Google Alert and RSS

If you've been reading this blog for the last month or so, you know I've wanted a Google RSS feed service.  Unlike MSN Search and Yahoo, Google has not embraced RSS.  However, there is a cool service named Google Alert which is almost as good.

Google Alert, which is not part of Google, allows one to create custom RSS feeds using Google search results.  Thus, if you create focused searches using phrases, site qualifiers, etc in Google, you now can have those results as a RSS Feed.

The method is simple, and access to the basic Google Alert service is free.  Just link to Google Alert and create your account.  Upon successful login, use the advanced query options to create a focused keyword search.  When your search is finished, use the left hand menu and link to Feed Settings.  Finally, activate your RSS feed and then subscribe via your feed reader.  It's that simple; there is no need to program a Google API.

• Google Alert
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• PC Magazine - Brief Review of Google Alert

Here is a tutorial I created in Breeze explaining how to use Google Alerts in tandem with Google:

• Google Alert + Google + RSS = Knowledge - updated in Aug. 2008
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Happy Googling! (This posting orginally appeared on my MSN Spaces Blog)

Comments

[Rafay Bin Ali]

Here is a web service that provides RSS results for Google Search

http://www.ecubicle.net/gsearch_rss.asmx

Since the returned XML is RSS 2.0 compliant, the web service can also be called in a feed reader like this:

http://www.ecubicle.net/gsearch_rss.asmx/GetSearchResults?searchPage=0&gQuery=tutorial+asp+net&numOfResults=15

You need to change the searchPage, gQuery and numOfResults querystring parameters to your choice. gQuery parameter accepts all standard Google Search Operators.

[San Diego SEO]

Just wanted to mention that because Google Alert won't help you with SEO because the actual content is fed through an RSS so you won't have the benefit of content residing on your site.

[avi]

Why saying "Google Alert, which is not part of Google"?

... Rich responds: Make certain you watch the linked screencast / tutorial. Google Alert works in tandem with Google Search.