We’ve started a new project to take advantage of public AlertRank accounts. We will be creating a series of public accounts to collect Google Alerts for specific industries. The biggest problem with trying to explain the need for reputation management and lead generation through Google Alerts is actually showing people what you can find. This is a classic case of show instead of tell.
When I first started selling microcomputers in 1979, it was impossible to describe to people how useful they were. Then VisiCalc came along, and all I had to do to sell an Apple II was give a 5 minute demo. In early 1995 I started telling anyone who would listen that the World Wide Web would change everything. I soon learned that the best way do this was to ask what they were interested in, and then show them some websites for that topic. Within minutes of seeing all that free content they wanted to know how they could sign up for an Internet account.
Now I need to explain why Google Alerts are an essential online marketing tool for any business. If I can show a lawyer, or a real estate agent how much great, actionable information is flowing past them without their even knowing it, the job of helping them manage their alerts will get a lot easier.
The first step is creating a couple of dozen public accounts for different types of businesses. I created three of them yesterday, and they are now starting to gather alerts. They are a bed and breakfast, a law firm, and a real estate firm.
I’ll explain the reasoning behind the alerts in each account in later blog posts. If you do online marketing or reputation management, I think you’ll find these accounts to be great sales tools for gaining new clients.
Are there any types of businesses you’d like to see illustrated with a public account? Would you like to be a part of this project, and help us create more useful accounts? Please contact me if you’d like to help: adam at alertrank dot com.
Related Posts
- Public Google Alerts account for political action: Sierra Club
- Public Google Alerts account for a real estate firm: First Boston Realty
- Best practices for automatic posting of Google Alerts to Twitter
- Show clients why they must manage their online reputation
- Identify your online competition with Google Alerts
{ 0 comments }
It’s a Reputation Report, not a Vanity Search
April 19, 2009It’s time to rename the vanity search. The current name, along with ego search, implies that you are doing this out of narcissism. You are so vain that you need to continually Google yourself to see if you really exist. That type of thinking shows a complete misunderstanding of the vital importance of Google’s results [...]