Start by clicking the pen in the menu on the left.

Fill in the basic information for your alert – such as the title, search type, and start date for the time period you'd like to monitor.

Enter your main keyword in the top field under "Search Terms". To capture different word endings, add an asterisk (*) at the end. For example, writing "consum*" will match terms like “consume,” “consumer,” and “consumption” etc.

Nearby terms help the search engine understand the context in which your main keyword should appear. In many cases, using the keyword alone is enough to get relevant results.

If you want to narrow your results, you can add one or more nearby terms to focus the search on a specific topic. For example, if your keyword is “inflation” you can use nearby terms like “cost of living” or “economy” to narrow the results to relevant financial discussions. At least one nearby term must appear close to the main keyword for the result to be included.

Just like nearby terms can help refine your results, exclude terms allow you to filter out contexts you’re not interested in. Any results containing these words will be excluded from your feed.

Click on "Advanced settings" to access additional search options.

Once you're happy with your settings, click "Preview search" in the top right corner. This gives you an example of what your results will look like based on your selected keywords.

When you're ready, click "Create alert."
⚠️ Note: You must preview your alert before you're able to click Create alert.

Try adding an asterisk (*) at the end of your search term. This allows you to include different word endings.

If your results feel too broad or off-topic, try narrowing your search.

For example, searching for "run*" could return words like "running," "runner," and "runs," but also unrelated ones like "runway" or "rundown," depending on the context.

You can also use Nearby terms or Exclude terms, as mentioned earlier, to make your search more accurate.

1. Brand names
A common use case for media monitoring is to track mentions of your own brand. Keep in mind that brand names can sometimes be transcribed differently. Try a few variations! For instance, “Starbucks” might be transcribed as “Starbux,” while “The New York Times” might be shortened to “NYT.”

It’s also a good idea to monitor competitors' brand names to stay updated on what’s being said about them.

2. Key spokespersons
Who are the important spokespersons for your organization? It could be your CEO, head of communications, press officers, or even influencers associated with your brand.

3. Industry terms
In addition to your brand and competitors, it can be helpful to monitor keywords and phrases tied to your industry or area of expertise. This can give you even more insights relevant to your work.