The long tail…and the shift to micro-niches…may change your target group. It may change into its own little eco-system of multiple target groups. So the way you communicate, dialogue and message with them may become more specific. And, with two-way communications (Web 2.0) you can also invite more involvement (what Huba & McConnell refer to as “The Participatory Economy”) from your target audiences and you can become closer to their exact preferences, wants and needs (as marketing is about serving these).

Also you can start creating more markets, instead of just serving them because there is so much room for innovation due to so many choices (the long tail is about more choice and more niches, no longer about audiences grouped by, say, age range). All told, communications become more dynamic and rich since we’re really homing in on preferences (so it’s now “psychographics” instead of “demographics”).

I think so mainly because you are dealing with a much smaller group, and have the chance/responsibility to deliver much more personlized messages.

Which are, in theory, far more relevant. And effective.

I can’t say I fully understand it, either — I have enough trouble keeping up with my First Life. But as HP’s Eric Kintz wrote this past week, “Second Life is another example of a web 2.0 property that marketers should explore and understand. It opens up a window into the future of 3D web… .”

That’s just it: Even if we don’t use it, others do. And for marketers, Second Life is a great place to learn how brands fit in various 3D virtual environments. What kinds of approaches work? What sorts of activities relate to results? It’s a test playground. And by the way, this applies beyond marketing and sales. There are many potential business applications in virtual worlds — including employee training and development, customer service, collaboration, you name it.

Why is it important to know about 3D virtual environments? Because that’s where the Web is headed, I’d guess. I base that not on my own use — (see point about First Life, above!) — but by observing how my kids interact with the Internet. Kiddie sites like Club Penguin and Webkinz are grooming my 10-year-old to actively and willingly embrace formats like Second Life, There.com, and any other virtual world that evolves from them.

The technology is only going to become smoother and easier to grasp. And when it does.. well, there’s a whole generation of kids who will be ready for it. The question is — will you?