Let Google Do the Work: Google Alerts

[Jeremy Williams]

Some of your techies will already know this little trick, so this is for the not-so-technically-inclined who want to try their hand at finding great deals online ... especially on Craigslist.

The shortcoming of Craigslist is that you can't search all Craigslist sites in one move. Craigslist is not just one website ... it's many websites all over the world. So ... that makes it messy.

In comes Google.

One-time Search How-To
It's too simple, but this is what you have to do. Just pick the words you want to search for, and then in the search box also include site:craigslist.org (no spaces!). This will work with any domain you choose. The results will be a standard Google search results page, but now the results will be limited to only those with the craigslist.org domain.


http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/666/searchcraigslist.jpg


Google Alerts Setup How-To
So now that you know how to search Craigslist globally with Google ... why not let Google do the work itself!

iGoogle is going to be required to do this. Just go to www.igoogle.com (http://www.igoogle.com/) and get a free account.

Okay, now to the setup ... in 4 steps you'll be up and running!

1. Go to iGoogle and click on My Account


http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/666/medium/igoogle1.jpg

2. Find the link for Alerts and click it.
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/666/igoogle2.jpg

3. Put in your search terms, how you want Google to search, how you want it to report and which email address to send it to.


http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/666/medium/igoogle3.jpg

4. Sit back and let Google do the work. When the search engine finds a match to your search criteria, it will now send you an email with links. Cool, eh?


One more thing ... next time you go in to add more searches (yes, you can have many!) the screen will look like this.


http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/666/medium/igoogle4.jpg


Good luck and have fun!

[Mitchell Andrus]

Way cool!

.

[Matt Sollars]

and i'm sure it's been mentioned on here.......

but ''Crazedlist'' allows you to search multiple 'craigslist' regions etc, at a time.

matt

[Chris Padilla]

I use Snarfer as my RSS reader. What is nice about that is I can SELECT what Craigslist sites to check. I, of course, do my local area and a few surrounding it. I also search CL where my parents and brother live in case I can talk them into picking up some junk for me! :D

[Matt Sollars]

i guess i should have included that in my first post. crazedlist allows you to select as many or as few....or even ALL (not recommended) of the craigslist in the nation.

I have found it hand with smaller (read: shippable) items. if i can find something in norther washington state that can be shipped to missouri, for 'craigslist' prices....it's been a steal a few times.

i'll have to check out snarfer though......crazedlist doesn't work with safari's browser. i have to use firefox.

good luck hunting everybody.

[Myk Rian]

Thanks Jeremy, Matt and Chris. That is going to save me a whole lot of time. I go to CL several times a day.

[Chris Parks]

In Google's advance search you can specify the URL or site you wish to search, say the URL for Sawmill Creek and filter the search exactly how you want it.

[Bob Genovesi]

Jeremy,

Thanks for the great tips and pictorials!!

[Scott Schwake]

One-time Search How-To
It's too simple, but this is what you have to do. Just pick the words you want to search for, and then in the search box also include site:craigslist.org (no spaces!). This will work with any domain you choose. The results will be a standard Google search results page, but now the results will be limited to only those with the craigslist.org domain.

Does this only search the craigs list Titles, and not the entire posting?

[Myk Rian]

I've got another way to do it. I created 3 gadgets on my igoogle home page.
Click on "More stuff" on the top right of the page. That takes you to the gadgets page. On the right search for craigslist. Scroll down to craigslist viewer and click on it. Click on "Add it now".

Go back to your igoogle home page. Top left of page.

For some reason it seems to default to Denver craigslist on my end.
Click on Menu, the down arrow in the top right of that window.
Edit settings
Choose city and if you want one not listed put in one that is close to you.
City override is a city you want that is in fact a valid craigslist city
Category = for sale
Category override = tls for tools
Save it

[Scott Schwake]

Thanks Myk, can I get this gadget to show only specific items, say "jointer" instead of every post?