With the internet becoming increasingly saturated with content, it has become even more difficult to find relevant information. Search engine Google understood this issue and subsequently launched Google Alerts which brings relevant information for any topic to users. By cutting through the chaff and clutter of the online world for you, the service can deliver all the related content for any search term you want straight to your device. If you’re looking to make use of this feature, here’s what you need to know and how you can get started.
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What are Google Alerts?
Google Alerts is a free notification service launched by Google in 2003. It allows you to monitor the web and notifies you via email whenever new results—such as web pages, articles, blogs, and research papers—match any of your desired search queries. Users can also customize how often these notifications appear, with options for daily, weekly, or monthly alerts depending on their preferences. Instead of searching manually for content related to your search, it hastens the process and cuts away anything that may not be relevant.
What Google Alerts are used for?
Google alerts have a variety of functions, from personal to professional use. Pop culture aficionados can use the service to keep tabs on up-and-coming films, music releases, or celebrity news. You can also use it to monitor political or business news and get important updates on a regular basis. This makes sure your finger is on the pulse for any important event. You can also use Google Alerts for your job search. Job seekers can turn on these notifications to follow their target companies for whom they’d like to work for or their list of dream employers. It gives you the benefit of knowing about changes in company direction or industry information you can use to your advantage.
Google Alerts can also be helpful for monitoring yourself. You can be notified regarding any information that comes up, and possibly prevent any personal data or incriminating content from being circulated. You can now also request Google to take down any sensitive data from the site. This ensures you can protect your contact details and credentials.
If you’re a business owner yourself, you can use Google Alerts to keep track of your business’s reputation, product or service reviews, and how your competitors are faring. Knowing how your business is being perceived by the public can provide valuable insights as to how you can improve and manage your company better.
How to Set up Google Alerts?
If you want to make use of Google Alerts, here’s how to set it up:
- Sign into your Google account and visit Google Alerts on your device’s browser.
- Type in the keywords or phrases you wish to monitor.
- If you wish to customize your alerts further, click the ‘show options’ menu next to the ‘create alert’ button.
- In the options menu, you can adjust the frequency of the alerts, the kinds of sources you’d like to be notified of (it can be all sources, or specifically blogs, web pages, videos, etc.), the language and location of the content, and the account where these alerts will be sent to.
- Once you’re satisfied, you can click the ‘create alert’ button. The alert can be edited later.
Final Words:
Google Alerts are an incredibly easy and valuable tool that you can use in a variety of ways. It’s 100% free and you can customize it to your liking and content preferences, no matter what you need the information for. Capitalizing on the regular, up-to-date information from these notifications can even guide you to personal and professional success.
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