Earlier this year, I started using Google Alerts to stay on top of the latest internet buzz on a number of different subjects. Basically, I told Google what keywords I was interested in and it started emailing me Alerts whenever it indexed a new page on that subject. I kind of like to think of it as ‘passive searching’ which gives me only the newest content.

I’ve since told a number of clients about the benefits of Google Alerts when it comes to keeping tabs of their brand. Having a Google Alert for your company name gives you the ability to monitor where you show up on the internet and what people are saying about you. In this age of social media, consumers are carrying on conversations online that would have previously been held in the local coffee shop or at the PTA meeting. They chat on message boards about their experience buying a new car, or post a blog about products that they love – or hate. Now you have the advantage of witnessing those “conversations” first hand.

Signing up for Google Alerts is ridiculously easy. Just go to www.google.com/alerts, add your search term, choose what type of internet media you want to monitor (I prefer a “comprehensive” alert, which includes everything), select how often you want to receive alerts (the “once a day” and “once a week” options are digest versions), and then add your email address. That’s it!