The long tail is dead. Period. That's what The Economist says, that's what I've been saying for a long time.
This popular idea that there will be no more "blockbusters" and "bestsellers" with millions of niche-oriented products instead - is just an idea. Long live blockbusters and bestsellers. Look: everyone is watching "Avatar". Just after they stopped watching "Twilight". I mean - everyone - from Los Angeles, California to Moscow, Russia.
Everyone is buying Susan Boyle CD's. Everyone's using Twitter.
And from thousands of niche-oriented TV-channels you still pick the ones that air "Lost" or "House M.D".
The UK-based music community website "Spotify" reports that 80% of its users listen to the 5% of the tracks. And the most of their library just lies untouched. 80 percent! Seriously, the rest 20% does not look like a "long tail" to me.
We're under pressure. Tons of gigabytes of information. We are tired of picking and filtering.
Another social Internet-radio website offers me some new music that "I might like". No thanks. I'll pass. I think I'll visit the U2 gig instead.
3 comments:
Are you on crack?
I'm just a very passionate person :) Plus too much coffee that night.
The long tail isn't dead but it will never eliminate mega-marketing either.
Saying one side is dead is like saying either the 80% majority or the 20% minority no longer exists. Can't happen, you'll always have both sides. Like cults, both have their disciples and leaders.
The mega-marketing cult is larger but it's individuals actually contribute very little focus and energy towards products. Sure, they all saw Twilight, but then they promptly forgot it for the next empty-caloric title to occupy their time (mmm... koolaid).
The long tail cult is different however... the people are fewer, the products are more concise and specialized, and only the enthusiastic few are willing and actually want to fill the ranks... they are zealots, not zerg.
Don't think niche exists? Here's an example. I set out looking for the perfect mouse and keyboard macro program. Now THAT is specialized. I'd wager 8 out of 10 people have never even said the word "macro". :)
And how invested was I in finding it? I installed about eight different OS-polluting macro product evaluations, many of them REEAAAAALLLL stinkers that left behind file rubbish and bugs and ultimately forced me to reformat my comp... before finding it. The awesome, clean, and intelligent Jitbit Macro Recorder.
Empty caloric? Heck no.
Invested? Heck yes, I'm a convert.
Feels a little niche, right? ;)
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