I use SkyScanner and other comparison sites, but not as they would like...
I often find the flights I want to book and then go directly to the website of the airline, because I trust it more and assume I'm cutting someone out for a cheaper price, even when I'm not directly.
That's not good for the comparison site, who usually depend upon me booking directly through them.
That's because if they send me directly to the airline's website to make the booking they have to go to the website to show them how many customers they got them even though they don't have exact numbers because they don't have access to the analytics of the airline website. That didn't work. You can't direct your friend to a good restaurant and then go to the restaurant and say "I got you customer, can I has money?"
So SkyScanner and the thousands of other comparison websites require that you book directly through them, while they automate the process of booking with the airline, thereby taking a cut of the transaction. While this is currently the most efficient way to add value and get paid, is pretty inefficient. It requires two websites (at a minimum) to handle booking processes and be integrated so that there are no issues with capacity, etc... It also means the investment in the infrastructure of the comparison site depends upon the acceptance of a third party later on in order to integrate. There is inordinate risk that the service provider will stone wall refuse to accept bookings through a comparison website due to the subjugation of their brand and the % cuts that the comparison sites take on the bookings. Take Ryanair's temporary spat with SkyScanner as an example: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/11205274/Ryanair-to-take-on-TripAdvisor-and-Skyscanner.html
I don't claim to understand the mechanics of Steem and how this forum or others relate or integrate with the underlying currency. But what happens when Steem's concept of subjective proof of work, as opposed to the objective mathematical proof of work of bitcoin, starts to make waves in the space of comparison sites?
It's it plausible that the comparison sites themselves, the contributors (the creators of curating bots that scour the web) and the curators (people or bots) get paid directly in Steem or an equivalent subjective proof of work currency instead of having to process payments?
What happens to product ratings on Amazon or other ecommerce stores? What if, as a person who has purchased and used a product actually have a financial incentive to go back to a website and rate a product, while others have a financial incentive to rate & curate my review?
I have no idea how Steem & Steemit are related. But if any more technically competent people than me can chime in and give some insights I think this would be a very interesting conversation.