AOL Jumps on Blog Search Bandwagon

Everybody's doing it: Google, Yahoo! and, apparently, now America Online will add blogs to its search tool kit (on the heels of its Weblogs purchase). Reportedly, the underlying engine will be Intelliseek's BlogPulse tool. BlogPulse hasn't received the attention of some of the larger Internet brands (or Bloglines or Technorati), but it's a terrific tool.

User-generated content is becoming increasingly important (or at least preparing for a time when it is). And there's a real challenge in weighting/ranking/organizing that content and meaningfully integrating it into search results.

____________

Update this a.m. from the Intelliseek press release:

Under the agreement, Cincinnati-based Intelliseek's blog data, statistics, trend charts and blog entries will be featured on the AOL® network. These daily blog reports will update Web users in real time about Internet activity and "buzz."

Included in the daily feeds will be top blogs, top blog posts, top news stories and news sources being cited by bloggers, top website/blog links being shared by bloggers, as well as the top personalities and phrases being discussed by bloggers in their posts. AOL also will have access to BlogPulse's two blogs — BlogPulse Newswire, a summary of blog activity, and the entertainment-focused BlogPulse Spotlight.

This is not only about news coverage, it's also about community for AOL.