The so-called boom and bonus period have basically passed, and the income of self-media people has dropped sharply. At first, with the support of the platform, it was not impossible to make hundreds of thousands of yuan a year, but now the average daily income is less than 10 yuan, and in most cases it is only a few cents. From this perspective, does self-media have no future?

uncertain! It’s still the old saying, “Although the road is tortuous, the future is bright.”

We cannot change the general trend of industry downturn, but we can go with the flow or change ourselves.

Moreover, compared with the meager profit margins of traditional manufacturing industries, the profit margins of the self-media industry are still very high, which also means that self-media people have a lot of room for maneuver.

Regarding the future path of self-media, I divide it into four parts: stability, open source, cost saving, and transformation and upgrading.

1. Stable direction

1. Content is king

We should continue to produce high-quality content and stick to originality. Knowledge-based things cannot be replaced by machines.

As long as you have good content, you will have a place no matter what platform appears in the future.

2. Maintain fans

I believe every self-media person understands the importance of fans. Every fan is your solid backing. Determine what content your fans need, communicate and interact with them more, and build friendships.

2. Open Source Development

In traditional media, advertising revenue occupies an absolutely core position, but this is not the case with new media.

New media has four major monetization models: advertising revenue, e-commerce monetization, knowledge payment, copyright and brand IP.

1. Advertising

In addition to the advertising on self-media platforms, self-media people can also choose to take on some advertisements, write soft articles, and receive remuneration.

You can try more performance-based advertising, such as platforms like Youzhuanxinbang, which have many advertisers that need self-media people to digest.

2. E-commerce monetization

E-commerce monetization can be divided into two types, one is e-commerce CPS, and the other is self-operated e-commerce.

E-commerce CPS refers to the agency operation of e-commerce, which means that merchants put the goods on your self-media account for sale, which is equivalent to you providing a display stand for the goods. When users buy from you, you will make a profit, similar to Taobao.

Self-operated e-commerce means opening your own store and selecting products to sell. The cost and risk are relatively high, but the profits are also greater.

3. Knowledge payment

Get, Himalaya, Short Books, Zhihu... Various knowledge payment platforms have developed rapidly because they have grasped the characteristics of the sharing economy. Perhaps there are too many free fast-food contents, which has prompted people to pay for high-quality content.

We can create columns, output useful information, and gain profits.

4. Copyright and Brand IP

Multi-platform operation to create personal brand IP.

Each platform has its own display area. Multi-platform operations help to make full use of the traffic of each platform, accumulate fans, accelerate the process of becoming a big name in the field, and enhance one's own brand value.

3. Save costs

As the name suggests, saving money means saving unnecessary costs.

This part is actually mainly aimed at self-media studios or large enterprises. Only when all costs are less than the benefits can we say that we have made money.

The main considerations are labor costs, venue costs and promotion costs. Don't blindly pursue the number of fans, but strive for excellence.

As for individuals, many operations are zero-cost, so don't spend unnecessary promotion costs.

Focus on improving fans' stickiness and activity.

4. Transformation and Upgrading

In addition to consolidating existing profits and increasing revenue and reducing expenditure, the self-media industry also needs to transform and upgrade.

We can develop communities, increase user participation and activity, and accumulate high-viscosity fans.

And provide secondary reach means outside of self-media platforms.

Personal WeChat account is also important.

A well-run WeChat account with 5,000 friends is sometimes even more valuable than a public account with 100,000 followers. If it is a vertical field, such as finance or maternal and child care, it will be more valuable.

Remember to promote and attract traffic, and create your own personal WeChat account for self-media.

In addition to creating content, you also need to learn how to provide services and put aside your status as a self-media person. If fans need you, you can be a caring elder sister or a calm uncle. Communicate more with fans and make them willing to pay out of their own pockets.

In general, in addition to daily content, we provide fans with a variety of products and services to generate diversified value.

Related reading:

1. 6 promotion skills of self-media operation, telling you how to do a good promotion!

2. How to start your new project from the four dimensions of new media operations?

3. New Media Operation丨How to operate self-media platforms such as Toutiao and Baijiahao?

4.【Practical Information】85 self-media platforms have been sorted out, with a mind map attached!

5. In the second half of self-media, cashing out failed and accounts were constantly blocked!

Author: Lao Xia

Author: Lao Xia Analyst