Long Tail?
It seems that one of the most prevalent theories of internet content / inventory / human interest isn’t quite as infallible as we’d previously thought. Chris Anderson’s long tail was coined in this article and has since led to a successful book and blog. I’m assuming we’re all familiar with the long tail, (if you’re not, check the article above).
While this theory certainly resonates clearly in the context of web distribution models, new research has come to light which questions just how accurate the model actually is. Associate Professor Anita Elberse, writing in Harvard Business Review online, questions whether long tail interests are truly more profitable than their head counterparts. This is a compelling and well structured argument, in which she illustrates that irrespective of choice, the majority of customers will still rent / purchase / be interested in the most popular topics and pastimes. A couple thoughts here . . .
- Social factors may be the strongest motivator as to why hits are hits. Word of mouth is incredibly powerful and once a particular title garners an audience it will snowball quickly.
- Erick Schonfield on Techcrunch suggests that Google’s Ad system, which has risen to success on the back of niche advertisers, may just be the exception rather than the rule.
Food for thought indeed. I don’t believe we can discount the web’s ability to bring niche interests to market in an unprecedented way, but maybe it’s not as lucrative as we previously thought.
