The Long Tail Will Kill You, Jeff Pulver

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I read an interesting comment on Jeff Pulver’s blog tonight about Internet TV:

“Seems to me that this is a classic long tail play. The long and simple of it.”

The context of the comment led me to write this quick blog post. The Long Tail is a great play if you’re an aggregator. If you own the network, if you own all the content or the distribution channels, if you own the database, the Long Tail is a payday because it’s one person to a million items over and over, instead of ten thousand people to one item.

The Long Tail is, as Seth Godin proclaims somewhat loudly and quite correctly in his new book, The Dip, a death sentence for the individual. There is only one you, and only 24 hours in your day. If you try to create as much content as possible to capture a Long Tail-esque traffic surge to your properties, you’re going to die tired.

The Short Head – be #1 at SOMETHING – is the only place where the individual truly prospers, unless you’re in charge of the network. If you’re Osama bin Laden, the Long Tail works for you because there’s an unending supply of angry young men who are more than willing to die for the cause, but there’s still only one bin Laden. Lots of deputies may run the franchises, but there’s only one CEO.

To answer Kfir’s question – why aren’t more people watching? Simple (reminder, simple != easy) Long Tail quagmire: with a million channels on, how can you even find something to watch? Who is the Short Head of TV Guides for Internet video that can connect the average TV viewer with new media? When that guide becomes available and is easy to use, integrated with the living room instead of the desktop, Kfir’s mom will probably tune in.

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14 responses to “The Long Tail Will Kill You, Jeff Pulver”

June 19, 2007

Justin Kownacki

It’s a double-edged sword: podcasters are afraid to set boundaries because this new medium allows us to do ANYTHING… including being “best in the world” at something that absolutely no one else is searching for.

Being the best podcast aggregator has value.

Being the best podcast about Tonka trucks also has value — but to how many people?

Must we wait for an aggregator to monetize us from the skies? The answer is yes, if everyone is doing the equivalent of Tonka truck podcasting.

(And I wouldn’t expect Kfir’s mom to tune in to that, either.)

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June 19, 2007

Justin Kownacki

It’s a double-edged sword: podcasters are afraid to set boundaries because this new medium allows us to do ANYTHING… including being “best in the world” at something that absolutely no one else is searching for.

Being the best podcast aggregator has value.

Being the best podcast about Tonka trucks also has value — but to how many people?

Must we wait for an aggregator to monetize us from the skies? The answer is yes, if everyone is doing the equivalent of Tonka truck podcasting.

(And I wouldn’t expect Kfir’s mom to tune in to that, either.)

Reply
June 19, 2007

Christopher S. Penn

Ah, but that’s the real killer: the aggregator monetizes, but the aggregator keeps the lion’s share of the profits for the service they provide. After all, what is Google if not an aggregation and indexing service?

If anyone is waiting for an aggregator to come monetize them, it’s going to be a real long wait.

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June 19, 2007

Christopher S. Penn

Ah, but that’s the real killer: the aggregator monetizes, but the aggregator keeps the lion’s share of the profits for the service they provide. After all, what is Google if not an aggregation and indexing service?

If anyone is waiting for an aggregator to come monetize them, it’s going to be a real long wait.

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June 19, 2007

Vergel Evans

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… (not directed at anyone in particular, but to the whole podcast/new/social/media scene)

Generate revenue by growing a secondary product based on your first product. Screw the long tail… forget this whole “be the best at something”….

The reality is, people consume media ALL THE TIME. If you are producing media; what media products have you produced for the fans who want to own your media? What have you provided for them to purchase and own beyond your initial offering?

Be it a t-shirt, sticker, or anything. Give the fans who want to own a piece of the media they consume… media that you created, something they can buy into and be a part of. The rest will work itself out.

If you’re trapped producing products for people to consume, but aren’t focusing some of your energy on products for the fans who like what they’ve consumed… re-focus and create those secondary products.

Howard Stern did it with his voice… and subsequent product offerings. It’s not rocket science… The road has already been paved.

