If you haven’t yet used IFTTT.com you’re missing out on one of this year’s most helpful tools online. IFTTT is a simple internet service that lets you create powerful connections with one simple statement: if this then that. Basically, IFTTT is a time saving, easy way to put the web to work for you.
By tuning into channels (like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, your uptime monitor, and others), you can create a series of triggers, actions and ingredients to form a recipe that will automate many things you’re now wasting your time doing. For example, each time you add a photo to Instagram, IFTTT can automatically upload that photo to your Dropbox and/or Facebook accounts.
Neat, huh? IFTTT has 53 channels up and running right now that, when combined with triggers and actions, will automatically perform your usual tasks for you. If IFTTT is new to you, you can browse the database of available recipes from their website, or learn to create one of your own.
Use IFTTT to alert you of when your website is down
If you’re like me, you use an uptime monitor to keep tabs on your website. Uptime monitors alert you when your website is offline or suffering from less than ideal speeds. And while such monitors work well enough, to take advantage of advanced features you need to pay some pretty hefty monthly fees. Most basic monitors will alert you free of charge by email if your website is down, but that’s only helpful if you happen to be sitting in front of your computer. If you’re away from the office a lot, like me, it could be hours before you realize something is wrong with your web hosting server.
Thanks to the power of IFTTT and a basic, free uptime monitor, you can now get SMS messages or even phone calls when your web hosting account or server is down. Here’s how to make that happen.
Be alerted by SMS through Gmail
Step 1: Create an IFTTT account
If you don’t already have an account with IFTTT, get over to their homepage and create one. They’re free, and it takes just seconds.
Step 2: Login to Gmail and scan for details
Scan your inbox or address book for the address your alert service uses to tell you that your website is down. It may look like [email protected] or [email protected] robot.com. Copy the address to your clipboard or make a mental note of it, and head back to IFTTT.com.
Step 3: Add this recipe to your IFTTT account
Surf over to this IFTTT recipe and enable it on your account. You’ll need to add the appropriate email address in the email address field, and also make sure you’ve entered in a cell number in your IFTTT account settings. And that’s it! Each time your Gmail account receives an email from your monitoring service you’ll now be alerted by SMS, too.
If you’d prefer a telephone call, this IFTTT recipe will ring your phone each time your website or hosting server goes offline.
IFTTT.com can be employed to do hundreds of tasks you normally do manually. Check it out and tell us what you think!