What is A Content Aggregation Website
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What Is Content Aggregation Itself
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Content aggregation is simply curating. In other words, it is the collection of relevant data covering the same topic, and displaying it all in one place for easy access and reference by users. This is similar to a single large search engine where only essential information gets collected while all material that is irrelevant or of low-quality is weeded out. It is important to note that this is different from plagiarism. Aggregation does not involve the use of and claiming that someone else’s original content is your own. However, we wouldn’t deny that some aggregators have been accused of bordering on this.
What Is A Content Aggregator Website
This type of website automatically collects data from other sources online and then aggregates it into one central hub where users can easily access it. You’re likely familiar with these—Reddit, Google News, and Flipboard are prime examples. People post content and these sites aggregate them into organized categories, mostly by topic. Some aggregators are very broad, while others are more specialized.
There are lots of ways to define what to aggregate, including by:
1. Industry
2. Keyword/topic
3. Hashtag
4. Channels
For example, you could aggregate content based on relevant hashtags and collect those from social media sites that permit hashtag usage. You could also gather content based on a channel from YouTube or Vimeo. For clarification, aggregation of published content isn’t plagiarism. The platform attributes the content to its author or source. All you’re doing is making it easier for your readers to find information that matters to them. Checking out your content analytics can give you some ideas of the topics and formats your audience most appreciates.
Best Practices for a Successful Content Aggregation Website
Having the right platform and rules is the start of creating a successful website. You can do more to ensure you’re imparting quality information and experiences to your audience.
Offer insights: You can include some commentary on a post demonstrating thought leadership and a point of view.
Summarize: Summing up an article can be helpful for skimmers that don’t have much time. Bullet points are very effective.
Consider SEO: Not every article will follow SEO best practices. You can optimize these pieces as the aggregator.
Attribute properly: Always give credit to the author or source.
Prompt discussion: Take the time to pose some questions around content that could spur meaningful conversation.