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June 19, 2007

Vergel Evans

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… (not directed at anyone in particular, but to the whole podcast/new/social/media scene)

Generate revenue by growing a secondary product based on your first product. Screw the long tail… forget this whole “be the best at something”….

The reality is, people consume media ALL THE TIME. If you are producing media; what media products have you produced for the fans who want to own your media? What have you provided for them to purchase and own beyond your initial offering?

Be it a t-shirt, sticker, or anything. Give the fans who want to own a piece of the media they consume… media that you created, something they can buy into and be a part of. The rest will work itself out.

If you’re trapped producing products for people to consume, but aren’t focusing some of your energy on products for the fans who like what they’ve consumed… re-focus and create those secondary products.

Howard Stern did it with his voice… and subsequent product offerings. It’s not rocket science… The road has already been paved.

Reply
June 19, 2007

Whitney

Seth Godin talks extensively about being the best at what you do and not settling for being average. The complaint in books like “The Cult of the Amateur” is that there is so much average out there- why aren’t people satisfied with leaving the creation of art to artists? Just because everyone can have a voice, should they?
MY POV is that if you’re going to bother to do something, try to make each attempt the top of your game; don’t settle and accept “good enough”. The extent of your market to “sell” your product is defined by the product- will you have mass market appeal, like Nike, or niche appeal? Can you afford to saturate your niche? What sets you apart from others in the niche- what makes you special and willing to rise above the crowd of good enough?

Reply
June 19, 2007

Whitney

Seth Godin talks extensively about being the best at what you do and not settling for being average. The complaint in books like “The Cult of the Amateur” is that there is so much average out there- why aren’t people satisfied with leaving the creation of art to artists? Just because everyone can have a voice, should they?
MY POV is that if you’re going to bother to do something, try to make each attempt the top of your game; don’t settle and accept “good enough”. The extent of your market to “sell” your product is defined by the product- will you have mass market appeal, like Nike, or niche appeal? Can you afford to saturate your niche? What sets you apart from others in the niche- what makes you special and willing to rise above the crowd of good enough?

Reply
June 19, 2007

Land of the Loopipes Want Me To Watch Internet TV? Get It Where I Want To Watch. «

[…] June 19th, 2007 — Steve So I’m reading yet another one of Chris Penn’s thought-provoking posts, this time about the Long Tail, in response to a question about why more people aren’t […]

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June 22, 2007

Kfir Pravda

Happy to see that the debate about internet TV viewership continue to generate responses.
Vergel – What makes you think that enough people would buy a t-shirt to make the creators rich?
Justin – and I thought to show my mom a “something to be desired” episode, but I’ll skip that 🙂 Seriously, guys, aggregatirs will make money, and i have no problem with that.
BUT we can still make money on our own – be that with Vergel’s method, or by creating a brand. We need to improve our marketing, and we can do that now, as most target audience using social media tools. If we don’t that, we won’t be able to make money. simple.

Reply
June 22, 2007

Kfir Pravda

Happy to see that the debate about internet TV viewership continue to generate responses.
Vergel – What makes you think that enough people would buy a t-shirt to make the creators rich?
Justin – and I thought to show my mom a “something to be desired” episode, but I’ll skip that 🙂 Seriously, guys, aggregatirs will make money, and i have no problem with that.
BUT we can still make money on our own – be that with Vergel’s method, or by creating a brand. We need to improve our marketing, and we can do that now, as most target audience using social media tools. If we don’t that, we won’t be able to make money. simple.

Reply
June 22, 2007

Kfir Pravda

PS – agree with Chris re the guide.

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June 22, 2007

Kfir Pravda

PS – agree with Chris re the guide.

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June 22, 2007

Weekend links « Media,Technology,and Rebel Filmmaking

[…] Christopher Penn continues the debate started in Podcamp Europe about internet TV: Christopher S. Penn: The Long Tail Will Kill You, Jeff Pulver […]

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