7 Smart Ways to Use Google Alerts for Companies

This article explains different ways to use Google Alerts for companies, including competitor monitoring, review management and more. We’ll also walk you through how to set up Google Alerts.

Google Alerts is a free tool that notifies users whenever their chosen search terms pop up online. And when it comes to company reputation management, Google Alerts is a powerful tool for simple, automated brand monitoring.

But it can be used for more than that, too. From competitor research to staying on top of the industry, Google Alerts is more powerful than you may think.

Here are seven ways that companies can use their Google Alerts web page to monitor, protect and improve their online presence.

NetReputation provides information and services to help you protect your brand’s digital presence. Call us at 844-461-3632 to learn more about brand monitoring with your Google Alerts page and other tools. You can also fill out the contact form below for a free consultation.

1. Use Google Alerts To Monitor Brand Mentions

By setting up alerts for your company name, variations of your brand name, and product names, you’ll know whenever new company-related content appears online. You’ll be alerted to both positive and negative company coverage on the web.

Additionally, around-the-clock monitoring lets you quickly reply to blog posts, customer comments and news articles that discuss your brand. You’ll also know as soon as your company is mentioned in a press release or other type of PR campaign.

Aside from letting you act fast, monitoring can help you measure brand awareness and visibility over time.

2. Manage Reviews With Notifications From Google Alerts

In addition to knowing every time your brand is mentioned online, Google Alerts can be especially helpful for review monitoring. By adding the words “complaint,” “recommendation” or “review” to your brand name, you’ll find customer experiences that exist outside of traditional review platforms. For example, you may uncover a product tutorial on YouTube or a company rant on Reddit.

Often, when feedback is left on non-traditional platforms — like in a Facebook post rather than on a review platform, for example — the information is more unfiltered than normal. The information may be difficult to hear at first, but it can lead it incredible insight about how others experience your brand. From there, you can improve your company or products accordingly.

You also may uncover brand advocates that you didn’t know existed. This gives you the chance to engage with happy customers, gather user-generated content (UGC), and share glowing testimonials.

3. Set Up Google Alerts To Track Mentions of Executives and Other Leaders

Your company reputation can be positively or negatively impacted by those associated with your brand. That’s why it’s useful to set up Google Alerts for your CEO, executives, and other leaders, as well as the personal brands or organizations they’re involved with.

This can benefit your brand in a few ways:

• Identity interviews, mentions or quotes related to your brand.
• Ensure consistent messaging when others discuss your brand.
• Detect misinformation or negativity regarding leadership.

You can take control of your online reputation, whether you’re working on your personal reputation or your professional digital presence. Call us at 844-461-3632 for more information.

4. Use Google Alerts To Monitor Your Competitors

Since Google Alerts lets you add practically any keyword or phrase to monitor, you can keep a close eye on what your competitors are doing. Add the company names, product names and executives’ names of your major competitors to see where their brands are being discussed or featured. This can help you in a number of ways:

• Identify problems that customers are having with your competitors and come up with solutions to drive them to your brand.
• Keep track of competitors’ campaigns, partnerships and product launches.
• Get insight into customer sentiment or marketing strategies that you need to compete against.

From here, you can use what you find to adjust your content strategy, marketing efforts or position in the industry.

5. Track Industry Trends Thanks To Google Alerts

By setting alerts for broad topics in your field, you can stay on top of industry trends, including emerging technologies, market shifts and news coverage. This will help you identify new opportunities for your business, as well as staying abreast of potential threats.

Additionally, knowing the most eye-catching parts of your industry at the moment can help you come up with content ideas for blogs, newsletters and social media platforms. Most importantly, you’ll continue to be informed about what’s happening so you can align your brand with the latest developments.

6. Take Advantage of Google Alerts To Identify Media and PR Opportunities

By tracking industry topics, you can find out what people are discussing that align with your brand or expertise. From there, you can find and reach out to bloggers, journalists and publications covering related information. Offer your quotes, insights or a full interview, which will boost your visibility in your field.

Additionally, this is a great way to build and nurture relationships with influencers and leading media contacts. It may also lead to guest posting opportunities or increase the number of backlinks that go from authoritative sites to your branded content.

We work with individuals and businesses to help them build and take control of their online reputation. Give us a call at 844-461-3632 to learn more.

7. Act On Negative Content Immediately With the Help of Google Alerts

Google Alerts can be much-needed early warning signs of potential issues that need attention. Bad reviews, repeat complaints and misinformation can be flagged and handled before they spin out of control and cause serious damage to your brand reputation.

When you know of an emerging problem thanks to 24-hour monitoring, you can proactively communicate and get started on your crisis management plan. By addressing pressing issues fast, you may not need to manage long-term reputation damage at all.

How To Set Up Google Alerts for Your Company

Google Alerts is a super simple and free tool to use. Here’s how to set up Google Alerts for efficient brand monitoring.

1. Go to your Google Alerts page.

You’ll need to be signed in to your Google account to use Google Alerts. Head over to Google Alerts, and if you’re not signed in yet, click the Sign In button on the top right.

2. Enter your company name.

In the Create An Alert About field, enter your company name. While you’ll set up other search terms as well, it’s smart to start with your company name.

3. Set your preferences.

Click the Show Options drop-down menu.

Select your preferences, which include:

• How Often: You can opt to be notified as soon as a new alert appears online or a maximum of once per day or week.
• Sources: You can opt for “Automatic” to let Google Alerts scan  all types of sources, or you can narrow it down by books, news videos, etc.
• Language: You can set this to “Any Language” or narrow it down by a specific language.
• Region: You can set this to “Any Region” or pick a specific country.
• How Many: This lets you pick whether you want only the best results or all results.
• Deliver To: You can choose either your Google email address or an RSS feed.

When you’re finished making your selections, click the blue Create Alert button.

4. Repeat this process to set up multiple Google Alerts.

Continue setting Google Alerts for any branded search terms you want to monitor, including those related to your business as well as your competitors. Think of the many different search terms that could lead you to marketing campaigns of competitors, online conversations between customers and other types of brand-related chatter online.

Improving Your Digital Reputation With Google Alerts

Google Alerts is an easily accessible and free tool with a simple interface and incredibly powerful results. With around-the-clock monitoring, you can improve your responsiveness to feedback, protect your brand reputation, and discover new opportunities you could have missed.

As part of a broader online reputation management plan, Google Alerts is an excellent way to feel in control of the narrative about your brand.

At NetReputation, we offer ORM solutions for individuals as well as businesses. Get started today with a free consultation with one of our experts. Call us at 844-461-3632 or fill out the contact form below.