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What are Google Alerts and why do I need them?

Dec
No Comments |  Posted by |  Category:Technical Tips

You are an artist, handmade crafter, handmade designer, why would you want a Google Alert? Better yet, what are they? According to Google, “Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your choice of query or topic.  Ok, you ask, why do I care?

So why would you want to use it? Setting up an Alert is a simple, user friendly way to keep on top of when and where your shop or store front or name has been mentioned somewhere on the web, such as a blog post or front page highlight, etc. Its also a good way to keep up on posts in your favorite blog, or your competition.

How do I create a Google Alert?
Really, you just need to visit http://www.google.com/alerts and enter the key words you would like to use and your email address. See the image below for example.

Then, anytime a new article or blog post or page update happens online and the words you have chosen are a match, you will receive an email update.

So, what should I use for keywords?
Pretty much anything you would like, but to start I’d enter:

  • The name of your shop
  • Your etsy shop link
  • Your artfire shop link
  • Other key words you would like to keep informed, such as the key meta tag you use on all your blog and web pages.

For instance, I have Alerts set up for

  • “Shiny Adornments” – in quotation marks so Google matches the exact term
  • “Shiney Adornments” – common misspelling of my business name
  • shinyadornments – my business name
  • shineyadornments – common misspelling of my business name
  • shinyadornments.etsy.com
  • shinyadornments.artfire.com
  • artisan handmade jewelry

Google also offers you the ability to edit, change, delete your existing alerts here
http://www.google.com/alerts/manage

So what are you waiting for?

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No Responses to “What are Google Alerts and why do I need them?”

  1. gilstrapdesigns says:
    December 27, 2008 at 7:54 AM

    I wonder do a lot of crafters use this. So does this help with sales? I guess it would because people would better be able to find you. I’ll have to check this out. Who all use this feature I wonder.

  2. Ruthie says:
    December 27, 2008 at 11:51 AM

    Thanks for the reminder! This is something I’ve been planning on doing and just keep forgetting….

  3. Barb says:
    December 28, 2008 at 7:45 AM

    Oh! Great info. Gotta go do that now. Thanks so much.

  4. Margaret Almon says:
    December 28, 2008 at 5:38 PM

    Thanks for writing about this! Alerts to my actual etsy shop name and address is a cool thing to track.

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