How to Set a Google Alert

A Google Alert is a great way to automatically see anything about your business that appears on the internet.  You get notified whenever Google picks up anything new anywhere about your business. It is free and easy to set up.

Easy as 1-2-3

1. Go to the Google Alert website.  You will be prompted to log into your Google account if you aren't already. If you don't have a Google account, you will need to set one up.

2. Type what you would like to be alerted about in the box. Be as specific as you can.  For an exact term, use double quotes.
ex. "ABC Animal Clinic", "Jeanne Pelletier" 
Otherwise, your search might return Animal Clinic or Jeanne.

If you have a common name, try eliminating some results with a minus sign (-).  Ex: "Michael Jordan" -basketball  

You can include  +terms, but these might make your search too restrictive. Try working with a broader spectrum at first.

You can have up to 1000 Google Alerts, so make a few. Examples:

"ABC Animal Hospital"
Tucson AZ Veterinarian
Tucson Spay and Neuter
"Your competitor here"

And, of course, Google Alert is a great way to keep track of anything you are interested in- your favorite band, your community, yourself, an issue you care about.  Have fun with it!

3. Customize the rest of your alert. Choose the type of result you are looking for.  Do you only want news items or videos? Or you can get everything.  Get alerts instantly or on a schedule, and choose where you would like them sent.

That's all there is to it. It's an easy, free way to keep track of any mentions of your company.