Ever wonder where people come up with ideas on what to blog about? I’ll share my secret. It’s Google Alerts.
In case you haven’t heard of it, Google Alerts is an automated system where you sign up to be notified whenever a certain word or series of words is used anywhere on the internet — that Google is aware of, at least.
For instance, I receive several emails a day from Google with a list of links where words like “author websites” or “book websites” are used. They contain dozens of blog entries, author websites, news stories, etc… having to do with the subject matter. This not only allows me to stay on top of what other people in the industry are doing, but also gives me ideas on what to blog about.
But I also have one very special Google Alert. It’s one for “Smart Author Sites.” Once in a while, I get a Google Alert email that lets me know that my business has been mentioned somewhere. Most of the time it’s good stuff. Like this one: “Great site here all about author marketing: www.SmartAuthorSites.com.” That appeared as a forum comment on TheNextBigWriter.com. But the point is, I would never have known about that without Google Alerts.
And this is why all authors should sign up for Google Alerts. It’s simple and easy at http://www.google.com/alerts. Make sure to enter your name and book title as keywords, so that you can be notified whenever someone mentions you or your book.
And if you’re blogging, include other keywords related to your subject matter. It’s a great way to get ideas for blog entries.
Ready to talk with us about marketing yourself or your book online? Contact us today for a free consultation!