The Long Tail Effect: Why Some People and Brands Stay Relevant

This post is part of the “Marketing in China” series. Click here to view the series introduction and why it was created.

The “long tail effect” refers to when a piece of content or a product continues to generate visibility and value long after its initial release.

This summer, Ziyu — a Chinese actor and singer — rose to prominence after starring in the web drama Revenged Love. In just a few weeks, he went from almost unknown to being surrounded by fans at the airport.

During this period, he also faced a public controversy related to his private life. Interestingly, this did not cause his popularity to fade quickly — instead, his profile kept rising as the drama aired and public discussion continued.

1. Ziyu’s long tail effect

In July, the release of Revenged Love transformed him from an obscure figure in June into a household name. The crisis did not bring his visibility down; in fact, new work pushed his momentum even further.

Many viewers, even one or two weeks — or a month — after the incident, still went back to watch his earlier interviews, performances, and projects. His body of work is so extensive that fans joke he is “the man with the most material in the world,” and that “it’s like noodles — it just keeps going.” Add to that comments such as “never a bad outfit” and “looks good from every angle,” and you have content that keeps getting rediscovered and shared, prolonging the conversation.

This is the long tail effect: even after the initial buzz fades, older content can still generate fresh traffic.

2. The long tail effect for brands

It works the same way for brands. A marketing campaign or a viral product is only the starting point of the tail. What truly keeps the attention going are the brand assets that can be seen, quoted, and used again and again.

These could be an ad that became a classic, an industry report that gets cited for years, a product that people still search for long after launch, or a series of high-quality tutorials, articles, or videos.

In the digital space, this type of content resurfaces on search engines, social media platforms, and industry forums, continuously bringing attention and conversions.

3. What the long tail needs

The long tail effect isn’t luck — it’s the result of prior preparation. For an artist or a brand to be remembered after the peak moment has passed, three conditions need to be met:

• High quality — Worth watching or using again and again
• Large volume — Enough to keep people exploring
• Reusability — Easy to reshare or reference

When all three are in place, even a quieter period can still bring new audiences and customers.

Conclusion

The value of the long tail effect is in turning one burst of attention into a sustained curve.
For artists, it means attention that isn’t just a flash in the pan; for brands, it means each investment can keep working for as long as possible.

The current moment matters, but more important is this: will your content and assets still be something people want to click on, long into the future?

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