Comments on: Questions about the Long Tail http://www.conversionrater.com/2006/12/22/questions-about-the-long-tail/ A discussion of ecommerce, online advertising, Web 2.0, web entrepreneurship, and just making the web convert for your goals. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:18:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Pat McCarthy http://www.conversionrater.com/2006/12/22/questions-about-the-long-tail/#comment-45676 Pat McCarthy Thu, 28 Dec 2006 18:18:54 +0000 http://www.conversionrater.com/index.php/2006/12/22/questions-about-the-long-tail/#comment-45676 Hi Chris, Thanks for the comments. Sure, for targeting the long tail of search a large investment isn't necessary. That comment was more based on companies like Amazon and Apple selling books and music to the long tail. Hi Chris,

Thanks for the comments. Sure, for targeting the long tail of search a large investment isn’t necessary. That comment was more based on companies like Amazon and Apple selling books and music to the long tail.

]]> By: Chris Nielsen http://www.conversionrater.com/2006/12/22/questions-about-the-long-tail/#comment-45670 Chris Nielsen Thu, 28 Dec 2006 18:08:21 +0000 http://www.conversionrater.com/index.php/2006/12/22/questions-about-the-long-tail/#comment-45670 We have been using what we call "General Optimzation" for over 8 years and it continues to be the most cost-effective form of SEO for small and medium business web sites. Our General Opitmization addresses and includes the idea of the long tail, but does not focus only on it. Perhaps it's not as effective for a large scale site, with the budget to target the highest volumn search phrases, but that's just not realistic or effective for most small sites. Aside from the initial cost there is the ongoing cost to maintain those rankings. For small businesses it's better to be able to optimize the site just once and just let it keep working. Sure, the traffic may not be as high, but you don't have the continual expense either. As far as a "large investment" for addressing the long tail, I don't get it. Sure, you need more time to do the keyword research when you have thousands of keyword phrases and not just hundreds, and you have to spend more time working in those results into the optimization, but it's not all THAT much more time. General Optimiation/Long Tail is most certainly not dead or dying and until it shows some sign of being less effective we will keep using it. We have been using what we call “General Optimzation” for over 8 years and it continues to be the most cost-effective form of SEO for small and medium business web sites. Our General Opitmization addresses and includes the idea of the long tail, but does not focus only on it.

Perhaps it’s not as effective for a large scale site, with the budget to target the highest volumn search phrases, but that’s just not realistic or effective for most small sites. Aside from the initial cost there is the ongoing cost to maintain those rankings. For small businesses it’s better to be able to optimize the site just once and just let it keep working. Sure, the traffic may not be as high, but you don’t have the continual expense either.

As far as a “large investment” for addressing the long tail, I don’t get it. Sure, you need more time to do the keyword research when you have thousands of keyword phrases and not just hundreds, and you have to spend more time working in those results into the optimization, but it’s not all THAT much more time.

General Optimiation/Long Tail is most certainly not dead or dying and until it shows some sign of being less effective we will keep using it.

]]> By: jeff http://www.conversionrater.com/2006/12/22/questions-about-the-long-tail/#comment-43619 jeff Sat, 23 Dec 2006 17:51:16 +0000 http://www.conversionrater.com/index.php/2006/12/22/questions-about-the-long-tail/#comment-43619 I just concentrate on the top 5%-10% - it's worth the "meaty middles" and "long tails" combined. If it can't scale don't waste your efforts. IMHO. I just concentrate on the top 5%-10% – it’s worth the “meaty middles” and “long tails” combined. If it can’t scale don’t waste your efforts. IMHO.

]]> By: useAPI Search http://www.conversionrater.com/2006/12/22/questions-about-the-long-tail/#comment-43602 useAPI Search Sat, 23 Dec 2006 16:25:52 +0000 http://www.conversionrater.com/index.php/2006/12/22/questions-about-the-long-tail/#comment-43602 Please, keep in mind that every search query has a "popular head" (as our <a href="//www.useapi.com" rel="nofollow"> shown) and not every query has long tail. If this is also applied to business. Every business should have a popular head. The long tail is just a byproduct of popular head and is very important in some. However, once should not concentrate on long tail and forget the popular head.</a> Please, keep in mind that every search query has a “popular head” (as our shown) and not every query has long tail. If this is also applied to business. Every business should have a popular head. The long tail is just a byproduct of popular head and is very important in some. However, once should not concentrate on long tail and forget the popular head.

]]> By: Pat McCarthy http://www.conversionrater.com/2006/12/22/questions-about-the-long-tail/#comment-43313 Pat McCarthy Sat, 23 Dec 2006 00:05:20 +0000 http://www.conversionrater.com/index.php/2006/12/22/questions-about-the-long-tail/#comment-43313 Good point Cale, there is a large upfront investment by those companies that are able to profit from the Long Tail. Good point Cale, there is a large upfront investment by those companies that are able to profit from the Long Tail.

]]> By: Cale Bruckner http://www.conversionrater.com/2006/12/22/questions-about-the-long-tail/#comment-43312 Cale Bruckner Sat, 23 Dec 2006 00:01:40 +0000 http://www.conversionrater.com/index.php/2006/12/22/questions-about-the-long-tail/#comment-43312 I agree with your summary point Pat. Businesses should think carefully before they build their business model around serving the long tail. Very few companies today are really profiting from serving the long tail. Apple (iTunes) and Amazon are a couple that come to mind immediately of course but even in these highly visible cases it's hard to tell just how much value they see in the tip of the tail and where their "meaty middles" are. For a business to profit from serving the long tail they really have to get efficient at serving the customers out there in the margins and there aren't many business that can afford to do that. Apple and Amazon have invested millions upon millions of dollars making it as efficient as possible to serve the long tail and it takes time to recover those costs. It took Amazon years in the red to start profiting from the long tail. Don't let the tail wag your dog! I agree with your summary point Pat. Businesses should think carefully before they build their business model around serving the long tail.

Very few companies today are really profiting from serving the long tail. Apple (iTunes) and Amazon are a couple that come to mind immediately of course but even in these highly visible cases it’s hard to tell just how much value they see in the tip of the tail and where their “meaty middles” are.

For a business to profit from serving the long tail they really have to get efficient at serving the customers out there in the margins and there aren’t many business that can afford to do that. Apple and Amazon have invested millions upon millions of dollars making it as efficient as possible to serve the long tail and it takes time to recover those costs. It took Amazon years in the red to start profiting from the long tail.

Don’t let the tail wag your dog!

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