How do Internet finance products motivate users? Share 3 tips!

For an Internet finance product, user incentives can be divided into five steps, namely login incentives, task incentives, process incentives, achievement incentives, and redemption incentives, which can constitute a closed loop of the user incentive system. In the five steps, product operators can design a variety of channels to maintain user activity on the platform; and users can obtain the required points, medals, levels, etc. through a variety of paths. In this regard, the game 's user incentive system is worth learning from.

At the same time, in terms of user incentives, there are three main aspects: spiritual incentives, material incentives, and psychological incentives, which constitute the theoretical support for establishing a user incentive mechanism. For these three words, the Modern Chinese Dictionary gives the following explanations:

• Spirit: ① Refers to human consciousness, thinking activities and general psychological state. ②Purpose, main significance.
• Matter: ①The form of matter. ②Specifically refers to daily necessities, etc.
• Psychology: the reflection of objective things in the brain. It is a general term for sensation, perception, representation, attention, memory, imagination, thinking, emotion, will, etc.

The user incentive mechanism needs to be further refined. I understand it as follows:

• Spiritual motivation: the meaning it brings to users
• Material incentives: physical or virtual economic value brought to users
• Psychological motivation: emotional value for users

1. Login Incentive

1. Expression

When evaluating the activity of a product, people often look at the DAU (daily active users) and MAU (monthly active users) data, and Internet finance products are no exception. To improve the activity of a product, in addition to the core functions of the product itself meeting the user's usage needs, more comes from attracting users to open the APP through other non-critical functions.

The functions are designed mainly based on the characteristic of habit formation. The manifestations of habit formation include: signing in, clocking in, drawing prizes, watering flowers, collecting energy, donating, etc.

Sign-in: Similar to the clock-in system at work, it is used to constrain or reward user behavior. In Internet finance products, users will receive immediate feedback and earn points after signing in, which affirms their behavior.

(A securities product-sign-in)

Check-in

It is also a kind of sign-in, but it can be given more meanings through different user participation methods. For example, JD Finance offers a 5 a.m. early check-in program where players can split the bonus equally. In essence, it is still an activity that develops habits, and its significance to users is that they feel self-disciplined. This is a process of developing good habits.

( JD Finance-early wake-up check-in)

lottery

The lucky draw can be used as the last step in consuming points, or as a part of login incentives. For example, users who log in daily will be given three lottery rewards on the system. The lottery draw times are valid on the day and cannot be accumulated.

This lottery behavior gives users a sense of certainty and uncertainty. What is certain is that when you open the APP, you will have three chances to draw a lottery; what is uncertain is that the three draws are a matter of probability and you may not necessarily win anything.

Watering flowers/collecting energy

Using watering flowers as a way to sign in seems like a person's daily behavior. This behavior can be given more meaning, such as rewarding yourself with a beautiful flower, and it can also be regarded as a common public welfare activity. For example, Alipay collects energy every day. Once you have collected enough energy, you can plant a tree in real life. For example, the commission-free seeds of a certain security can increase experience points by watering them daily.

In addition, this is also a function that promotes social interaction . For example, the energy of Alipay can be redeemed by each other, and the commission-free seeds of a certain securities can be given to each other. The product design gives users a reason to socialize with others and allows them to build relationships in this process.

(Alipay-Pick Energy)

Donate

It’s also a daily behavior. For example, the number of steps you take can be donated and converted into cash donations for charity.

The above behavioral designs to guide users are all manifestations of daily check-ins and a process of developing habits. Through this process, users open the APP every day and increase DAU. Simply signing in gives users virtual economic rewards; punching in brings spiritual enjoyment to users; lottery brings uncertainty and adds fun; watering flowers and donating give users small satisfaction both spiritually and emotionally.

2. Design principles

Signing in is a very simple task, just like clocking in at work. You just swipe or press your fingerprint to complete the clocking in. The same applies to sign-in for Internet finance products. We follow the principle of simplification, reduce the time users spend making decisions, and minimize intervention in users. In short, the word is "fast".

2. Task Incentives

1. Expression

The task incentive link is mainly based on material incentives, giving users immediate rewards for completing a task. The rewards can be in the form of one-time tasks and multiple repeatable tasks.

One-time tasks

Internet finance products can set task levels based on what the product requires users to complete, with the main purpose of providing support for core functions.

Taking a certain securities as an example, the one-time tasks include "light up the Hong Kong stock medal, light up the US stock medal, add friends, deposit funds, transfer stocks, the first Hong Kong stock transaction, the first US stock transaction, subscribe to new shares, open bank transfers, and use currency exchange." Each task here corresponds to points. The level of points reflects the importance of the task and also plays a good auxiliary role in users' participation in using the core functions of the product.

(A securities product - one-time task)

Multiple repeatable tasks

Its main purpose is to make users constantly repeat a certain behavior, use a certain function, and increase user activity.

Taking a certain securities company as an example, the multiple repeatable tasks include signing in, using NiuNiu to read news, and posting in the NiuNiu circle. Signing in is a daily user behavior , but with continuous sign-ins and the corresponding accumulated points, it becomes a multiple, repeatable task. Using NiuNiu to read news encourages users to post updates, generate UGC , and activate the community.

2. Design principles

1. One-time tasks are designed around core functions; multiple repeatable tasks are completed around activity.
2. There is a difference in the point design between one-time tasks and multiple repeatable tasks. There must be a calculation formula. The points exchanged for tasks essentially represent the time, energy, money and even emotions spent by users.
3. Third, the accumulated points can correspond to different levels and obtain different medals.

3. Process Incentives

Process motivation and task motivation are very similar, both are cumulative processes. But there are also big differences. Task incentives highlight the user's subjective behavior, while process incentives are more objective behavior.

