blog about Keller Williams having # 1 In Market Share in Franklin, Tn. but the post looks like I did it. See the by Missy Caulk-Ann Arbor right after the date and time. Looks like I wrote it.

The second is a comment I made on Collen and Joe Lanes blog about photos of their area in Kennewick WA. BUT, if you click on the link at the bottom of their post it takes you to their latest post. Which I did not comment on. I did comment on the Club Chaos Eye Candy:Tri Cities & Southeast.

Google Blogs Alert for: real estate in ann arbor

Real Estate Blog - Keller Williams Franklin TN #1 in Market Share ...
01/09/2009 08:04 PM, by Missy Caulk-Ann Arbor- Realtor(R)- Ann Arbor Real Estate (Keller Williams-Ann Arbor). Larry, Nice to be a part of a winning team. Bo. 01/10/2009 09:03 AM, by Bo Hussung/ National Title Agent (Cogent Closing Title ...
Nashville real estate - Franklin... - http://activerain.com/blogs/larrybrewer

Real Estate Blog - Club Chaos Eye Candy: Tri Cities & Southeast ...
By Colleen Lane (& Joe!) •:*¨¨*:• SemperFide...
01/11/2009 10:15 AM, by Missy Caulk-Ann Arbor- Realtor(R)- Ann Arbor Real Estate (Keller Williams-Ann Arbor). These are wonderfule pics, thank you for sharing, Paula. 01/11/2009 10:16 AM, by Paula Reno Cedar Lake Indiana Realtor, ...
Colleen's (and occasionally, Joe's) Blog - http://activerain.com/blogs/alwaysfaithful

Activerain LOGO

This is NOT just happening on Activerain, I have had comments picked up that look like I wrote the post from AgentGenius, BloodHoundBlog, TechCrunch to name a few.

This is only an example because comments are getting picked up and I am getting Google Alerts throughout the day.

My question is this, is Google going deep?Like deeper into the post and adding comments.

My thought is this, We better watch our comments since they are now being indexed.

My concern is this, Will the consumer look at the post see it and think we wrote it? I know consumers that follow Google Alerts as they have mentioned to me, "how do you have time to blog all the time".

Will they wonder why I am writing about so many area's ?

Does it matter?

Should we care?

I follow Google Alerts for reputation management and to see if I am mentioned in posts etc. but now there are so many alerts on comments, is it losing it's effectiveness?

I added a plugin on my Ann Arbor Real Estate Talk blog called comment LUV. I wanted to give link love back to the commentors on that blog back to their last post, but it appears to be happening everywhere.

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Katrina Madewell

Charles Rutenberg Rlty- More than 5,000 agents(813) 777-1196 - Tampa, FL

Tampa FL Homes for sale | Tampa Bay - (813) 777-1196

Just goes to show, as soon as we think we have something figured out... Google will change the rules on us! UGH!!

Katrina Madewell

Tampa FL

Jan 15, 2009 01:49 PM

Marchel Peterson

Results Realty - Spring, TX

Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro

It has been driving me NUTS!!

Jan 15, 2009 02:11 PM

Sharon Alters

Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty - 904-673-2308 - Fleming Island, FL

Realtor - Homes for Sale Fleming Island FL

Missy, I've been getting comments from FB and other places as well! I have always been careful about what I say but this has made me doubly so. Even casual social comments are being picked up, so we all need to realize that. Great post, I thought maybe it was me, like Marti said!

Jan 15, 2009 03:23 PM

Jean Joh

8z Real Estate - Millbrae, CA

SF Peninsula RE Specialist

Hi, I've been getting my AR and twitter comments as well via google alerts. I try to be careful with things I write in blogs and comments anyway, but it's a good reminder to think twice before I hit that "submit" or "enter" button.

Jan 15, 2009 03:32 PM

Elizabeth Cooper-Golden

Huntsville Alabama Real Estate, (@ Homes Realty Group) - Huntsville, AL

Huntsville AL MLS

Missy, I'm getting the alerts as well and wondered why this was happening. While we do all love having our names all over google, this does put a new spin on things, it seems. I haven't noticed it on Twitter yet, as Lisa has...kind of nerve wracking not knowing what will "show up" with consumers. If you figure it out, let us know :)

Jan 15, 2009 10:35 PM

Dan Magstadt

Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, Inc - Lake City, FL

I've noticed the same thing Missy & thought the comments weren't indexed as well....I guess we were wrong!

Jan 16, 2009 12:20 AM

Jennifer Fivelsdal

JFIVE Home Realty LLC | 845-758-6842|162 Deer Run Rd Red Hook NY 12571 - Rhinebeck, NY

Mid Hudson Valley real estate connection

Missy - I have been getting alerts but need to spend more time analyzing. Another reminded to exercise care when bogging or commenting.

