How do i set up google alerts properly?

Set delivery to as-it-happens only for your own brand name. For broad topics pick once a week, or your inbox drowns by Wednesday. A minus in front of a word cuts noise too, handy if your brand shares a name with something else.

Google.com/alerts, sign in first or you can't edit them later. quotes round the phrase for exact matches, then Show options for frequency and region. be realistic though - it misses a lot, so don't treat it as proper monitoring.