Personal home pages as a resource : Evaluating the informational value of the PHP on the web

Purpose – To help determine the extent to which “unique” informational content is available on personal home pages (PHP) on the world wide web (WWW). Design/methodology/approach – The informational content of PHPs is manually compared with the informational content of non‐PHPs in the field of professional football in England. This produces instances of information which is available on the PHPs but not on the non‐PHPs. A search is then carried out to determine whether these pieces of information are available elsewhere on the web. Findings – There are notable quantities of information which are only available on PHPs. There are also instances where certain information will be available on PHPs before it is available on non‐PHPs. In addition, the degree to which information on PHPs is correct is also likely to be quite high. These facts in conjunction suggest that PHPs as a whole make a notable contribution to the informational content of the WWW. Research limitations/implications – The sample data are limited in size and scope. Practical implications – PHP visibility and utilization may increase. Originality/value – Provides a methodology for informational comparisons of web pages.