Long Tail

A statistical distribution in which a small number of items or participants account for the majority of the total, while a very long list of lower-frequency items collectively make up the remainder. The term was popularised by Chris Anderson in reference to online retail, but it applies widely to crowdsourcing, open-source communities, and volunteer accessibility work. In accessibility contexts, long-tail participation matters because occasional contributors — each making small contributions — can collectively rival the output of the most active workers and play a crucial role in sustaining community identity and visibility.