The Long Tail：Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More

"TheLongTail"isapowerfulnewforceinoureconomy:theriseoftheniche.Asthecostofreachingconsumersdropsdramatically,ourmarketsareshiftingfromaone-size-fits-allmodelofmassappealtooneofunlimitedvarietyforuniquetastes.Fromsupermarketshelvestoadvertisingagencies,theabilitytooffervastchoiceischangingeverything,andcausingustorethinkwhereourmarketslieandhowtogettothem.Unlimitedselectionisrevealingtruthsaboutwhatconsumerswantandhowtheywanttogetit,fromDVDsatNetflixtosongsoniTunestoadvertisingonGoogle.However,thisisnotjustavirtueofonlinemarketplaces;itisanexampleofanentirelyneweconomicmodelforbusiness,onethatisjustbeginningtoshowitspower.Afteracenturyofobsessingoverthefewproductsattheheadofthedemandcurve,theneweconomicsofdistributionallowustoturnourfocustothemanymoreproductsinthetail,whichcollectivelycancreateanewmarketasbigastheonewealreadyknow.TheLongTailisreallyabouttheeconomicsofabundance.Newefficienciesindistribution,manufacturing,andmarketingareessentiallyresettingthedefinitionofwhatscommerciallyviableacrosstheboard.Ifthe20thcenturywasabouthits,the21stwillbeequallyaboutniches.