How to Import Google Alerts into Airtable Automatically

In this guide, you'll learn how to import Google Alerts into Airtable automatically. We'll set up a Google Alert RSS feed for your chosen keywords and connect it to Airtable using the Data Fetcher extension. This integration helps you track brand mentions, industry news, or competitor updates directly in your Airtable base without manually checking your email alerts.

Create a Google Alert RSS Feed

First, we'll create a Google Alert and convert it to an RSS feed format that Data Fetcher can read.

1. Go to Google Alerts and sign in to your Google account if you haven't already.

2. Enter your search query in the text box. For this example, we'll use "Airtable" to track mentions of the product.

3. Click Show options to customize your alert settings:

• How often: Choose "As-it-happens" or "At most once a day" based on your needs.
• Sources: Select "Automatic" or choose specific sources like News, Blogs, or Web.
• Language: Select your preferred language.
• Region: Choose "Any Region" or specify a location.
• How many: Select "Only the best results" or "All results".

4. Change Deliver to from your email address to RSS feed.

5. Click Create Alert.

6. Google will display your new alert with an RSS icon. Right-click on the RSS icon and select Copy link address to get your RSS feed URL.

Install Data Fetcher Extension

Add the Data Fetcher extension to your Airtable base from the Airtable marketplace.

1. In your Airtable base, click Extensions in the top toolbar.

2. Click Add an extension.

3. Search for "Data Fetcher" and click Add, followed by Add extension.

4. Once installed, sign up for a new account or sign in if you've used Data Fetcher before.

Import Google Alerts to Airtable

Now we'll connect your Google Alert RSS feed to Airtable and configure the data import.

1. On the Data Fetcher home screen, click Create your first request.

2. Select Custom for the Application.

3. Paste your Google Alert RSS feed URL (copied earlier) into the URL input field.

4. Name your request something descriptive, like "Import Google Alerts - Airtable".

5. Click Save & Run.

Configure Response Field Mapping

When you first run the request, the Response Field Mapping screen opens. Here you'll select which data from Google Alerts to import into your Airtable fields.

1. Click Deselect all to start with a clean slate, as the RSS feed contains many fields we don't need.

2. Use the Find field search box to locate the fields starting with "Feed entry" - these contain the Google Alert data.

3. Set up the following field mappings:

• Feed entry title → Name (Existing field)
• Feed entry link $ href → URL (New field, type: URL)
• Feed entry published → Published (New field, type: Date)
• Feed entry updated → Updated (New field, type: Date)
• Feed entry content → Content (New field, type: Long text)

4. Click the → icon in the top-left corner to open the sidebar.

5. Select Advanced settings.

6. For Update Based on Field(s), select the URL field. This ensures Data Fetcher won't create duplicate alerts when the same article appears in multiple updates.

7. Click Save & Run in the bottom-right corner.

Data Fetcher will create the new fields and import your Google Alerts into Airtable. Each alert will appear as a new record with the title, link, publication date, and content snippet.

Set Up Automatic Google Alerts Import

Currently, you need to manually click Run to import new Google Alerts. With Data Fetcher's schedule feature, you can automate this process to run even when you're not logged into Airtable.

This is a paid feature, so you'll need to upgrade to a Data Fetcher paid plan.

1. Click the Schedule tab in Data Fetcher, then click Upgrade.

2. A new tab opens where you can select a plan and enter payment details.

3. Under Schedule, click + Authorize.

4. In the authorization window, click + Add resources to grant Data Fetcher access to your bases.

5. Click Grant access.

6. Back in Data Fetcher, the Schedule toggle switches on automatically. Select your preferred schedule:

• Every 30 minutes for time-sensitive alerts
• Every hour for regular monitoring
• Every day for daily digest-style updates

7. Click Save to activate the schedule.

Your Google Alerts will now automatically import into Airtable based on your chosen schedule, keeping your base updated with the latest mentions and news.

Use Cases for Connecting Google Alerts to Airtable

This integration helps you monitor and act on important mentions by centralizing alerts in your Airtable workflow. Key use cases include:

• Brand monitoring: Track company mentions across the web and assign team members to respond to press coverage or customer feedback.
• Competitor intelligence: Monitor competitor product launches and announcements, then link alerts to your competitive analysis tables.
• Industry research: Collect industry news and trends in one place, tag articles by topic, and build a searchable knowledge base.
• Content inspiration: Gather trending topics in your niche and connect alerts to your content calendar for timely article ideas.
• Sales triggers: Import mentions of target companies or buying signals, then create automated workflows to notify your sales team.
• Crisis management: Set up alerts for potential PR issues and use Airtable automations to immediately notify stakeholders when critical keywords appear.