My Web Alert - Automated Website Monitoring

This was the website for MyWebAlert.
The content is from outside sources that mention this site.

Way back in 2007 I first learned about My Web Alert from a 2007 Euro Tech News Blog Post which follows:

27/02/2007
MyWebAlert - Website Availability Monitoring Service for only $4 a month
Hype or something useful? Well it's free (even though their page title [as above] states $4 per month), a service that monitors websites by testing http responses etc. Though there's no mention of money, presumably there'll be a paid for version in the future. The results of their probes are Emailed to you once per month, it does all seem very painless.

Then I read this article and became a bit more skeptical about the site's services. Eventually the site's domain registration expired and the site disappeared from the web. We will probably never know the reason why the original owner of the site allowed the domain registration to expire, but it probably had to do with the fact that he/she couldn't successfully monetize the endeavor.
Recently I discovered that the domain was available, so I bought it with the goal of recreating some of its original content from archived pages. Unfortunately there were no usable archived pages of the original site although other subsequent owners had used it for a variety of purposes. Nevertheless I decided to keep the spirit of the original website intact via comments from outside sources.

2020 update:
The problem with the business model probably has to do with the fact that there are so many service that accomplish these kinds of alerts, many are free. We were looking into instances outside the normal "is my website down?" type of query and got loads of examples. There are many sites that provide critical infrastructure services that people rely on for very serious reasons. For example, this site would not have reached its intended audience without the assistance of the SEO masters at TNG/Earthling, especially CEO Bob Sakayama, who used state of the art digital tools including artificial intelligence to achieve high ranks for our most important keywords. His work enabled the site to cut through the layers of competition and provide motivated traffic from the demographics most beneficial to us.

The Results Circa 2007

Where’s the business model in Web 2.0? Don’t ask MyWebAlert.

By tim, on February 19th, 2007
Today IT Week has my piece on the lack of any business model in Yahoo Pipes, a thought underlined by an unusual press release which popped into my inbox. It is from John Earley of MyWebAlert, a company set up to monitor web site availability. Press releases are not usually so dejected:

Following a series of reports (copies available) that proved website availability is miserable in both the public and private sectors, we had thought folks would pay a paltry sum for monitoring and management services. This has proved not to be the case. Having sunk the investment in the software and architecture, we have abandoned hope of a business plan and are now making the service available free-of-charge.

Intrigued, I took a look at the site. The About page confirms this gravity-defying business endeavor, but looks forward to a bright tomorrow “somehow”:

It appears that the strategy is working, at least in terms of expanding the business. That’s presuming that site overload is the reason for what happened when I tried to sign up:

One presumes the outage will be short-lived, bearing in mind the company’s raison d’etre.

Incidentally Web site monitoring is also available from Netcraft and no doubt others. For a fee.

Free hack monitoring from MyWebAlert

Website monitoring company MyWebAlert has launched a free service that will visit registered sites every five minutes and verify they have not been attacked or hijacked. The company is especially looking at SMEs and educational institutions to benefit from their offer.

MyWebAlert will continue its regular service (http://www.techworld.com/applications/news/index.cfm?NewsID=5523) where the company monitors a user's website 24/7 for £2.30 ($US4.27) a month or £23 a year.

John Earley, MyWebAlert's managing director said that the free monitoring move was aimed at end-users like SMEs and schools, "who cannot always afford to have such a service of value and yet would want to protect themselves from website vandalism."

In the free service, registered users can specify a string of hidden text, which MyWebAlert can look for during every five-minute check. Hackers replacing sections of the website will be identified immediately and an alert will be sent to the user.

"What makes MyWebAlert different from monitoring services based within a company, is that we monitor websites from three different locations: Docklands in London, San Francisco, and Houston in Texas. What happens with network management systems is that they use the same site as the network," Earley explained.

To guard against false alarms, MyWebAlert will not alert the website owner of a possible hack unless it receives notification from all its three locations. At the end of every month, the company will also send users a report to show how their site has fared.

To check for failed websites in industries, MyWebAlert had conducted a study where the FTSE had 43 percent failures and the retail sector had 40 percent. In contrast, the airline sector has performed well with fewer than 7 percent of sites having failed, said Earley.

"I think that this clearly demonstrates in an industry that is inherently interested in services operating and one that depends heavily on the Internet for trading that they can achieve very high levels of service availability," he added.

MyWebAlert - Website Availability Monitoring Service for only $4 a month MyWebAlert - Website Availability Monitoring Service for only $4 a month Hype or something useful? Well it's free (even though their page title [as above] states $4 per month), a service that monitors websites by testing http responses etc. Though there's no mention of money, presumably there'll be a piad for version in the future. The results of their probes are Emailed to you once per month, it does all seem very painless. Posted by Steve Karmeinsky

More Background on MyWebAlert.com

MyWebAlert.com emerged in the mid-2000s as a website monitoring service designed to help small and medium-sized businesses, educational institutions, and other users keep track of their website’s availability. The service was marketed as affordable, offering plans that started at around $4 per month, with a free version available at times. This made it an attractive option for those who needed regular website monitoring without the high costs typically associated with similar services.

