Product operation from 0 to 1: How to obtain seed users?

This article mainly focuses on the practical part of how to acquire seed users, and elaborates on how to write copy, how to optimize copy; how to design activities, how to find incremental growth with existing stock; how to improve products, how to optimize products, etc.

In "Product Operation from 0 to 1: How to Acquire Seed Users (Practical Part 1)", we introduced in detail how to position the product, draw the boundaries with the product, how to circle the population, how to divide the population, how to divide the channels, and how to subdivide the channels in terms of products, population and channels. Next, we will introduce in detail how to write copy, how to optimize copy; how to design activities, find incremental growth with existing stock; how to improve products, and how to optimize products in the practical part 2.

As for whether the copy should be written before or after the channel, now I think it should definitely be written before the channel is released, but what is certain is that only after the channel and the target audience are determined can we determine the writing style of the copy and what it will look like, so it is better to write the copy after the channel.

Of course, if you have different opinions, you can raise them and we can discuss them together.

5. Copywriting

The copy here includes the text on the advertising page, the text on the website, and soft articles, and does not only refer to the text written in the advertisement and the short text on the website.

As for how the copy is written, it still depends on the role of the copy in the entire process.

5.1 Copywriting

Copywriting is inseparable from channels, products, groups and the role in the channel. Here we take SEM, banner images, EDM and soft articles as examples.

First, analyze the role of copywriting:

1. SEM: attract users to click on the landing page;
2. Banner image: attract users to click on the landing page;
3. EDM: Title: attract users to open the email, content: make users interested and convert;
4. Soft article: Title: attract users to open the article, content: make users interested and convert.

The copywriting here can be roughly divided into two categories: attracting users to click and making users interested and convert.

For small companies, copywriting rarely carries the product image, because generally high-sounding copywriting does not convert very well, or it takes a long time to convert. It only deepens the brand's position in the minds of users. Obviously, it is not cost-effective for companies where survival is the top priority.

So, our copywriter decided the direction:

• Title: exaggerated and eye-catching;
• Content: Write highlights to improve user conversion.

Considering that our product is the first in China, and there are only a few people in the world who make it, and it is not well-known in China, so our content tends to focus on usage.

The copy on the banner image has relatively few words, and can only use words like "AI programming increases work efficiency by 3 times."

So the title of our soft article appeared: Artificial intelligence helps you write Java code, a must-have tool for coding that 99% of programmers don’t know about, the AI ​​coding tool has made the programmer world excited... The title of the email is roughly: Invite you to XXX together.

SEM titles and descriptions have their own rules. When writing titles, they have their own rules. First of all, they must comply with the rules of common words, which are generally: Are you still looking for a {code completion} tool? Everyone is using AI to write code.

It looks like a clickbait title, but it’s okay to get clicks like this. Of course, if the content doesn’t keep up with the title, people will accuse you of being a clickbait title. The content should still be consistent with the title.

Our content direction is product introduction, the difference and advantages between it and the code completion that comes with the ide. Highlight the convenience and advancement of the product and attach photos of user reviews.

EDM is still narrated in an invitational tone, inviting programming experts to work on artificial intelligence programming together.

5.2 Copy modification

Is everything fine once the copy is written and released? NO! There is still a long way to go, this is just the beginning.

After the copy is implemented, record a series of user data including exposure, clicks, conversions, etc., and analyze problems in the data.

Ideally, we can embed data at every level, create data funnels, and analyze data conversion issues. However, in actual work, very few companies can complete these steps.

Most of the time, it still depends on the keen judgment of operations. As for how to develop judgment, the only way is to step into more pitfalls. However, the data that can be counted should still be counted:

• Baidu can count the click-through rate, PV of entering the website, and the final download volume;
• Banner images cannot count exposure, but can only count the PV of entering the website and the final download volume;
• EDM can count the number of messages sent, the opening rate, and the number of clicks on the download link;
• The reading volume of soft articles can be counted, but the conversion statistics are very awkward. Basically, they are sent out on the same day and the registration volume within 24 hours is counted. As for the reading volume compared with the average reading volume of the previous 10 articles, it depends on the title of the article.

After getting these data, decide whether to optimize the title or the copy. There are some fearless operations or copywriting personnel who rely on their feelings to modify anything. Here are some suggestions. If feelings are unreliable, data is more reliable.

The overall copy, title and content were consistent, and after post-optimization, the overall conversion effect exceeded our expectations. With such a long conversion chain, the worst reading conversion effect reached 10%.

6. Activities

After getting the first wave of users, can we only let them be product users? If they are only product users, the cost of attracting them would be a waste. It would be better to turn them into product ambassadors or brand promoters.

Many people will analyze the AARRR model. There is nothing wrong with applying the theory, but the key is to put it into practice.

To get users to share a product, there are only two aspects:

1. The product is surprising enough to satisfy users and they will automatically share it after using it.
2. Material rewards stimulate users to share.

6.1 Purpose of the activity

The pre-selected purpose of this activity is to increase user registrations and increase product awareness.

We can state the purpose of many activities, but don’t forget that the North Star indicator at this stage is to increase user registrations. All activities and other operations must be aligned with this goal.

Determine the purpose of the activity: increase user registrations!

This purpose has been established, but it cannot be used as an indicator for assessment, so the vague data has to be quantified.

