the long tail

What is the long tail theory?

The long tail theory is about culture and economics shifting from specific products for everyone (mainstream items) to items wanted by only a particular group of people (niche markets). It says that narrow markets can do as well as mainstream ones. Products, media, culture and economics doesn’t need to be one size fits all anymore. This has come out more due to the emergence of online shopping.

What can it be used for?

Businesses like amazon use long tail theory to sell products to niche markets for example touching the void was a good book but had very modest sales but when another more popular book was released called into the thin air it gained popularity for touching the void as they both had the same type of story. Amazon picked up on the growing interest in touching the void and began putting it on a recommendation list to anyone who bought into the thin air. This generated more interest and a niche product had the same vast consumers as a mainstream product.

Why is it important for media?

This can be good for media as it starts to generate more interest in the niche market which would then increase the rage of media used gaining more money for smaller sections of the media. It also teaches media bosses that not every type of person needs to like something for it to be successful and should expand media where possible as some niche products of media may do better than  the mainstream media they use.