The Long Tail is in the Zeitgeist

I’m a fan of the long tail.

You may recall that I’ve already mapped both internal communications and the public sector adage of “fearless advice and loyal implementation” along the long tail distribution; and while those maps have value, they are just a subset of examples of a much larger phenomenon.

We are fast becoming a culture that is fascinated with cultivating a personalized experience at the intersections of every possible niche market or experience; this desire has penetrated far deeper into the zeitgeist than I think we realize.

I think we understand that as a consumer I want niche products, but where we fail is that we often overlook the fact that as a citizen that consumer will want a similar experience. By that I mean the citizen-consumer wants (expects!) access to niche government programs or services that meet my particular needs, and want (expects!) to access them as easily as they Google something.

In short, here is how I see the movement.