Background and History

MyWebAlert was part of the growing trend in the early 2000s of web-based services that provided monitoring and alerts for website availability. In a time when websites were increasingly critical for business operations, a tool like MyWebAlert filled an important niche by helping site owners detect downtime and issues before they impacted visitors or customers. Unlike some competitors, MyWebAlert stood out by checking the availability of websites from multiple global locations, including London, San Francisco, and Houston. This allowed the service to avoid false positives and offered a more reliable service.

The tool checked websites for basic HTTP responses and offered monthly reports detailing site performance and availability. This information could be compared against service level agreements (SLAs) to help users better understand whether their website hosts were delivering as promised. In some cases, MyWebAlert also offered more specialized services, such as monitoring for website hacks or defacement by checking hidden text strings that could be changed in case of unauthorized access.

Despite its solid technical foundation, MyWebAlert struggled to maintain profitability. The original business model hinged on small subscription fees, but it became increasingly clear that there were many free or similarly priced alternatives available. Moreover, larger monitoring tools like Netcraft and Pingdom began to dominate the market with more sophisticated options and paid plans.

Press and Media Coverage

During its early years, MyWebAlert received mixed coverage in technology blogs and online publications. In 2007, a Euro Tech News post discussed the platform’s affordability and potential but raised concerns about its long-term viability, especially since the business model was not entirely clear. Another review from IT Week echoed these concerns, pointing out that despite the useful service MyWebAlert offered, it was competing in an increasingly saturated market with little differentiation beyond price.

Nonetheless, the platform garnered attention for offering innovative features for the time. In particular, its ability to monitor websites from multiple locations and provide regular reports for a minimal cost was seen as a unique value proposition in 2007.

The Decline of MyWebAlert

As competition grew, it became harder for MyWebAlert to stand out, especially against larger and more established players in the industry. Several services began offering similar functionality either for free or with added features, such as more detailed analytics, integrations with other business tools, and more frequent monitoring options.

The original founder of MyWebAlert eventually allowed the domain registration to lapse, and the website disappeared for a period of time. Later, other individuals bought the domain with the intention of resurrecting some aspects of the service. However, by 2020, MyWebAlert was no longer a functional website monitoring tool. Instead, the domain became a tribute to its legacy, with content about the site's history and its evolution from the perspective of its users.

Known For and Audience

MyWebAlert was best known for its low-cost website monitoring service. It was particularly useful for small businesses and educational institutions that needed a simple and inexpensive way to ensure their websites were functioning properly. While it wasn’t as feature-rich as some of its competitors, it appealed to users who were more concerned with affordability and basic functionality rather than detailed analytics or advanced uptime guarantees.

The audience for MyWebAlert consisted mostly of non-technical users—small business owners, school administrators, and hobbyists—who didn’t have the budget for more expensive enterprise-level monitoring tools but still needed to ensure that their online presence was reliable.

Cultural and Social Significance

MyWebAlert’s journey is reflective of the broader challenges faced by early web startups during the Web 2.0 era. The service was launched at a time when many businesses were trying to figure out how to monetize basic web services, and MyWebAlert’s struggles highlight the difficulty of maintaining a profitable business in a highly competitive space with narrow margins.

While it ultimately did not survive, MyWebAlert’s innovative approach to low-cost, accessible website monitoring remains a key part of the discussion on how the web evolved to accommodate different types of users. Its history also underscores the importance of adaptability and differentiation in a fast-moving digital landscape, where even well-executed ideas can struggle if they are not supported by a solid business model.

Reviews and User Feedback

User reviews for MyWebAlert were generally positive during its operational years, especially regarding its ease of use and affordability. Many users appreciated the no-frills approach that MyWebAlert took, offering straightforward functionality without the need for complex setups or expensive subscriptions. The monthly reports were a particular highlight, offering users a clear and concise summary of their website’s performance.

However, there were also criticisms, especially around the platform’s limitations. Some users felt that the monitoring frequency wasn’t sufficient, particularly as competitors began offering more frequent checks. Others noted that while the service was affordable, it lacked some of the more advanced features that were becoming standard in the industry, such as integration with third-party tools, real-time notifications, and customizable reports.

Insights and Future Lessons

The story of MyWebAlert.com offers several important insights into the challenges faced by small web services in a competitive market. Despite offering a useful product, MyWebAlert struggled to maintain a sustainable business model in the face of free alternatives and more feature-rich competitors. This underscores the importance of not only having a great product but also finding a way to differentiate and create a viable long-term strategy.

For future web monitoring services, MyWebAlert’s experience highlights the importance of continuous innovation, customer engagement, and scalability. While the service was a pioneer in affordable website monitoring, its inability to expand or adapt quickly enough to market demands ultimately led to its decline. As the web continues to evolve, businesses must be prepared to adapt their offerings to stay relevant and competitive.

MyWebAlert.com was an early innovator in the website monitoring space, offering an affordable, easy-to-use service that filled an important niche. Despite its technical success and positive user feedback, it struggled to survive in a rapidly changing market dominated by larger competitors. Its legacy serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by small web startups and the importance of adaptability in a fast-moving digital world.