Trying to keep up with who is linking to your site or mentioning your company or name can be quite a challenge....


I can use my own server logs to spot a new referrer, but this isn't 100% accurate, since that only happens if someone actually clicks on the link. There are other ways to keep up with new links or publicity, and a couple of them are free.
I set up a Google Alert and Yahoo Alert (both free), so that if their bots find my name or my site mentioned somewhere, I get an email with a link so I can see what's being said about me or who just linked to me. I suggest you do the same.
This used to be easy, since "Eric Ward" is not a real common name. But now, since every written word in print seems to also be available online, JEEZ........ I have to filter my alerts for all sorts of stuff. Eric Ward the quarterback from Richmond. Eric Ward the quarterback from Georgetown, the soccer player, the baseball player, the artist, bagpipe player, author from the UK, dolly grip, urologist...
Here's what my current google alert has to look like in order to be even close to useful. When you create yours, make sure you disinclude terms that don't apply, using the "-" sign.
"eric ward " -QB -quarterback -richmond -football -spiders -georgetown -hoyas -mustangs -kansas -soccer -baseball -IBSN -UK -united -durham -delaware -dolly -movies -bestboy -grip -electrician -science -mystery -novel -urologist -civil -war -bagpipes -duke -physician -doctor
On the bright side, if there's ever a guy named eric ward who happens to be a bagpipe-playing Civil War-buff urologist from Duke that lives in Tucson, I'll never know it....
tag: https://www.technorati.com/tag/eric+ward


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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

image of Eric Ward

Eric founded the Web's very first online publicity and linking services, NetPOST and URLwire, in 1994. Eric's expertise is in helping companies generate links, publicity and buzz for their Web content. A hands-on practitioner, Eric also offers training and seminars that teach companies how to do it in-house. His client list is a who's who of online brands, from Amazon.com to PBS.org.

Eric has written for for ClickZ and Ad Age, and he won the 1995 Tenagra Award For Internet Marketing Excellence. In 1997, he was named one of the Web's 100 most influential people by Websight magazine. A well-known speaker at the major industry trade shows, Eric will soon publish The Ward Report, a monthly "how-to" newsletter on the art of link building and publicity for Web content, with commentary on the newest trends and practices.

A native of northern New Jersey, Eric has lived in Knoxville, Tennessee since graduating from the University of TN. Eric's wife Melissa and toddler Noah say "bye daddy geek" every day when he leaves for work.

Eric can be reached at eric@ericward.com