4. Lifecycle of Information on the Web: Implications for Aggregator Sites

The explosion in information on the web is being revolutionized by the multitude of ways in which information is created, distributed and consumed. Media aggregator sites are connectors in the supernetwork of the Internet that depend on providers for most of their content. The basic principle that explains the dynamic nature of networks and their constant expansion is the principle of triadic closure and strength of tie. These technology Internet sites are very popular and have their dominant presence across myriad subnetworks. In addition to their presence in multiple networks, they have very close access to user behavior in each of the subnetworks. Today most players fall short when it comes to their presence on third-party sites frequented by their users. This paper explores how such aggregator sites can devise their strategies to leverage their connector status on the Internet, study how they can be present in all places where their users are, and more effectively bridge the gap between the mavens and interested adapters of the web community. We also explore how these companies can design their content such that it has a very high adoption index.

A few key concepts including nodes, ties, triadic closure, bridge, strength of a tie, and diffusion are also discussed. Findings of a small-sample consumer survey focusing on users’ preferences for and perceptions of different websites is reported in this paper. The study concludes with implications and recommendations for aggregator websites.