After reading the news headlines last week about the acquisition of Aardvark by Google, I went straight to Vark.com to find out exactly what Aardvark is and why Google would want to purchase it for millions of dollars.

Turns out, Aardvark is a pretty cool way to find answers to almost any question that needs a better answer than what Google or Yahoo can give. Think of it as a “real-person search engine” where your questions are answered by another Aardvark user instead of a search engine result based on algorithms and keywords. When you set up a profile to ask a question, you also put in your interests and areas of expertise so you can answer questions from other users. Whenever someone asks a question about books, marketing, or social media, Aardvark IMs me via AIM and checks to see if I am busy and can answer a question. Most of the time I say yes, and most of the time, I can answer the question without having to do any research. However, if you can’t, no pressure. Simply say ‘pass’ and Aardvark will ask someone else. You can also answer questions on the website instead of instant messenger; but being on my computer all day I find it a fun distraction to be asked questions (I usually get 2-3 questions a day).

Besides a fun, unique way to ask questions, Aardvark has seems to have a tight-knit community of users and has a fun ‘About Us’ page that includes photos of happy hours and comfy couches, definitely making me want to work there. And I’m sure with their new parent company paying their bills, many more people will be looking for a job at Aardvark.

If you want to try it, visit Vark.com