How Ben Thompson Built a Writing Empire
How I Write
The Internet's Impact on Media and Commerce
The internet creates a landscape where a few large players dominate the market, benefitting from zero marginal costs and efficient discovery mechanisms, while allowing small niche creators to thrive by catering to specific interests. This phenomenon is characterized by the barbell effect, where abundant options lead to overwhelming choice, making discovery more critical than distribution. Large platforms, like Google and Facebook, leverage their control over discovery to grow their user base, resulting in a virtuous cycle of increased supply and demand. Traditional media struggles to adapt due to outdated cost structures designed for scarcity, whereas online models allow for successful niche markets and high average revenue per user. This shift manifests across various industries, with many central players failing to compete effectively, overshadowed by both the giants and small, focused entities that can connect with niche audiences globally.
