Well, there is a way to make the local content portal idea work, but I see very few companies approaching it this way, for some reason.
You build a site around a very specific, central theme and populate it. Take party-planning, for example. Everything about the site is oriented towards helping you provide a perfect party. Contrast that with other 'portals' which are really just faceless generic reams of links.
Don't just give the user a ton of links to Joe's Ballon & Wine Shop, Cakes-R-Us, and Party Furniture For the Criminally Right-Handed. Instead, show the user that a bottle of Muscat goes well with the Cranberry-Cinnamon Souffle, served with orange ballon decorations, and nifty Pumpkin-topped Pez dispensers. Let them assemble and order this exact bundle from the site (coming from individual vendors), and have it delivered to your door.
IPTY is doing this. It's an OTC:BB, however, which raises a completely seperate set of issues for me. But the concept is solid. If well-designed and implemented, could make a lot of money. These types of portals will survive no matter how proficient the web users get, because it's so darned convenient. (I agree with your comment that 'generic portal' lifespan may be limited as people start to 'get it') |
