Long live the long tail

If we think of modern media as a natural ecosystem, the landscape is populated by a small number of giant behemoths and a multitude of smaller, highly specialized life-forms. These smaller, specialized media make up the long-tail – thousands of independent websites covering every subject imaginable. 

While long-tail media of the past were often personal blogs, crudely edited sites and vanity projects, today’s long-tail media deliver a high level of editorial quality, sophistication and advertiser-friendly environments. Across sectors, talented content creators, subject matter experts and journalists abandoned the mainstream media and created their own platforms. 

For modern marketers, the multitude of long-tail sites shares three very attractive qualities: passion, precision and efficiency.

Passionate Audiences

What long-tail media lack in size compared to big-name publications, they more than make up with their influence and deeper audience engagement.  There is an intimacy and personal connection in long-tail media that is missing from so many of the major media. 

The best-in-class long-tail media function as a hub for fanatic audiences who enjoy constant, and more personal interaction with the editors. These passionate audiences are more engaged, spending more time, paying greater attention and giving more consideration to brands that are in-sync with what’s important to them.  

Organic Precision

A benefit of long-tail media is its organic precision. The specificity and focus of long tail media results come from its single-minded focus on its core subject  – and connecting with a community of like-minded, engaged people.

Consider the content from big travel brands like Travel and Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler compared to the free-wheeling editorial from NomadicMatt, the deal-driven strategies of ThePointsGuy, adventurous travel from ThePlanetD, or the family travel expertise from YTravel. 

In the news and politics arena, beltway insider reporting of Daily Kos, investigative reporting of ProPublica, conservative Charlie Sykes’ TheBullwark.com or grassroots reporting from Florida Politics engage influencers as effectively as big media like the Washington Post and NYT.

Long-tail sports media is another great example: contrast the mainstream sports coverage of ESPN with the sophisticated writing of SBNation, in-depth features of TheScore, and fan-obsessed content of FanSided.

Built-in Efficiencies

The focus and specificity of the long-tail result in more sustainable economics compared to big media companies––low overhead, small staff and organic audiences equate to natural efficiencies for both publisher and advertisers. 

Big media publishers must spend a huge amount of resources to sustain their audiences, and often end up with lower interest and engagement as a result. In contrast to mainstream platforms, long-tail media thrives on their audience’s passion and appetite for the subject matter.

In the long-tail environment, Advertisers gain efficiencies from better rates, lower competitive pressure and high audience comps.

Making a Deeper Connection

As consumers choose more personalized content and media channels, the remaining “big audience” publications and platforms have grown exponentially more cluttered and expensive. Marketers are forced to choose between reach and relevance––using a handful of high-priced and competitive-cluttered big publishers, or attempting to build, manage and leverage ad hoc networks of long-tail, specialized sites.

Adding long-tail media to your marketing mix is a very efficient way to create a more intimate connection with highly motivated audiences. Learn how Fyllo is helping ambitious marketers leverage long-tail networks for reach and relevance.