Activity goal: Increase 2,000 users through activities in 1 month. (ps: Goals cannot be set arbitrarily. They must be estimated based on the resources and energy invested, especially for operations with huge KPIs. Be careful that your bonus will disappear if you set goals arbitrarily.)

6.2 Activity Details

If you want users to share the product, it is obvious that the product itself does not make users feel screaming, and the only way to get users to spread the word is through event rewards.

There are many kinds of prizes here, but generally companies will not stimulate users through RMB. Of course, there are also products that stimulate users through RMB. For a tool-type product without a recharge interface, stimulating users through RMB is a bit low.

Fortunately, community version, professional version and enterprise privatization version were planned in the early stage of product design. The community version is free, the VIP version is 128 yuan/year, and enterprise privatization is not within the scope of consideration for the activity.

So we offer 1-year VIP membership to those who invite 3 or more people at the lowest cost, and the membership can be accumulated, and we also give out corporate culture shirts. The publicity channels include free public accounts, soft-article placement and plug-in client prompts.

6.3 Activity Process

Activity process: When users register and log in to the client, they will be given a reminder to upgrade to VIP for free! After the user clicks, he will be redirected to the official website. There is a strong prompt on the official website, which can be seen when the user downloads the client or browses the website, prompting the user to upgrade to the professional version.

By the way, the upgrade to the professional version was not so noticeable at first, but since the conversion rate was so poor, I made it more noticeable and the effect improved.

After the user logs in to the website, there are three ways for the user to choose: picture invitation, text invitation and scan code sharing invitation.

After obtaining the invitation code, the user will automatically spread it, and as long as the conditions are met, he or she will be automatically upgraded to a VIP user.

After the activity goals are set, you should formulate:

• Event date: July 1, 2019
• Activity distribution channels: own official account, soft text channels, official website.
• Material preparation: the official account adds a tab for obtaining the professional version; the soft article adds an activity section; the official website adds an activity entrance and prepares materials for sharing; the VIP function is improved and users are automatically upgraded.

When finalizing an event plan, which involves development and material preparation, responsibilities must be assigned to specific people and a last day must be determined. Otherwise, the event cannot be held as scheduled, and operations will definitely be the first to be sacrificed.

6.4 Activity Effect

Monitor the activity results in real time. After the activity went online, only 120 people participated in the first week, and only more than 200 people were invited. At this pace, our goal is far from being achieved.

Of course, a lot of this data cannot be monitored, we can only analyze the entire activity chain to see at which step the user is blocked.

First: The entire link is too long.

It is true that the entire link is long, but users can only be invited after they have registered. Moreover, the current R&D energy is insufficient and there is not enough time to optimize the link.

Second: The prompts in various places are not prominent enough.

Highlight the event in the soft article, create a special welfare section, and mark the key points and the process of obtaining it; the official website highlights how to obtain the professional version; a column in the official account has a special article on how to obtain VIP.

After optimizing these details, within 3 weeks, more than 1,300 users participated in the activity and upgraded to the professional version, and more than 5,000 VIP users were invited.

The entire event process is basically like this: set the event goals, determine the stimulating products, prepare and optimize the product process, determine the distribution channels, determine the event date, and determine the materials to be prepared.

Let me talk about something off topic about the event. When we first cooperated with big Vs to publish soft articles, one of the big Vs came to me angrily and said that we had done group fission. It turned out that he had his own community, and many users who participated in the event sent the invitation codes to his group. I also explained it to him. In the end, he didn't understand, and we both deleted each other as friends. This also indirectly shows that the effect of our activity is still good.

7. Optimization

As channels and activities deepen and the number of users increases, more and more problems are exposed in the products. By the way, we also try our best in product testing. The company’s computers have high configurations, and using them in actual projects and testing them according to test cases are two different things.

We received a lot of complaints from users.

7.1 Collection Questions

How to collect user questions? User surveys are one way, but user surveys do not necessarily obtain real data.

We focus on collecting complaints from our own user groups and comments and messages after each big V launch, and collect these issues.

For users who complain in the group, try to have a private chat with them to find out what the problem is. Summarize all the problems and finally select the main ones to solve.

7.2 Product Improvement

There will always be many problems when a product is first launched. As for improving the product, it is especially important in a startup company. After all, there are only a few people, and if they can only do one thing, they cannot do another.

Finally, we defined the two most important problems: latency and lag.

Some of the lag is caused by delay, so solving the delay becomes the primary issue.

Here I would like to introduce a four-quadrant bug repair to quickly define which bugs should be fixed first.

With this bug repair four quadrant, we can quickly define the problem of repair delay. Other problems that cause IDE lag on individual computers are fatal and affect a small number of people, so we will not deal with them for the time being. After all, few people are using low-spec computers now.

Fixing bugs is part of solving the retention problem in the AARRR model. Of course, there are other ways to achieve retention, which we will not discuss for now.

At this point, we have introduced how to acquire seed users from 0 to 1 in product operations . Next is the theoretical part, and we can finally talk about theory openly.

As for whether there is a way to acquire seed users for free, of course there is, but I was not successful in doing so. I only acquired several hundred seed users in one month, and that was before the product was launched. When I have time, I will share with you how to acquire seed users with a budget of zero yuan.

Author: Zhang Mu

Source: ReadMeditation