This document introduces the concept of the "wide tail" as distinct from the traditional "long tail". The wide tail describes how consumers now gather information and make purchases from many different online sources and devices, rather than just from the long lists of niche products available on single websites. Marketers must adopt wide tail strategies that follow consumers as they research across the internet. Publishers are trying to contain the wide tail by improving personalization, aggregation, and curation tools on their own sites.
2. What is the Long Tail?
Introducing the Wide Tail
10,000
books
200,000
books
1,800,000
books
3. What is the Long Tail? Ecommerce
“The term long tail has
gained popularity in recent
times as describing the
retailing strategy of selling a
large number of unique items
with relatively small quantities
sold of each – usually in
addition to selling fewer
popular items in large
quantities”
Introducing the Wide Tail
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_tail
4. What is the Long Tail? Search
Introducing the Wide Tail
Source: http:/www.guruofsearch.com
5. What is the Long Tail? Video
Introducing the Wide Tail
Source: http://www.kpcb.com/insights/2013-internet-trends/
6. What is the Long Tail? Content
Introducing the Wide Tail
Source: http://www.kpcb.com/insights/2013-internet-trends/
7. What Does This Feel Like?
Introducing the Wide Tail
Source: geektyrant.com
8. The Long Tail Impacts Three Groups
Introducing the Wide Tail
Publishers
MarketersConsumers
12. So What Is The Wide Tail?
Introducing the Wide Tail
• Partial value from many sources & devices
(Consumers and Marketers)
• Conscious destruction of the long tail
(Publishers)
• Simple answers derived from complex data
(Publishers)
13. What is the Wide Tail? Consumer Choice
Introducing the Wide Tail
Internet
Search
Social
Mobile
Gaming
Eommernce
Content
14. Consumer Search Intent Over Time
Introducing the Wide Tail
Source:
http://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=facebook%2C%20google%2C%20youtube%2C%20yahoo%2C%20twitter&geo=US&cmpt=q
15. Device Diversity Over Time
Introducing the Wide Tail
Source: http://marketingland.com/its-a-post-pc-world-smartphones-tablets-
outpace-traditional-pc-growth-8951
16. The Internet of Things
Introducing the Wide Tail
Source: http://www.symplio.com/2011/09/4-infographics-about-internet-of-things/
17. Social Network Choices Today
Introducing the Wide Tail
Source: http:/www.lumapartners.com
19. Wide Tail Examples - Consumers
Introducing the Wide Tail
Long Tail Buying Process Wide Tail Buying Process
“Shoes”
“Leather Shoes
from Italy”
Prada 3 inch pumps
made in Italy”
Pinterest Collection of “Cute
Shoes for 2012”
YouTube Video
“Best Prada
Shoes”
Prada 3 inch pumps
made in Italy”
21. The Wide Tail Challenge For Marketers
Introducing the Wide Tail
Source: http://www.slideshare.net/fullscreen/tkawaja/lumas-state-of-the-state-at-dms13/1
22. The Wide Tail Challenge For Marketers
Introducing the Wide Tail
Source: http://www.lumapartners.com/lumascapes/marketing-technology-lumascape/
24. Publishers are Reacting to the Wide Tail
by Trying to Contain It
Introducing the Wide Tail
Source: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-
8hXrU98qqIc/UKGf6GFajaI/AAAAAAAAGIg/1QuAkt8EudQ/s1600/herding_cats.jpg
34. Conclusions
Introducing the Wide Tail
• The long tail continues to grow rapidly online
• Consumers, however, are actually acting in a wide tail
fashion
• Marketers must follow consumer behavior and adopt a
wide tail marketing approach
• Publishers are creating wide tail experiences in an attempt
to keep consumer wide tail behavior contained to their
properties