Alert Best Practices

Overview

Creating effective alerts helps your community respond quickly. Follow these guidelines to make your alerts as useful as possible.

Writing a Good Title

• Be specific: "Lost black wallet near Central Park" is better than "Lost something"
• Include key identifiers: Colour, size, breed (for pets), or distinguishing features
• Keep it brief: Aim for under 10 words — the full details go in the description

Writing a Good Description

• When: Include the approximate time the item was lost or the pet went missing
• Where: Describe the last known location as precisely as possible
• What: Provide detailed physical description — colour, size, brand, markings
• Contact: Mention if you can be reached through itemID messaging

Choosing the Right Topic

• Lost Items: For physical belongings — keys, bags, electronics
• Missing Pets: For dogs, cats, or other pets
• Emergencies: Only for situations requiring urgent community attention
• General: For community announcements that do not fit other categories

Setting the Radius

• Start with a radius that matches the likely search area
• For stationary items (dropped wallet), use a smaller radius (1–3 km)
• For mobile subjects (missing pet), use a larger radius (5–15 km)
• You can always create a follow-up alert with a wider radius if needed

After Posting

• Stay responsive: Check for messages from community members who may have found your item
• Resolve promptly: When your item is found or pet returns, mark the alert as resolved immediately
• Do not spam: Avoid creating multiple alerts for the same incident — your daily limit is there to help keep the community focused

Priority Guidelines

• LOW: Non-urgent — found items, general awareness
• MEDIUM: Standard lost items or missing pets (default)
• HIGH: Valuable items or vulnerable pets (young, elderly, medical needs)
• URGENT: Safety-critical situations only — use sparingly