Let Google Baby Sit For You

Objective: To use the spiders on the Internet to monitor information for you and save you the time.

Strategy: Use Google's Alerts system to be your ?¡ãwatch dog?¡À and do the work for you.

Who needs this strategy? People who want to have an ear-to-the wall on the Internet. People who want to save time researching. Anyone who wants or needs the latest information available online on a given topic in the shortest possible time.

What is Google Alerts? Google Alerts is an email notification update service sponsored by Google, set up by you, on a topic important to you, your business, or your profession.

How can I use this to my advantage? * To monitor a news story * To keep current on a competitor or vendor on the Internet * To be notified whenever a favorite author writes something (such as myself, chuckle) * To receive the latest news on a ...A movie star ...A particular movie ...A particular event ...A favorite sports team ...(My favorite) - To keep track of where your name appears on the Internet, or even your web site address (URL). Who is chatting about Catherine Franz?

How frequent will the notification emails from Google appear in your in-box? You have a choice to receive the email once a day, as-it-happens, or once a week. You can set up the process to come all in one email or in separate emails.

I understand all this is well and good, but you need examples. I thoroughly understand; I operate the same way. So, let me share with you how I have set up Google Alert to be my babysitter on the Internet.

A few examples of my notifications include:

My name: ?¡ãCatherine Franz?¡À Web site URL: www.AbundanceCenter.com <http://www.AbundanceCenter.com> Radio show web site: www.LetsTalkMarketingShow.com <http://www.LetsTalkMarketingShow.com> My blog: <http://abundance.blogs.com>

Quotes are important. Without them around my name, I would receive all the notifications of when Catherine or Franz appears. Trust me; I made this mistake for the first week until I figured this out, that it works in Google Alerts as well.

You will want to begin by making a list of phrases, events, web information, or proper names that you to receive notifications about.

Next, decide on the frequency of your notification for each item on your list. Do you want the alert once a day, as it happens, or once a week? I choose once a day. (Note: You do not receive one if your choices do not appear.)

When your email arrives, click and follow the hyperlink. Visit the sites where your choice appears. Since I write many Internet marketing articles, I also monitor who is publishing my articles and where (and who is not telling me).

Last, make adjustments to the phrases when needed either to refine or to expand.

Ready?

Go ahead, visit www.google.com/alerts <http://www.google.com/alerts>. It is a painless and easy process once you know what you want to follow - or at least the first item. If you are not sure, just set up one, and then return later to make adjustments. You can always begin with your name of course, that is if it isn't John Smith.

? Copyright 2006, Catherine Franz. All International rights reserved.

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Catherine Franz, business and writing coach, resides in Virginia and is a syndicated columnist, radio producer and host of the "Let's Talk Marketing" show, International speaker, and author. Ezines, etc. www.abundancecenter.com