Cousin twins

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU ARE BEING TALKED ABOUT ON THE INTERNET? I hear it often when asked to consult on marketing communications or social media:

“We don’t need much. We are just a small firm, not a big corporation.”

And I understand in one way…who wants more to keep up with in their daily life? Already our “to do” lists are never-ending. But once I explain to my clients that people might be talking about them on the internet…well, it changes their viewpoint.

“So how do I know if they are talking about me? Do I have to visit every website or search engine to try and find it? How many hours a week will that take?”

The answer to knowing if people are talking about you (and your business) on the internet is to set up an automated search which delivers to your mailbox as often as you deem necessary. This will allow you to see a negative comment on a business directory and alertly deal with replying like the business genius you are. One of the most basic searches can be set up through Google Alerts.

There is a great explanation about Google Alerts and how to get the best search alerts when you need them on the Google Alerts Help Page. Taking a few moments to set up this automation can save you hours of manual searching and give you the advantage in business matters or even personal concerns you are monitoring. Quick response is often the best tool in any situation. Google does a good job in explaining the easy steps. i can see the usefulness when:

  • You are protecting a copyright and need to know when your work is being cited without your knowledge.
  • A competitor is being mentioned in a press article or in comparison to your company.
  • Personal information is being used on the web.
  • A customer is frustrated.
  • To monitor a developing news story, follow a celebrity, or topic.

There are other specific tools which can be used on Twitter and in particular situations. Using a tool like Google Alerts may just give you the advantage.