Understanding Aggregator Websites

The Internet used to just be a fantastic place where people could go out and find any information they wanted

. Thanks to aggregators, the Internet is also a fantastic place where any information you want comes directly to you.

Aggregators come in many varieties - websites, sidebars, browsers, and more - but each is designed to collect information from a variety of sources and aggregate it all into one, easily-accessible place. It's a great way to bring together your favorite sites, feeds, or other online content.

An example of a non-personalized website aggregator is the Drudge Report. The Drudge Report is a news aggregator and only occasionally creates unique content. It instead provides links to specific stories, various columnists, and other websites. A user isn't able to customize what they see; just like any news site, the content is at the discretion of those who run the website. These types of sites exist for any topic imaginable.

Another type of aggregator is called a search aggregator, one example being Kayak.com. Kayak.com is a travel website, helping people find good deals on things like hotels and airfare. When a user inputs their criteria (dates, price range, etc.), Kayak.com collects information from hundreds of different travel sites - like Orbitz and Travelocity - and aggregates those results for the user. Kayak.com doesn't book the flight or hotel, nor does it take a fee if the user ends up purchasing anything. Most search aggregators earn revenue from advertizing and pay per click. Because of this, search aggregators don't necessarily have to be product-driven but instead just need to provide the information a user is looking for - from a variety of websites - all in one place.

Then there are fully-customizable aggregators like Google Reader. Google Reader aggregates any content from anywhere by reading Atom or RSS feeds, automatically updating those feeds and providing content to the user. Anything that has an Atom or RSS feed can be read in these types of aggregators and everything from news to comics to blogs can all show up in the same place. This is a convenient alternative to visiting each and every website a user is fond of to see if new content has been posted.

Some aggregators provide add-ons or sidebars for a browser, allowing the content to show and update automatically on the side of the screen. Others can e-mail or otherwise notify the user when there is new content. Simply put, with the Internet and aggregators, the possibilities are endless. Whether you're part of a niche market or are looking for an easy way to bring the Internet to you, aggregators can be an efficient way to bring together all the information you love.

by: Jacque Crook

POST COMMENT

Web Design Services - Best Attire For Your Web Site Web Site Design - Benefits of Web Site Templates How To Overload Your Website Traffic For Free Part 3 Benefits Of An Accessible Website SEO Site Traffic - Beginning SEO for Young Websites Basics of Website Design Service Web Content Writing- Key Factor for Website Ranking Ecommerce Shopping Cart Software A Definite Requirement For Websites! Need of Website Evaluation Services for Your Website Generate Income From Your Website Double Advantages from Website Development Redesign Your Web Site How To Use Shopping Comparison Sites A Guide