Just when you think the Internet couldn’t get any cooler, it does.
I recently started using Google Alerts. It’s a fascinating tool that allows you to choose a topic you’re interested in and be alerted anytime a blog is written on that topic or a website mentions it. I like to keep on top of what people are saying about me, so I put “Tristi Pinkston” in as a search term. Once a day, I get an e-mail which shows me a list of all the places where I’ve been mentioned that day, along with links and the first sentence of that mention. It’s a really handy tool for me—I do a lot of self-promotion on the Internet and this is a great way to see which efforts have paid off.
I also have search terms for things that interest me. “LDS historical fiction” and “LDS fiction” are two of those. I like to keep on top of the industry and to see what’s being published. This way, I don’t have to wonder—I know.
Setting up a Google Alert is really easy. Click here, or go to Google and put “Google Alerts” into the search bar. Decide on the best search term for your interest, and input it. Use a different line for each interest. Rather than typing, “Deep sea fishing, Josh Groban, recipes for ham,” put “deep sea fishing” and hit enter. Repeat for Josh Groban and the recipes for ham.
You’ll be asked for an e-mail address. This address is where Google will send your updates. You’ll also be asked if you would like to see information from just blogs, just websites, just news, video or groups. You can click “comprehensive” to see all of them, without having to choose just one. You also tell the program if you’d like to get the update e-mail once a day, once a week, or as the information is posted.
If you get tired of receiving the updates, no problem. The Alerts are just as easy to cancel as they are to set up.
Google Alerts is a fabulous way to keep up with what’s going on in the world. Use it to keep track of your favorite stars, to see what your competition is up to, or to track what’s being said about you or your product. Whether you use it for your business or your hobbies, you’ll find it invaluable. And it’s free!
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