When services like Digg came around - along with others such as Reddit, Megite - people thought the news industry had changed forever. It did, but I think editorial is not all that bad.
Then services like Techmeme took it one step further. I actually covered both companies growth strategies and potential exit recently here.
Over time, both Digg and Techmeme remained great tools, but the more I think about it, the more I think those fall victim to crowd noise, like everything else.
When I now think of what is really the future of information, I ask, can it be anything other than Google Alerts? I have been meaning to write about this every time a PR agency sends me info on their client minutes after I write about them. I’d like to think that they read this blog, and many say they do (most say that someone sent them the link), but I think they are being polite, my gut says it’s Google Alerts… though they do email me a bit too quickly for me to think it’s only Google Alerts, still…
How does Google Alerts work?
I open my inbox, and every mention of a keyword I ask Google to track pops into my email account.
I want to keep an eye on a stock I own - Google alerts let me know the scoop.
I want to keep tabs on an executive - Google alerts let me know the scoop.
Whether it’s online on Websites, news sources or on blogs, I cannot see anything more useful than that. I cannot for the life of me imagine “old school” folks spending hours proactively looking for information, but giving them the option to enter a work in a box and get emails… that could work.
Of course, like all good things, that is at the mercy of information overload as well…
Is there a more likely candidate for what the future dissemination of information will look like than Google Alerts?
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