Do you want to know what is being said online about you, your company, your products or your competition? Or just keep up with trends and developments in your industry? There is an easy and no-cost way to have news sent to your e-mail inbox.

Google provides a service called Google Alerts. You simply enter the terms you want to track. When Google finds a news item or Web page containing your search term, you receive an e-mail with a link to the page. You can choose to have Google send the alerts daily, weekly, or as they happen.

I've entered my name, Web site URL, and keywords and phrases that relate to my business. Now I receive daily alerts telling me when and where those terms appear. These alerts can make you aware of new links to your site, when someone uses an article you have posted, or if bloggers and others are talking about you.

Entering the name of a competitor or their product can help you track what they are doing and what people are saying about them. Considering adding a new product? Set alerts for terms related to the product and its market as part of your market research.

To learn more and to sign up for your Google Alerts, go to http://www.google.com/alerts