For example, in QQ, the online time corresponds to the level. The online time is an objective behavior, 24 hours a day, and there is no way to shorten the time. But QQ also has a membership, and users can speed up after purchasing the membership. Purchasing a membership is equivalent to giving the user a task, and the user can get extra rewards by completing this task.

1. Expression

Process incentives can also be divided into one-time and multiple cumulative.

One-time process

A one-time process is a progress bar. In psychology, there is the goal gradient effect, "an effect in which humans or animals speed up their actions as they approach a goal." For example, this effect is applied in the process of opening a securities account. The account opening homepage prompts the user that the current account opening progress is X%.

Multiple times can be accumulated

The user's online time is a typical multiple and cumulative process, and its design is mostly used on time cost. For example, a certain securities company has an online market badge, which is similar to the design of QQ level.

(Securities product - online time)

2. Design principles

1. Process incentives apply to scarce costs, such as time. What needs to be highlighted is that the platform sees user loyalty , while users see their own convenience.
2. Process incentives are also applicable to non-task types, and what needs to be highlighted is fun and interesting. Such as mini games.
3. Process motivation is different from task motivation. It is more about giving users a relaxed feeling and focusing on psychological motivation.

4. Achievement Incentive

Achievement incentives are a way to affirm the user's behavior. Spiritual incentives, material incentives and psychological incentives can all be reflected in the achievement incentive link, mainly by issuing some kind of certificate.

1. Expression

The forms of expression include levels, medals, certificates, rankings , social networking, etc.

grade

The user's accumulated points, time, etc. are presented in a hierarchical manner, such as online time, points wealth, etc.

medal

Giving a certificate to users when they complete a task is a spiritual and psychological reward for the users. Such as VIP and SVIP.

(A securities product-Medal)

Certificate

The significance of a certificate is greater than that of a grade or medal. A virtual certificate, such as the tree-planting voucher number on Alipay, or a physical certificate can be issued.

Rankings

In achievement incentives, it is important to establish appropriate competition mechanisms, whether intentional or unintentional. Ranks, medals, and certificates are all the result of competition, but to a lesser degree than rankings.

social contact

In addition to tangible achievement incentives, there is also an intangible incentive, which is the recognition from other users, including comments, likes, shares, favorites, adding friends, conversations, chats, etc. This kind of user behavior that is not marked by medals, levels, or certificates is also a form of incentive for users to achieve success.

2. Design principles

1. Achievements can be achieved, but with a certain degree of difficulty, which may be in terms of time, money, intelligence, energy, etc.
2. Achievement is an interesting process.
3. Achievements represent the evaluation of the product or other users on the user.

5. Redemption Incentives

1. Expression

After completing various regular activities and hot activities such as product design check-ins and tasks, users need to get spiritual or material rewards, as well as emotional rewards. Its main function is to exchange the chips already on hand for the chips that the user wants to get. Its manifestations include points lottery, points exchange, use of level functions, certificate internship recommendations, self-worth exchange, etc.

Points lottery

The points lottery takes advantage of the user's mentality of "small wins big" and allows users to participate in the consumption of points. This not only meets the user's psychological needs, but also ensures that a certain number of points are reached for consumption. Points lottery is the most commonly used method and an activity that users are keen to participate in.

(A securities product - points lottery)

Points redemption

Points can be exchanged for virtual items or physical items. Virtual item exchange, such as a certain brokerage product that supports points exchange for N-day commission-free Hong Kong stock seeds and A-share market cards. Further physical exchange is cartoon animals.

(A securities product - points redemption)

Level function usage

When the user reaches a certain level, the user is given access to certain advanced functions.

Certificate Internship Recommendation

If a user participates in an activity and gets a good ranking, he or she will be awarded an electronic certificate or a paper certificate. The certificate has a certain value and can be used to obtain employment in our company or other companies.

Self-worth exchange

The product is designed to have some kind of public welfare activity, and users can reward themselves for their participation in public welfare. For example, the energy of Alipay is generated from steps, credit fulfillment, consumption, donations, etc., and it also consumes energy for charity in exchange for planting a tree in real life.

2. Design principles

1. The accumulation of points and the enthusiasm of user participation must maintain a balance like a scale, that is, the balance of supply and demand. In the design of points redemption, attention should be paid to points consumption.
2. The items redeemed must be what the user really needs.
3. Don't put pressure on users.

In the process of improving user activity, the user incentive mechanisms of most products are subjective and arbitrary, and copying the user points mechanism of other products is essentially a useless function. In the design process, there are 3 principles that can be referred to:

1. Allow users to upgrade and fight monsters just like playing games.
2. Give users an immersive experience and get as close to the flow state as possible.
3. New ways of participation give new meaning.

The user incentive mechanism grows along with the product, with different focuses at different stages, but the underlying logic remains unchanged, which is to give users spiritual, material or psychological incentives. It’s just that the methods are different and the effects are different.

Final Thoughts

When users make decisions, they often have two sets of cognitive modes, one is rational and the other is emotional. In most cases, it is emotional cognition that makes the decision.

On the one hand, emotional cognition has a longer history than rational cognition. In the early totem worship and myths and legends, emotional cognition played a decisive role, which will affect the decision-making method of modern humans even in a scientifically advanced society.

On the other hand, human automatic thinking (that is laziness) and emotional thinking are in line with human nature and consume less energy.

In the design of user incentive mechanisms, it is necessary to constantly keep users interested in participating, let them have fun, and finally give them a thumbs up for their behavior.

above.

This article was compiled and published by @Fong (Qinggua Media). Please indicate the author information and source when reprinting!

Product promotion services: APP promotion services, advertising platform, Longyou Games