Aggregator Foundations - Links and Suggestions

Now that you've dipped your feet into social media platforms such as Twitter, Ning, Facebook and more, isn't it time you took a hint and applied some social aspects to your Web site? In the previous article, Linda talked about aggregation, and how aggregator sites have shaped current Web trends. In this article, she will pass on information about how to make aggregation work for you through suggestions and links to sites that can make this job easier.

It's Up to You...

Now that I've narrowed your playing field down to a microscopic choice focused on WordPress and Hybrid Theme, you can break free to use what you want to use for your blogging platform and layout. Be aware that the same warnings issued previously about both platforms often apply to other tools as well. To broaden the playing field from this point forward, the following links apply to anyone who wants to develop an aggregation Web site. These links include information about tools, ethics and more...

Your Initial Tools for an Aggregation Web Site

First, you must be focused upon a theme for your site – and by "theme," I don't mean a layout. Pick a topic based upon what you know – your job or your hobby – and develop an outline that provides a foundation for your categories, tags and sitemap. These three foundation keys will help you gain traction in search engines and they will make your site more accessible for anyone – provided you use accessible code and usability standards (make your categories, tags and sitemap visible and easily accessible, in other words).

The following tools are things you build on the front end, knowing that your options may change in the future as you build upon your site:

·         Categories: If you've written an outline for a school paper, you know that this outline has topics and subtopics. The more elaborate an outline, the more topics and subtopics you build. Web site categories are outlines for your site, but they're written in one or two words for brevity. If you have a topic, or category, such as "About" that explains your site, you might develop subcategories for pages that show your sitemap, your tags and your privacy policy, etc. See the Webby Awards categories for ideas that you can use as a foundation and build from there.

·         Tags: Taxonomy is tricky, but not if you see it as yet another outline that defines your categories as that link to Drupal explains. If you keep your tags to a maximum of three per article, and keep a minimum of tags throughout your site (in other words, repeat those tags for various entries), you can hone your site for search engines. The more focused you become on your tags, the easier your site will become for those who seek your information.

·         Sitemap: Use a sitemap on your site to help people find information. One reason why I like WordPress and Hybrid Theme is that I can build a sitemap page that automatically updates through Pages > Add New and using a Sitemap Template for that page (if you're updated to WordPress 2.8.4, that template is located in the right column). In the image shown below, you can see that you can create other pages that will hold bookmarks, categories and more. Also, use Google's Webmaster tools to create a site map for their search engine (you must have a Google account to access that page).

Building the Aggregation

Next, you want to build on those categories, tags and sitemap with your own original content and the use of other writers' content. But, how do you do this without becoming a nuisance, a threat and a general all-around content thief?

The Pay Model

There are several ways to build content. One way is to pay for content by paying writers to write for you or to pay for syndicated content licenses. But, if you're anything like me, paying for content is a losing situation, as your site may not make enough money to balance the budget. So, I have to avoid places like Associated Press and YellowBrix, because they charge to use their content or – in the case of AP, they want you to be a non-commercial site (in other words, no affiliates on your site that re designed to make income for you and your site). Some news sites may charge to read their content altogether.

A new developing market for video syndication is on its way. But, I'll warn you that the problems caused by the digital divide remain with us today. In fact, I received an email from an Appomattox News reader this morning, asking for a script to a YouTube video I had posted on the site a month prior. She lives in an area within Appomattox County, Virginia, where broadband does not exist. If I had acted like a true-blue accessibility guru, I would have watched the video and created a script.

Better yet, it would have been nice for the originator of that video to write the script and make it accessible for others to use. If you create videos and you want them to become truly viral, think about adding a script for that video for a wider audience.