A news alert is a Google service that monitors your chosen keywords for new results. This free and convenient tool is invaluable for businesses that want to stay on top of their brands, products, services, competitors, industry, or any other relevant topics.
Depending on how broad or narrow you set your search criteria, you can receive updates every time Google indexes new content that matches your keywords. You can also filter by country, language, and source to refine your results. You can even use search operators such as quotes (e.g., “dog toys Seattle”) or minus signs (-) to eliminate irrelevant content.
While Google Alerts is a great tool for basic monitoring, it’s not the best solution for professionals who need comprehensive information awareness. For example, Google Alerts often fails to detect local news coverage and does not include social media posts, podcasts or other sources of breaking news. For these reasons, it’s important to supplement your news alerts with specialized monitoring tools like Pluggo.
When to use a news alert
If you have a specific goal in mind for your media alert, such as informing journalists about an upcoming event or initiative, consider using a media or press release. This is an announcement that encourages reporters to attend and cover your event or story, and it provides key details about the topic. It’s important to send a press release before an event and give it a day or two to publish, giving the reporter ample opportunity to cover your story.
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