Interactivity and the Long Tail

When Tim Berners-Lee describes how he invented the Internet, he focuses on the idea he had that information could be stored and accessed by a computer in the format of a web, with all of the information linked together, similar to how the human brain stores and accesses information. This basic idea is based on the idea that the user would pick and choose the path they would follow when researching something on the web. It seems to me that the web was invented to be interactive from the very beginning.

However, this idea of interactivity, according to Spiro Kiousis and Downs and McMillan, encompasses so much more. Both these scholarly works explore the depths of interactivity in order to create a more solid and encompassing definition. Both works ask that structure of technology as well as human perception be taken into account. The idea that something has to be perceived as interactive before it is really interactive greatly appeals to me.

After reading how thoroughly Kiousis and Downs and McMillian researched their definitions of interactivity, I would say that my own definition very much coincides with what they determined. First, the technology has to be responsive, it has to involve two-way communications of some sort and, to me, the most important aspect is that it has to be perceived by the user as interactive. The perception of interactivity is, in some ways, more important then the technological aspects.

The Long Tail is a business theory that basically states that the other 80% of entertainment products that aren't "hits" are still viable. The first examples Anderson gives of the Long Tail as it is applied to the Internet is Amazon.com. The reason Amazon was able to make an almost out of print book into a big seller was their recommendation feature. The recommendation feature, coupled with the reviews of other readers, led interested people to the title. This example of interactivity created real change for businesses online. Without the interactive aspect of Amazon's recommendations coupled with reader's reviews, Amazon might not have been able to realize the selling potential of all of these non-hits.

I think the Long-Tail Theory will change the business models of most entertainment based industries. The idea is that traditional book stores, music stores, etc. can't keep everything anyone would ever want to buy in stock in a physical location. However, the Internet has been a place where people who were minorities of any sort could find people like themselves, and can now buy products that people like them will enjoy. So you may only sell 5 copies of a book to the 5 people who want to read it, but that's 5 more copies then if you didn't carry the book in your terrestrial store.

The book industry seems to have embraced the Long Tail. (Barnes and Noble's biggest competitor is Barnes and Noble.com.) However, the music industry seems to have lagged behind considerably because they are too attached to selling to that 20%. Because of interactivity on the web (file sharing), people are no longer satisfied with "the hits." They want access to that other 80%. Those who distribute music need to find some way to harness the Long Tail because I really don't foresee people shelling out so much money for a limited selection of music at stores for much longer. People are always going to embrace diversity and choice when it comes to what they consume, as long as the Internet is a viable way to buy these diverse products, the Long Tail will remain a viable business model.