Google has created a handy new beta-stage application which will notify you via email when specified search terms are discovered by their crawlers on the web. This tool enables you to monitor you SEO activities and aids with reputation management.

The tool is very useful from myriad perspectives but SEO and reputation management are two which I find to be most helpful. For SEO purposes you can opt to receive alerts for keyword phrases, client, domain, and product, service, or competitor names.

Alerts for your corporate entity and domain names will reveal sites which have published your press releases, articles, and directory submissions as well as any other link-building activities. In this mode, Google Alerts aids buzz measurement.

For reputation management, request alerts for your name, company name, brand and competitor names, products, services, and trademarks. It’s also a useful method for discovering positive or negative “conversations” being undertaken on the web about you.

So, sign up for a Google Alerts account and start monitoring what is being said about your interests on the web. Track your hobbies too. The account is free. Here is a link: http://www.google.com/alerts

If you have other uses or thoughts on Google Alerts, please drop a comment below.

Synopsis: Use Google Alerts to measure buzz, monitor SEO (Search Engine Optimization) efforts and manage reputation.

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