Okay, here's the translation:

How Do Subscription Models (Like Netflix, Substack) Profit from the Long Tail?

Imagine walking into a traditional video rental store (showing my age here, haha!). What would you see? Shelves packed with the hottest movie DVDs and popular music albums of the moment. Why? Because physical shelf space is limited, and the owner must prioritize stocking the most likely bestsellers—the "blockbusters." You'd hardly find those niche, classic, or slightly obscure titles.

These "blockbusters" are what we commonly call the "Head." The "less popular" titles squeezed out due to lack of space form that long, thin "Tail"—the Long Tail.

(A simple diagram showing a few blockbusters at the Head and a vast number of niche products in the long Tail)

Subscription platforms like Netflix and Substack, however, make their money precisely by unlocking the value of this "long Tail." How do they do it?

1. Infinite Shelf Space: Accommodating the "Niche"

The Problem with Traditional Models: Physical shelves, cinema screenings, and bookstore real estate are expensive. This forces a focus on serving only the popular "Head" content.
The Subscription Model Advantage: Netflix's "shelves" are cloud servers, Substack's "space" is infinite web pages. Adding one obscure movie or one little-known niche author costs next to nothing (low marginal cost). This allows them to offer millions of items in the "Tail." What you couldn't find before is now all here.

2. The Buffet Effect: Encouraging You to "Sample"

This is crucial.

Traditional Model (Pay-per-View): Paying $10-$20+ for a movie ticket or an album makes you cautious: "I haven't heard of this, what if it's bad?" This high decision cost means you'll likely stick with safe bets – known entities or critically acclaimed "Head" hits. Venturing into the "Tail" feels too risky.
Subscription Model (Flat Monthly Fee): You pay Netflix or Substack a fixed monthly fee for "all-you-can-access." Suddenly, your mindset shifts:
- "I've already paid, might as well try it."
- "That obscure documentary sounds intriguing. I'll click play? If it's terrible, I'll just stop immediately – no extra cost."

See? Subscription dramatically lowers both the mental barrier and financial cost for users to explore "Long Tail" content. You’re not making one-off purchasing decisions. Instead, you adopt a "treasure hunting" or "browsing" mentality, actively seeking out niche offerings.

3. The Smart "Shopping Assistant": Surfacing Relevant "Niche" Content

Your Netflix homepage looks completely different from mine.

The platform has a superpower: its recommendation algorithm.

If you watched Stranger Things (Head), it might suggest an obscure '80s sci-fi flick (Tail). If you follow an economics expert (Head), it might recommend a niche Substack newsletter on African agribusiness (Tail).

This smart "assistant" does two key things:

Prevents you from getting lost in the vast content library.
Proactively surfaces potentially interesting "Long Tail" content tailored specifically to you.

This transforms the "Long Tail" from an ignored corner into a "personal treasure trove" curated to satisfy individual tastes.

4. Aggregation: Small Niches Build a Big Business

For the platform:

Head hits (like House of Cards, Squid Game) are expensive but essential bait to attract initial subscribers.
The vast Long Tail forms the daily sustenance that retains you. These items usually cost far less in licensing fees, but together, they cater to incredibly diverse user niches. One day you want French art-house films, the next day food documentaries, the day after Indian musicals... Netflix has it. With something always appealing, you're less likely to cancel.

The total time and value users get from consuming "Long Tail" content can even surpass that generated by the fewer "Head" blockbusters. This is the power of aggregation ("many pennies, many dollars").

For creators (especially on Substack):

Before, a scholar of obscure history or niche sci-fi writer struggled to find a publisher.
Now, they can start a Substack, finding their few hundred or few thousand true fans worldwide. Even 500 subscribers paying $5/month provides solid income.

The platform gives these "Long Tail" creators the infrastructure (payment, distribution, tech), allowing them to sustain themselves with their "niche" talent.

To Summarize

Think of it like a buffet:

A traditional cinema/bookstore is like an à la carte restaurant. Fewer options, premium pricing—you only dare order the signature dishes (Head).
Netflix/Substack are like a massive buffet.
1. They attract you inside with lobster and steak (Head hits/hooks), charging admission (subscription fee).
2. Inside, beyond the lobster and steak, you discover hundreds of unfamiliar appetizers, salads, desserts (Long Tail content).
3. Since you've paid the entrance fee, you feel free to "taste" many things you wouldn't normally order (exploring the Tail).
4. The attentive staff (recommendation algorithm), noticing you like spicy food, points out that Thai papaya salad you missed (precise recommendation).
5. Ultimately, what makes you feel the buffet is "worth it" and keeps you coming back might not be just the steak, but the huge variety ensuring there's always something matching your precise craving.

Therefore, the core of the subscription model is using "bundled access pricing" and "smart recommendation" to transform the previously ignored "Long Tail" from a storage burden into a core asset that continuously attracts and retains subscribers.