I’ll take a long neck


The “long neck” concept is a new one on me.
Andy Dickinson says it’s basically a 25:5 rule … The 25:5 rule states that at least 25 percent of demand is for 5 percent of tasks; that 5 percent of content is read by 25 percent of people.
A shortcut: 5 percent of the content generates an outsized 25 percent of the value.
The “long neck” is at the other end of the “long tail.”
Gerry McGovern aays he discovered it.
My reading of McGovern’s concept is figure out the top 5 percent things people want to use your Web site for and focus on making those killer applications/services/features. That’s the long neck. Put a big hunk of your money/time/resources into this small percentage of your business that is really driving the activity.

If you identify your Long Neck and focus your resources on making the tasks within the Long Neck better, then you will create more value. You will do a better job and you will ultimately get a greater reward.

For the application of the concept to a media organization’s site, Dickinson says:

A large part of what many journalists talk about is compelling storytelling and engaging with community. Compelling content targeted at a mature audience who recognise the brand. Everyone would see that as core to driving the business. Right? But in truth it seems to be a very small part of the outworking of peoples digital strategy.

Look at that apparently small part of your operation that’s generating all the activity – the 5% producing the 25%. Do they make up the smallest part of your digital investment?

Usually the answer is yes, but it should be no.
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