Google has just dropped a bomb shell here in my opinion and is giving users the ability to monitor any page on the web, with RSS like updates on page changes. There are 23,423 different ways this can be used, such as Andys idea to use this for unblockable scraping. However, one simple method is to monitor your competitions backlinks.
- Pick the backlink page from yahoo site explorer for the page you want to track
- Create a link to the URL you just copied by clicking “add feed” in google reader
- Save the link.
Bingo.
Now, potentially, (I haven’t tested this since it just came out) any time new links are acquired and pop into the 1st page of the top 10 results, you will get a notice of the link as if someone posted a new post on a blog.
What are some other ways you can think of using this outside of the obvious reputation management side of things?
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I have just set up a feed as you suggested. If it works it will make a big difference to my monitoring habits.
Thanks Brian Chappelle for the new google reader RSS backlinks tool. As an experienced website designer and SEO ( Search engine optimization ) Specialist, this tool will save me a lot of time and give me real-time results straight in my gmail. You got to love google for that
– Mr.Daniel Chege.