To define the long tail of PR, we must understand the big head—that is, mainstream topics with broad, general appeal; the mass market. As Chris Anderson, a former WIRED editor who coined the term, said: “Traditional PR is oriented around mass media. The new era is about niche media. That is PR 2.0. It’s also ‘Long Tail PR’” (Greer, 2008).
Niche media, the “Long Tail” that Chris Anderson was speaking of, is the key to marketing in a modern era. “It’s not about reaching everybody through The New York Times now,” Anderson explained. “Instead, it’s about seven million blogs and learning to communicate with those fragmented audiences or communities” (Greer, 2008).
What This Means For Your Marketing Strategy
The long tail is vital in understanding how to target niche audiences. In the proverbial great big sea that is the consumer market, you’re looking for the school of cod (plentiful and specific), not the white whale (miraculous but nigh on unattainable).
And the dawn of social media has made this easier than ever: any brand of any size can reach customers in their niche by accessing unique channels rather than trying to be the shiniest, special-est grain of sand on the ocean floor. Making your voice heard is far easier in a smaller, more passionate audience than in a crowd of millions.
The long tail is the deep-and-narrow, while the big head is the broad-and-shallow. Take advantage of the opportunity to forge a lasting connection with your audience by keeping the following strategies in mind:
- Be Your Own Biggest Fan. In an increasingly targeted, online world, many customers are looking for a shred of sincerity. Passion recognizes passion, and if you are trying to reach your perfect customer, enthusiasm can go a long way.
- Use Niche-Specific Keywords. Instead of including, say, “best laptops” as one of the keywords on your website, you might go for the deep-and-narrow with something like “best touchscreen laptops for artists.”
- Gather Testimonials. Even now, with an infinite amount of resources and information available at the click of a button, nothing beats word of mouth. Seek as many reviews as possible from those within your niche—your long tail. If you’ve written a gothic thriller, you might offer advance copies to review bloggers that specialize in the horror/thriller niche.
- Take Advantage of Social Media. Most platforms have tagging systems and algorithms designed solely with connecting you to your target audience in mind. Post consistently within your niche and take advantage of linking options to drive traffic back to your website.
- Communication is Key. The “social” aspect of social media really comes into play in a modern era; people expect quick responses, and you have to be ready and willing to elaborate on your product and how it fits into their unique, individual desires.
References
Greer, J. (2008, July 21). The long tail of public relations. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-long-tail-of-public-relations/
Scott, D. M. (2022). The new rules of marketing and PR: How to Use Content Marketing, Podcasting, Social Media, AI, Live Video, and Newsjacking to Reach Buyers Directly. John Wiley & Sons.
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