Computer Tips From A Computer Guy

Find sites that are simliar using SimilarSites

Posted: 06 Jun 2009 03:17 AM PDT

Previously, I wrote about a nifty little web service called Wectar, which helps you find related websites. It has some cool features and worked fairly well when I test it back in 2008.

SimilarSites is another web service that also helps you to find sites that are similar to a particular site. So what's the point of these kinds of services? Well, they are actually pretty useful.

For example, let's say you really like Online Tech Tips and want to know if there are any other sites out there that provide cool and useful technology tips like I do! Well, there's really no good method for going about doing this right now, other than following someone's blogroll or links.

However, if you type in my URL into SimilarSites, you'll get a nice long list of websites that are related to the topics on my blog, such as Windows, software reviews, computer tips, etc.

I have to say I am honored to be considered similar to Lifehacker and the How-To Geek, both awesome sites are anything technology related.

Now it also pulls up some strange results such as a Climbing Magazine and some site in another language and I don't know why. I'm guessing the algorithm checks who you are linking to and who is linking back to you to figure out which sites are related.

What I like about SimilarSites is that it harnesses the power of the community by allowing you to give a thumbs up and thumbs down. So I can thumb down the foreign language site and the climbing site to get those removed or pushed down.

You can also download a add-on for Firefox and Internet Explorer, which lets you click a button while browsing and get a list of similar sites without having to go to their main website.

I tried putting in the New York Times just to see how good the algorithm is and it bought up CNN, Los Angles Times, Washington Post, BBC News, Guardian, USA Today, MSNBC, Times, and lots more. Not bad.

Overall, it's pretty good at what it does and useful if you like one blog or website and want to add a few more related sites to your RSS reader. Enjoy! [via Lifehacker]