PostRank, also known as AideRSS, is an algorithm and tool that helps filter and prioritize blog posts, most notably through a useful tool that ranks posts based on how much it's been bookmarked and shared on major social networks. For example, it can help a person filter the noise in Google ReaderGoogle Reader reviews[img src="http://static1.blippr.com/images/inline-face_07.png?1237798206" caption="" credit="" alt="Google Reader reviews"] (via a Firefox extension), but PostRank's newly launched beta website takes the concept a step farther, with the PostRank Discovery engine.
The PostRank Discovery engine is an attempt at helping solve the nagging problem of what Web content a person should subscribe to or read. It does this by aggregating content by topic area, like a directory, but ranking them by using its PostRank algorithm and using its online community.
Using the discovery engine is simple - just start typing a topic that interests you the search box. It will automatically generate both topics and individual blogs or RSS feeds. Then you can set the noise you want from individual feeds - do you want to see all of MashableMashable reviews[img src="http://static1.blippr.com/images/inline-face_07.png?1237798206" caption="" credit="" alt="Mashable reviews"]'s posts, but only the best of DiggDigg reviews[img src="http://static1.blippr.com/images/inline-face_05.png?1237798206" caption="" credit="" alt="Digg reviews"]? All of this is possible through PostRank. And of course, PostRank's ability to create custom RSS feeds from any blog feed or topic stays intact.
The new beta website also offers customization and community features. Users can customize their own feed lists and share them with friends on FacebookFacebook reviews[img src="http://static1.blippr.com/images/inline-face_05.png?1237798206" caption="" credit="" alt="Facebook reviews"], TwitterTwitter reviews[img src="http://static1.blippr.com/images/inline-face_07.png?1237798206" caption="" credit="" alt="Twitter reviews"], and within PostRank.
The PostRank Discovery engine is in limited beta, requiring an invite to get the full use. But from what we've seen so far, it's very slick. There's still some usability tweaking that needs to be done (some features are hard to find), but it provides a lot of functionality and usability that other blog search websites, most notably Technorati, are not providing. We look forward to when PostRank Beta is released to everyone.