The Long Tail is one of my classic picks, but based on “concept” rather than “I just love this book that changed my life.” Last year, I waited and waited for this book to come in to the library, as I found myself frequently referring to it’s theory in business and felt that I had actually better read the book.
For those who don’t know about “The Long Tail,” it’s an economic theory that believes that due to the internet, cable TV and other changes in technology, consumers are no longer force fed a few choices, and therefore we have market opportunities for “niche” industries and content. Well, if you understand that, then perhaps there is no real need to read the book, unless you either don’t know how music and books are sold online or are fascinated with little details about how eBay and other online retailers work.
That being said, perhaps because I have a business focused on a “niche” market which saves huge amounts of $$$ distributing services and products via the web, I might be too well-versed to appreciate the details. However, it’s like The World is Flat by Tom Friedman. One theory – and lots of chapters of examples. Some are interesting and compelling, others, not so much. YET, if you don’t know what I’m talking about in this review … then get thee to an online retailer, and order your copy of The Long Tail, because this tail does have a good point. At least I like to think so.
The Bottom Line: Recommended for a quick skim.
Additional Reading/Thoughts: I caught this article questioning whether the Pareto Principle (a/k/a the 80/20 rule) still applies to the internet.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 18th, 2007 at 9:32 am and is filed under Nonfiction. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.Leave a Reply