Jan 16, 2009 12:25 AM

Stephen Kappre

KW Hometown - Mantua, NJ

Helping You Home

Missy

I too follow WAY too many google alerts
Sometimes I follow alerts for my name and then can't find my name in the link ... ?
I too have noticed this for about a month and have MADE SURE ( I think) that my comments if first-thru-third on a blog post, are good, clean, positive ones.
I wish I knew the answers to your questions. I really hope it doesn't dilute the terms and phrases we have worked so hard to "obtain" thru search engines.

Jan 16, 2009 01:36 AM

Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker

Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA

Put 40 years of experience to work for you

I've noticed the same thing. And it's not every comment, just one or two a day. But the thing is unless somebody else has set up a Google blog alert on your name (and why would they?), they're not likely to find these. It's not as though they are on the first two or three pages of Google.

Jan 16, 2009 04:37 AM

Larry Brewer - Benchmark Realty llc

Benchmark Realty LLc - Nashville, TN

Missy - I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one that's been getting lots of google alerts. I guess being recognized by google more often has to bee a good thing.

Jan 16, 2009 12:39 PM

Russ Ravary ~ Metro Detroit Realtor call (248) 310-6239

Real Estate One - Commerce, MI

Michigan homes for sale ~ yesmyrealtor@gmail.com

I was surprised too at the google alert on my comments. I have always watched what I said.

Jan 16, 2009 10:23 PM

Mara Hawks

First Realty Auburn - Auburn, AL

Inactive-2012 REALTOR - Homes for Sale Auburn Real Estate, AL

It's interesting to watch the patterns, but it's never been on my priority litst, with everything else going on and keeping up with. I do want to take a closer look, though! It's interesting how it's evolving.

Jan 17, 2009 01:30 PM

Jeff Dowler, CRS

eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA

The Southern California Relocation Dude

Missy - I'm glad you brought this up. There have been some oddities with the Google alerts, especially the comments. Sometimes I cannot figure out WHY the alert came in since I can find NO reference at all to my name. Another Google mystery?

Jeff

Jan 17, 2009 01:48 PM

Katerina Gasset

The Gasset Group & Get It Done For Me Virtual Services - Provo, UT

Amplify Your Real Estate & Life Dreams!

Missy- I have noticed this for a while. It even happened at times in 2007. Cyndee Haydon wrote that post called Google Frieky Juice. Do you remember that post? It happened back then too but not at the same frequency it is now.

Jan 17, 2009 02:58 PM

Ann Allen Hoover

RE/MAX Advantage South - Hoover, AL

CDPE SRES ASP e-PRO Realtor - Homes for Sale - AL

This is interesting reading.....I have not signed up for Google alerts and have been wanting to find out more about it.

Jan 17, 2009 11:38 PM

Debi Ernst

St. Charles County, Missouri - Prudential Alliance Realtors - O'Fallon, MO

GRI, e-PRO, Broker/Sales Associate

Missy - I have Google Alerts also, and I was confused by what I was seeing. It does look like I had written some of the posts, when I had only commented on them...Strange. :)

Jan 18, 2009 02:14 AM

Maureen Francis

Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel - Bloomfield Hills, MI

Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel

Guess we have to be careful with what we say anywere. I agree with Vlad, not likely our clients will come across our comments on other sites like Agent Genius or Bloodhound, but at some point that could all change.

Jan 18, 2009 03:53 AM

Pam Dent

Gayle Harvey Real Estate, Inc. - Charlottesville, VA

REALTOR® - Charlottesville Virginia Homes / Horse

Missy - I have been getting more alerts lately on comments that I have written than for blogs that I have posted. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Glad to see that others are seeing the same thing.

Jan 20, 2009 01:52 PM

Liz Moras Migic

Chilliwack, BC

Chilliwack, British Columbia - Realtor

It is a little bizarre you're right..........way too many alerts now.......every comment you make......so does it make sense to get 30-50 alerts a day - and what purpose does that serve? hmmm don't know.....

Jan 20, 2009 02:51 PM

Janie Coffey

First Coast Sotheby’s International Realty - Ponte Vedra, FL

Uniting Extraordinary Homes w/ Extraordinary Lives

great post and I have noticed it to, but more interesting is the amount of tweets google is picking up, while I always mind my Ps and Qs on Active Rain, Twitter is more free flowing and now potential clients might see my tweets from who knows when, 12 AM Sat night and several cocktails later! makes me think of changing my twitter name to an alias!

Mar 01, 2009 11:29 PM