Automated Recommendation Systems have proved vital in recent years to building careers for independent authors, musicians and filmmakers as they allow people to discover and purchase works from artists they would almost certainly not have found otherwise.
They are key to the Long Tail business model, and will soon be popping up in other parts of our lives, providing suggestions in areas we never expected. Imagine a supermarket with an ARS telling you “customers who liked this food also bought…”

Photo credit: Elena Buetler
Although ARS are best known at Amazon.com, iTunes, Netflix and other heavily trafficked sites, their popularity is spreading because of the advantages for merchants and customers alike, with independent artists reaping the benefits.
The producers of TheWeblogProject take note of technological trends such as this and document what the effects will be for all small, independent producers. But the proliferation of ARS is causing a major shift for upstart artists and consumers alike, as is detailed in this piece by Joshua Porter.
Continue reading... | Posted in Tools and Utilities |