Do you have a specialized topic you'd like to keep tabs on? Is there something in the news you'd like to follow? Are you interested in what blogs say about something? Would you like to follow a political candidate or celebrity?

If so, you need to set up a Google Alert. Google will send you an email when there are new results for your search, so you can keep up-to-date without constantly running searches for the same words.

Uses for Google Alerts

I currently use Google Alerts to stay informed about TV shows and movies I love to watch, politics, my favorite sports teams, world news and more.

Google Alerts is a great feature for work-related topics and job hunting. If you're unemployed or just looking for a better job, you can use all the help you can get. Google Alerts lets you search for job openings and have results delivered right to your inbox.

How to set up a Google Alert?

Navigate to the Google News page, and click on the news alerts link. Next, you define the topic, by setting any number of keywords and phrases that retrieved items need to have, the type of news you want, how often you want it, and the email address you'd like to receive these alerts at

Once your Google account is verified, you will have access to Google's news tracker. The Google Alert starts to work almost immediately once it has been set up. You should start seeing information in your email inbox on whatever time basis you've designated.

What if I want to stop the Google Alert?

If you want to stop following a Google Alert, simply navigate back to the Google Alerts page, find the feed/topic you're following, and click the trashcan icon.

Google Alerts: an easy way to find and follow topics you're interested in

In summary, Google Alerts are an easy way to quickly follow any topic you might be interested in. They're easy to set up, easy to maintain, and very versatile.