Sew Biz: Google Alerts

SewCalGal periodically shares "Sew Biz" insights that lean towards being items of interest to those in the business, yet many can benefit bloggers and many quilting, sewing, or embroidery enthusiasts.

Today I want to increase awareness of a proactive way to search the internet for new information on topics you are interested in.  This is a great way for those in the business to monitor what is being posted on the internet about them, for bloggers to find out what might be written about them,  to find current information on products, and more.   Google Alerts is a free search tool that allows you to set up automatic searches that will email you a link, when "new" information is posted on the internet for subjects you are interested in.

SewCalGal recommends this tool for:

• Those in the business, as well as bloggers, to set up Alerts for your business, blog name and/or personal name so you are notified when new information about you is posted on the internet.  You may even want to have an alert on a business competitor!
• Products or tools that you might be interested in (e.g. search "EQStitch" on blogs).
• Designers, Teachers, or Quilt Shops that you are interested in

This is a free tool that does requires a Google Account, which you can create at www.google.com

You can create an alert at:  http://www.google.com/alerts


Simply complete the Alert form for your unique search and press the Create Alert button:

• what you want your search query to be, just as if you were searching the internet manually.  
• Result type allows you to select what areas of the internet you may want to search (e.g. blogs, video, news, books, discussions, everything).
• How often is the frequency you want the Alert to search for your  query.
• How many is the quality of the search results.
• Deliver to is the email address that the Alert will be sent.

Click the Manage your alerts button to delete an alert or change the parameters of the alert.

Depending on the "How Often" you choose and how frequently new information is posted on the internet, that matches your query, you'll receive an email that has a short summary and link(s) to websites that have new information.

For SewCalGal, I find Google Alerts a helpful tool for researching, as well as staying current on topics I'm interested in.  And, I like that it can be done without getting massive emails, you just need to play with the settings in the Alert menu, as well as make your search criteria as detailed as you can.  Play with it, I think you might like this tool.