MetaBusinesses and the Aggregation of Anything

The Internet and technology makes it so easy to do anything.

  • Want to be a musician? Grab a mic, plug it into your computer, hit record.
  • Want to make a movie? Grab a camera, edit on your computer.
  • Want to be a journalist? Create a blog, start writing.
  • Want to learn a new language? Download language software.
  • Want to be an artist? Draw a picture and make it available online.
  • Want to invent something? Sketch an idea and outsource production?
  • Want to be in finance? Use the latest in market analysis software.

Point is, as technology makes our lives easier it also becomes easier for anyone anywhere, to create something of value for the rest of us to use or consume. It really is incredible.

As a result, we’ve seen this mass explosion of user generated [fill in the blank] because the barriers of entry to do anything are being reduced every single day. This creates an overwhelming amount of information, ideas, music, movies, businesses, services or whatever else you can think of. There are so many options and so many choices. How are you supposed to know what’s best or most relevant to you? How are we supposed to know what’s right or wrong, good or bad, true or false? I mean, people actually thought actor Jeff Goldblum died because they read it on Twitter (video below).

With all of this noise creation comes an opportunity to create filters or smart methods of aggregation. A sort of Meta-Business if you will. This concept isn’t new, but the methods that will be used will be.

Some quick examples:

  • Brazen Careerist – Aggregates “top Gen Y thought leaders” thereby filtering the noise of all the other junk of us millennial
  • StockTwits – Aggregating all of the stock market conversation using Twitter, and more recently have begun aggregating a network of top financiers
  • Properat – Intelligent filters for email or “Assistance for enterprise users to manage the growing volume of e-mail and to seamlessly embrace new messaging media” (In the finals of Cisco’s 09′ Global Business Competition)
  • The Hype Machine – Collection of music from all over the world both user generated and by well known artists
  • Lotame – A collection of consumer insights and web properties, that allow advertisers and marketers to pick the most relevant consumer segments for their marketing needs (Disclosure: My current employer)
  • Digg – Filtering the most popular stories online

Their are plenty of people and companies doing this aggregation and filtering thing already, in very smart ways, and it’s only the beginning.

(Video – Colbert: “According to multiple tweets..actor Jeff Goldblum passed away on Thursday in New Zealand“)

The Colbert Report Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Jeff Goldblum Will Be Missed
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Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Jeff Goldblum
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