Getting Started with Website Monitoring: A Beginner's Guide

Website monitoring might seem technical, but it's actually incredibly simple. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to start tracking website changes effectively.

What is Website Monitoring?

At its core, website monitoring is automated checking of web pages for changes. Instead of manually visiting sites to see if anything changed, software does it for you and alerts you when something's different.

Common Use Cases

People use website monitoring for:

• Price tracking - Know when competitor prices change
• Job hunting - Get alerts for new job postings
• News monitoring - Track updates on topics you care about
• Compliance - Monitor terms of service changes
• Research - Track government or academic publications

Your First Monitor in 3 Steps

Step 1: Choose What to Monitor

Pick a website you want to track. Good first monitors include:

• A competitor's pricing page
• A job board you check regularly
• A product page for something you want to buy
• A news page about your industry

Step 2: Get the URL

Navigate to the exact page you want to monitor and copy the URL from your browser's address bar.

Tips for choosing the right URL:

• Be specific—monitor the exact page, not just the homepage
• Avoid URLs with session IDs or tracking parameters
• Test the URL in an incognito window to ensure it works

Step 3: Set Up the Monitor

In Drifter:

1. Paste your URL into the monitor field
2. Enter your email for notifications
3. Click "Start Monitoring"

That's it! Drifter will now check this page regularly and email you when changes are detected.

Understanding Check Frequency

How often should you check a page? It depends on how quickly you need to know about changes.

Check Frequency	Best For
Every hour	Time-sensitive content, prices
Every 6 hours	Job listings, news
Daily	Terms of service, documentation
Weekly	Rarely updated pages

Reading Change Notifications

When Drifter detects a change, you'll receive an email showing:

• What changed - The specific text that was added, removed, or modified
• When it changed - The exact time the change was detected
• How to view - Links to see the full before/after comparison

Understanding Diffs

Changes are shown as "diffs" (differences):

• Green text = Content that was added
• Red text = Content that was removed
• Unchanged text = Context around the changes

Common Beginner Mistakes

Monitoring Too Broadly

❌ Wrong: Monitoring an entire news homepage ✅ Right: Monitoring a specific topic or author page

Checking Too Frequently

❌ Wrong: Hourly checks on a page that updates monthly ✅ Right: Match check frequency to how often content actually changes

Ignoring False Positives

❌ Wrong: Getting alerts for timestamps or ads, ignoring them all ✅ Right: Configure filters or choose more specific page sections

What to Do When You Get an Alert

1. Read the diff - Understand what specifically changed
2. Assess importance - Is this change relevant to you?
3. Take action - Respond to the change if needed
4. Adjust if needed - Fine-tune your monitoring settings

Building Your Monitoring Portfolio

Start with 2-3 monitors, then expand as you learn:

Week 1: Basic Setup

• Add 2-3 important pages to monitor
• Use daily checks to start
• Learn to read the change notifications

Week 2: Optimization

• Adjust check frequency based on results
• Filter out any noisy pages
• Add a few more monitors

Week 3: Expansion

• Identify new pages worth monitoring
• Set up category-based monitoring
• Explore integrations (Slack, webhooks)

Next Steps

Once you're comfortable with basic monitoring:

1. Explore integrations - Connect to Slack, Discord, or webhooks
2. Use CSS selectors - Monitor specific parts of pages
3. Set up teams - Collaborate with colleagues
4. Try advanced features - JavaScript rendering, API access

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost?

Drifter has a free tier with 3 monitors and 100 checks per month—enough to get started. Paid plans offer more monitors and features.

Will websites know I'm monitoring them?

Drifter uses standard web requests similar to search engines. It's undetectable and doesn't impact the websites you monitor.

What if a page requires login?

Some monitors can handle authenticated pages. Check our documentation for details on monitoring logged-in content.

Can I monitor any website?

Most public websites can be monitored. Some sites with aggressive bot protection may have limitations.

Conclusion

Website monitoring is a simple concept with powerful applications. Whether you're tracking competitors, hunting for jobs, or staying informed about regulatory changes, automated monitoring saves time and ensures you never miss important updates.

Create your free account and set up your first monitor in under a minute.