If you're just getting started with Meltwater, first of all, welcome! You're about to unlock a world of insight into your brand, competitors, and industry. One of the most powerful tools in your subscription are Alerts.
👟 Let’s Say You Work at Nike…
You're on the global marketing team and managing brand reputation across multiple regions. You log into Meltwater, scroll through your Monitor views, and go to bed thinking everything’s calm.
Next morning: 🔥 #Nike is trending on X! There's a viral post showing a new shoe model with a factory defect. Meltwater can immediately notify your team’s Slack, Teams, or shared Email via Spike Detection alert.
Whether you're at Nike or managing PR for your organization, alerts are your early warning system.Â
🧰 Meltwater Alert Types
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| Alert Type | Use Case / When to Activate | Best For |
| Spike Detection | Detects an unusual surge in coverage or social mentions. Perfect for crisis management, PR surges, or going viral. | Crisis Management & Real-Time Reactions |
| Every Mention | Get notified every time your brand, competitor, or keyword is mentioned. Ideal for always-on brand monitoring. | Always-On C-Suite Monitoring |
| X Influencers | Get notified when influential X accounts mention your search. | Influencer Discovery & Crisis Watch |
| Top Reach | Find out when a mention hits a high-reach publication. Use to track earned media value or high-impact hits. | Media Impact & Coverage Reporting |
| Sentiment Shift | Flags a major shift in sentiment (positive or negative). Good for spotting early signs of crisis or brand love. | Reputation Tracking |
| Company Events | Tracks when company events (e.g., earnings calls, product launches) tied to your target companies are published. | Competitive Monitoring |
| Industry Events | Notifies you when coverage is related to major industry events (like CES, Cannes Lions, etc.). | Thought Leadership |
| Likely Boosted | Detects when Facebook posts are likely being paid to promote reach based on distribution patterns. | Paid Media & Competitor Ad Tracking |
| Breakout Post | Flags a Facebook post getting sudden engagement and possibly going viral. | Trend Spotting |
| Page Engagement | Sends alerts when a brand's owned Facebook page receives notable engagement spikes. | Community Management |
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How to Set Up AlertsÂ
Meltwater makes it easy to get started:
- Select the Alerts tab on the left-hand navigation bar.
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- Select Create Alert at the top right or middle of the page
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- Choose your alert type (we'll cover these below).
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- Set your inputs & preferences: saved search(es), recipients, delivery method (email, Slack, etc.), time zone, and language.
- Click Save. Done! âś…
Start With Spike Detection: Your First Alert
Back to Nike. That viral post about defective shoes? Spike Detection would’ve flagged a sudden rise in mentions from the search tracking the keyword, “Nike” and deliver an AI notification detailing the source and narrative.Â
Why it’s #1:
- It doesn’t wait for you to log into Meltwater.
 - It’s proactive and reactive.
 - It gives you the when, not just the what.
đź’ˇ Pro Tip: Use Alerts to Monitor More Than Just Your Brand
Don’t just set alerts for your brand. Try setting:
- A Spike Detection alert for competitors (What if Adidas goes viral?)
 - A Top Reach alert for industry keywords (e.g., "sustainable sneakers")
 - A X Influencers alert for influencers (Find your next brand ambassador)
In Summary
Alerts are like your personal newsroom sidekick, tapping you on the shoulder when something important happens. Whether you're a global brand like Nike or a local nonprofit, they're your best bet for never being blindsided.
👇 Already have a favorite alert setup? Share it in the thread below, we’d love to hear how you’re using them!
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Need more help? Check out this guide on Setting up Daily Digests and Alerts
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