Today’s investors have a full arsenal of advanced tools to help them learn all about finance & banking. Among these resources is Google financial services, an all-inclusive platform that assists with everything from consumer finance to investing and beyond.
Investors may be particularly interested in Google Finance, a specialized platform that allows users to monitor company performance, create stock watchlists, and more. If you’re unfamiliar with Google financial services, the following guide can show you how to get started and give some tips for getting the most out of your Google financing account.
Understanding Google Finance
First, you might want to learn a bit more about the platform offered by Google. Financing websites are common in today’s investing world, but what sets Google Finance apart is that its offerings are totally free. By signing up for the service, you’ll get access to such features as:
- Real-time stock ticker updates
- Real-time market quotes and charts
- Financial news stories
- Stock market analytics
- Charts with data from the past 40 years (for U.S. stocks)
You can also set up stock alerts that keep you up to date on the latest investing news.
All of these features are made possible by partnerships with NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Granted, there are other investing platforms out there with additional features, but for a free platform, Google financial services offers a product that can be invaluable for investors of every type and skill level.
How to Set Up a Google Finance Watchlist
Users can use Google Finance in several different ways. Two of the most popular involve Google Finance Alerts and a Google Finance watchlist. A watchlist will allow you to quickly create a stock screener and tracker, complete with up-to-date news reports on the latest stock developments. Here’s how to create a Google Finance watchlist.
Sign Up for a Google Account
If you already have a Google account, just sign in. Otherwise, you’ll need to create one. Once you’re signed in, you can open Google Finance from among the available Google services.
Create a New Portfolio
Next, click on “My Portfolio” to the right of the screen. If you get lost, click the menu icon (upper left), then find “Portfolio.” Next to “Portfolio” you’ll see a “+.” Click this symbol to create a new portfolio, giving it any name you choose.
Create a New Watchlist
Now that you’ve created a portfolio, you’ll see “Your Lists” under the box labeled “You may be interested in.” You’ll also see “Watchlists” and a “+” symbol. Click on this symbol to create a new watchlist and give it a name.
Add Stocks to Your Google Finance Watchlist
You’re now ready to add stocks to your watchlist. Your screen will feature an option to “Add New Investments.” Click on this option to open a new menu with potential assets to add. You can also search for a company directly or filter your options by stock, fund type, or currency.
Use Your Watchlist
Every time you sign into Google Finance, you’ll see a section called “Your Watchlist in the News.” This section will include news articles and other publications related to the companies in your Google Finance watchlist so you can make wise investing decisions.
Things You Can Do With a Google Finance Watchlist
In its native form, your Google Finance watchlist will let you perform quick research on the stock market. But you can also use Google financial services to complete such tasks as:
- Convert your watchlist to a stock portfolio
- Share data with other users or across platforms (e.g., Facebook or X)
- Create a playground portfolio
- Compare markets or securities
These options make Google Finance a surprisingly robust platform despite being free, with features for both beginners and advanced investors.
How to Set Up Google Finance Alerts
A Google Finance watchlist is only one of the features you can enjoy using Google financial services. You can also set up alerts that will send news about stock price changes directly to your inbox. Basically, you’re creating a customized stock newsletter. Here’s how to set up Google Finance Alerts.
Sign In With Your Google Account
If you haven’t already signed up for Google Finance, you’ll need to do so by creating a Google account and then selecting Google Finance from Google’s available options. Doing so is free, and it will also give you access to Google’s full suite of financial offerings, such as a watchlist.
Enter Relevant Keywords
Google Finance Alerts are tied to specific keywords and combinations. You’ll need to enter the keywords you want to receive information about. On your screen, you’ll see a prompt to “Create an alert about…”
Simply enter the company name. Just be aware that some companies like Amazon or Microsoft are so large you may end up receiving non-financial news as well, so you might consider using additional keywords or even the stock symbol to focus on news related to the company’s market performance.
Select a Delivery Option
Google Finance helpfully provides options regarding how you receive your alerts. Next to the “Create Alert” button, you’ll see “Show options.” Click here, and you’ll see a drop-down menu from which you can refine your alerts by:
- Deciding how often you receive your alerts
- Specifying which sources you want to receive alerts from
- Filtering alerts based on top-rated results (or receiving all results)
- Choosing between delivery via email or your RSS feed
- Selecting your preferred language
You can adjust all of these features later on once you become more familiar with the platform.
Create the Alert
Now, simply select “Create the alert.” You will likely receive an email confirmation to indicate that the process is complete. Soon enough, you’ll begin receiving regular alerts in your email inbox or RSS feed.
How to Optimize Google Finance Alerts
How can you get the most from Google Finance Alerts? Here are some tips to help you get started, most of which center around the delivery options.
Select the Right Frequency
While day traders may want to receive each alert “as it happens,” most traders can be satisfied by selecting “at least once per day.” That will help you focus on the most relevant content without being overwhelmed by stock market data.
Choose the Right Region
Stock market information can come from anywhere in the world. So when you select your sources of news, select “any region.” That way you’ll receive alerts from domestic and international sources.
Filter Results
Select “only the best results” to refine your search results. This will prevent you from being overwhelmed by stories from fringe sources such as bloggers or sources compromised by misinformation.
Refine Your Keywords
While smaller companies won’t have much news, large companies like Apple or Tesla may have lots of non-financial news stories coming your way. This can quickly clog your inbox with information not related to your investments. Try to refine your keywords by using the stock ticker symbol or phrases such as “price increase” to eliminate unnecessary information.
Stay Organized
If you’re a Gmail user, you can set up your inbox so that all of your Google Finance Alert emails go to the same folder. That way, you can keep your alerts separate from personal email, and then just search through your “alerts” folder for stock information.
Learn All About Finance & Banking With the Right Investing Platform
While Google Finance is a great way to learn more about the world of investing, seasoned investors will benefit from a more robust set of tools. That’s why Gorilla Trades members get exclusive access to investing research tools, additional alerts, and more. Sign up for a free trial, and you’ll receive 30 days of stock alerts delivered to your inbox.