Google Alerts, a long-standing web monitoring service, has recently been highlighted for its continued relevance and effectiveness in today's digital landscape. Gary Illyes, a senior member of Google's Search Relations team, has recently reminded the SEO community about the enduring utility of Google Alerts.

Key features of Google Alerts

1. Email Notifications: The tool sends users email updates about new web content matching their specified search terms.

2. Customizable Searches: Users can set alerts for specific websites, keywords, or combinations of terms.

3. Real-time Monitoring: Alerts can provide rapid notifications about new content, often faster than other monitoring methods.

4. Versatile Applications: From security monitoring to competitor tracking, Google Alerts serves various purposes for webmasters and digital professionals.

Illyes shared how Google Alerts helped him detect a hack on one of his test websites before other tools. This real-world example demonstrates the tool's speed and efficiency in identifying new or changed web content.

He provided an example of using Google Alerts to monitor specific sites for particular content, such as:

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This would trigger an alert when new content matching these terms appears on the specified site.

Despite the proliferation of new SEO and web monitoring tools, this update serves as a reminder that Google Alerts remains a valuable, free resource for webmasters, SEO professionals, and content creators looking to stay informed about specific topics or changes across the web.