Human vs. Computer Content Aggregation: Which is Better?
Well-written content adds value to any website. Whether for business or personal use, a website should provide information that increases the knowledge store of the World Wide Web. A key benefit of expanding your website content is that it provides more terms for search engines to index. An additional plus is that websites that update more frequently often earn a higher rank due to their activity.
How does content get on your website? There are three simple methods:
- Write it yourself.
- Hire the services of other writers.
- Aggregate content from outside sources.
(Okay, there is a legendary fourth, which is to let a room full of monkeys loose on various computers and see if they can type the collected works of Shakespeare. But only the above three are practical.)
My post on the benefits of cloud computing is an example of the third option, exercised by the Cloud Computing Journal, an online magazine published by SYS-CoN Media that uses all three methods to increase their content base. What struck me about their method of content aggregation is that within minutes of posting the article, Jeremy Geelan, Sr. Vice-President of SYS-CON Media & Events, sent me an email requesting permission to reprint it, offering full credit and a bio.
This was unexpected, but refreshing. Websites that aggregate content usually do so by programming a script to search the web for content and post it to their site verbatim. The intent of this method is to increase their indexed content and drive their search engine page rank, but all it does is create a mess of noise on the Internet. Articles about securing your java application and enjoying a java chip mocha frappuccino don’t usually belong on the same page, but they might if they share the word java.
Even if an automated script could request permission from content authors before copying it onto their site, it would be difficult to automate a filtering mechanism that also ensures the content is relevant. Alternatively, a human being can review all aggregated content and apply their own site’s editorial guidelines to add value before posting it live. This is what set my experience with SYS-CON apart from the rest:
They Credit Their Sources
By offering to post links back to Duo Consulting and my personal/professional blog, they already received top marks in my book. One of my friends complains that his photographs are all over the Internet without any credit back to the source. His website explicitly states that he allows anyone to use his images provided they acknowledge where they came from. A simple email request could avoid creating bad blood between your organization and theirs.
They Edit Content to Increase Value
Since posting my article to the Duo Consulting’s blog, it’s taken on a whole new life. The alternate version sports a spunky new title and tag line:
Also, my closing paragraph is now at the beginning, which gives additional weight to my all-time favorite lines:
“…the availability of our resources dictates our current needs…and our needs always expand beyond the capacity of our resources….”
In addition, Jeremy reviewed my blog’s About Tony Chung page and hand-crafted an author bio with a photo.
They Ask for Permission
I mentioned to Jeremy that I would be writing this article, and gave him my initial three-point skeleton. He wanted me to list this point at the top, because for them, there is no substitute for the personal touch when aggregating content. I chose instead to close with this point, because it is by far the most important concept in re-purposing content from outside sources.
Requesting permission to reproduce others’ ideas shows respect to the creator, elicits respect from the creator, and fosters a sense of community. This experience is what drove me to write this article, because the simple effort of ask me impressed me so much. According to Jeremy, this has been SYS-CON’s model for years, and will continue to be their model.
Content may be freely available on the web, but it is definitely not free.
