Time-saving tools and technologies
News for Googlers
The next time you do a
Google search, check out
the “News” section of
Google. Why? Speakers
often need current information, and basic Web
searches don’t always deliver the latest and greatest.
If you search the News tab on
Google, you’ll get the latest stories from thousands of the top
newspapers and magazines in the
world (the last 30 days of stories, to be exact). Need some
examples?
Go to Google right
now, find the News
tab (it’s at the
top left of the
Google page for
those of you who haven’t
noticed it), and search for
a topic, company or person.
Go ahead—do it right now.
Are you back? We are.
We searched “customer service” and got results from
The Dallas Morning News,
US News & World Report,
Business Wire and the
United Arab Emirates. Not
bad! We assume you had
the same types of varied
and current results.
The New York Times has printed on
“customer service.” Or maybe, like
past NSA president Scott Friedman,
you’re on your way to South Africa.
By creating “news alerts,” you can
have your topics, hot issues and
the latest scoop on your competition sent directly to your inbox
without lifting a finger.
Advanced Means Beginner
Don’t let the geniuses of technology
intimidate you. There is a tab on the
news page that reads “Advanced news
search.” It really should read “Beginner
news search.” This is the ideal place to
search for your topic in just one newspaper or one city.
Perhaps you’d like to know what
The Advanced tab will let you search
only the South African newspapers. In
fact, you don’t have to be traveling to
a foreign country; you also can use the
Advanced tab to search newspapers in
Cincinnati, Ohio, or Tuscaloosa, Ala.
have your topics, hot issues and the latest
scoop on your competition sent directly
to your inbox without lifting a finger.
Just look for the little envelope and the
words “News Alert” in the left column
and follow the instructions. Remember,
this is interactive, so get to it.
Even so, some people don’t want
more email. If you prefer to browse
Google News on your own terms, click
“Personalize this page” to select your
preferences so that your page can be
customized to your specific interests.
For instance, let’s say, we’re on our
way to speak at the Florida Health
Care Association’s annual
conference. Instead
of having our Google
News page offer sec-
tions like “World,”
“Entertainment” and
“Elections,” we’ve eliminated
those and added sections for “Florida
Health Care Association,” “Rosen
Shingle Creek” (the conference hotel)
and “Orlando, FL.” This is a simple way
to amaze your clients with how much
you know about their world and the
local happenings. If you’re a speaker on
the go, you also can send news alerts to
your cell phone. With up-to-the-minute
news, you’ll always be in the know!
Have it Your Way
Searching the News section of Google is
a great way to get up-to-date information. By creating “News Alerts,” you can
Sheryl Kay and Michael Benidt
translate today’s technical
blah-blah into immediately
practical business tips and
strategies. They are the owners
of Golden Compass, Inc., and the creators of
the series, The Hidden Treasures of the
Internet—Simple Secrets Worth Their
Weight in Gold. For more information, visit
HiddenBusinessTreasures.com
and GoldenCompass.com.
