Adding value to aggregation

Continuing from my previous post on democratizing aggregation, I want to elaborate about the value beyond bringing all the information together. That is only the first step. In fact, it is one of the least value adding aspect of aggregation. The important thing is what you do with the information you have aggregated. Here are three ways that you can add value to any aggregation service:
Search and coordination
Aggregation is mainly about data but search transforms data into information. If you add in the ability to coordinate actions, such that deals or actions can be closed much more effectively (food aggregator allows you to book restaurants etc ), then aggregation becomes a much strong value proposition.
This is why scraper models for jobs, like Indeed, create economic value: they transform "data" into information - in fact, they do so at the moment you do a search. Conversely, this is why Craigslist is getting devalued - it's more data, and less information (ie, I can personalize it less/receive less stuff that matches my preferences, expectations, etc, than elsewhere).
Aggregating context
A bit of context goes a long way. Aggregating context is just as important as the information itself. Outside.In for example aggregates posts from local bloggers and filters them according to locations. An aggregator will need to think about how to add context that is useful to the users they are serving.

Allowing the cream to rise to the top
The power of StockTwits is its understanding of this principle. We can see this in their announcement of a premium blog network. That is a brilliant strategy. Surfacing the best of the community and then giving them tools to let them do what they do is a powerful demonstration of edge competency. It is equivalent to a music label picking up promising artists, except with a much more effective cost structure and software. This also points to a new path to profitability for community powered models. Every aggregator, from food to fashion to health, should seriously employing this in their community.

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Posted in: network,search application