5000-word methodology: A complete guide to adding followers in private domains

How to accurately attract traffic in private domains?

AI calls, text messages, parcel cards, stores… Applying the “iceberg theory”, these are the parts that can be seen above the sea level and are the basic means at the operational level. The invisible ones hidden behind them determine whether users can stay and generate higher lifetime value.

This article will explain in detail how to accurately divert traffic in the private domain from the perspective of user types, value, bait, and common traffic-diverting touchpoints.

01 Resource priority matching

Some brands, when operating in the private domain, blindly pursue simple and crude ways to increase the number of fans, thinking that the more fans they have, the more people will see their advertisements and the more people will place orders to buy. This is not about doing private domain, but about following the typical "traffic thinking" of the past. It’s just a change of place. In the WeChat ecosystem, traffic is bought under the guise of private domain.

The private domain emphasizes refined operations to encourage users to repurchase and maximize value. If the users you attract have never bought your products or even have no demand at all, then you will need to screen, cultivate, and explore their needs, and the cost of doing private domain business will be very high.

For any business, time, manpower and financial resources are limited, and limited resources should be used first on users who recognize your brand, have purchased your brand and have a clear intention to repurchase. The users that private domains want to attract are precisely this group of people.

02 Value determines retention

A pond will gradually fill up only when the water inflow rate is greater than the water outflow rate. The same applies to adding fans in the private domain. It is easy to let users enter the private domain, but the difficulty lies in how to keep users and allow them to continue to generate value.

When a user is attracted by the bait and enters the private domain from the external traffic pool. If he feels that he does not feel valued in your private space, or even is frequently disturbed, he will block you or even blacklist you.

At this point, no matter how many followers you add, they are just a number on WeChat. Operational actions cannot reach them and deep-level interactions cannot occur. In extreme cases, bad experiences in the private domain may also create a negative impression of the entire brand.

Therefore, before talking about specific baits and traffic-generating touchpoints, we need to first clarify what the user can gain and what long-term value he can gain from a long-term unit of time after entering the private domain. This is the key to user retention.

The value of private domain can be considered from two aspects: unique services and transaction paths:

1. Unique services

There is a very good saying: All standardized services are standard services; all non-standard services are beyond-expectation services. Services like after-sales service, usage guidance, and problem solving are standard and 99% of brands can provide them. Everyone is the same, so users are used to it and there is nothing to make a fuss about.

Only those services that you have and others do not can be considered unique services, and only these can make users feel the value and generate a sense of exceeding expectations. For example, cat food products are highly homogenized, their efficacy is not well perceived, and the services that can be provided in the private domain are also similar. In Zhengzhou, there is a company called Yuanben Cat Food, and the services they can provide are very interesting.

They started out as a pet-related self-media. The entire team has about 30 pet consultants, including a medical expert group, a behavioral training group, and a nutrition professional group. The doctors include managers and clinicians from well-known offline pet hospital chains, with rich pet medical expertise and clinical experience.

Many pet owners lack some basic pet medical knowledge. For some minor problems or illnesses that pets encounter, they will provide free private pet medical remote diagnosis services to help them solve them. If the condition is serious, they will be recommended to go to the hospital and given some advice.

After users experienced this kind of service, they felt it exceeded their expectations and thought that they might be able to use it someday. The life cycle is naturally extended, and repeat purchases and fission are natural. For example, Nian Gao Mama not only sells products, but more importantly, she can teach users how to be a good mother through live broadcasts, short videos, courses, official accounts, and Moments.

2. Transaction path

Unique services are non-standard and need to be customized according to the actual situation of the brand. In addition, the value that can be provided in the private domain can also be considered from the user's transaction path. First, disassemble the entire user's transaction path, starting from each link, to see where services can be optimized and value can be enhanced.

For e-commerce platforms, the typical user transaction path is: browsing, comparison, consultation, ordering, logistics, and after-sales service; for offline stores, the typical user transaction path is: entering the store, consultation, ordering, leaving the store, and after-sales service.

Let’s take offline stores as an example and list some common scenarios . You can plan according to the actual situation of the brand:

1) Enter the store

What value can the private domain provide when users enter the store?

For example, now in many restaurants, you have to queue up for a very long time when you go to eat, so you can set up a "no-queue" privilege. As long as the user adds WeChat and follows the official account, he can enjoy the privilege of no-queue or priority entry into the store N times a year. Alternatively, you can reserve a table in advance, tell the restaurant the number of people who will be dining, the time, and the dishes, and you can start eating right away when you arrive.

For example, for those users who like to stay at home or don’t want to go out in the hot summer (winter), tell them that the products in the store will be posted on WeChat Moments every day and are also available in the mini program mall. They can directly select and order online, with free delivery in the city, and will be delivered within 30 minutes.

2) Consultation

If users have doubts about the product’s functions or experience, you can tell them that as long as they have added WeChat, any problems encountered during product use can be solved directly through one-on-one online communication without having to go offline. In addition to the product's own functions and regular services, you can also enjoy some unique services on WeChat.

3) Place an order

When placing an order, the most attractive value is the discount. Before the user is ready to pay, tell him to add WeChat to receive a coupon, which can be used for the current order; subsequently, WeChat will hold activities such as flash sales, group purchases, exclusive specials, lotteries, free trials of new products, etc. every week.

4) Check out

When users are about to leave the store, for those who intend to repurchase or have already made multiple repurchases, you can ask them to add WeChat, spend a few dollars to become members, and give them a super large coupon that can be used for the next order, which is a profit.

Every time you shop, you will receive double points, which can be exchanged for physical items. You can also enjoy member-exclusive prices, exclusive activities, monthly red envelopes, birthday gifts, free shipping for returns and exchanges, door-to-door pickup and other benefits.

5) After-sales

In the process of users using the product, they will inevitably encounter some after-sales problems. You can ask them to add WeChat and they can enjoy privileges such as 7 days no-reason return and exchange, 2-year warranty, free door-to-door repair, free shipping for return and exchange, etc. If you encounter difficulties or have questions while using the product, you can get real-time answers and one-on-one coaching.

03 Bait determines traffic flow

The value of the private domain can only be perceived by users after they have stayed in the private domain for a period of time. Bait is the benefit that users can get immediately after entering the private domain. It determines whether the user is willing to enter the private domain at the moment, immediately, and right away. Only when the user's motivation to obtain the bait is greater than the resistance he encounters, will he be willing to take action.

In simple terms, it means that users can add WeChat and receive XX things immediately.

Common baits fall into three categories:

1. Physical objects

For example, product samples, trial packages, new products, related products (for example, after buying a pot, add WeChat to get a spatula)... On the basis of direct gifts, you can also do some tricks to increase the attractiveness, such as blind boxes, raffles, and lucky bags. Set a high-value grand prize and a guaranteed prize, and users can get it by luck.

For physical stores, physical baits can be picked up on the spot; for e-commerce companies, unless the brand profit is large, they are generally sent out together with the order when the user repurchases next time.

2. Virtual

For example, free live classes, recorded classes, teaching videos, information packages, tool kits…virtual baits have low marginal costs and users can receive them by entering the private domain.

3. Offers

For example, no-threshold coupons, discount coupons, buy-one-get-N-free qualifications, random free orders, free shipping coupons, free trial spots for members... The face value of the coupon is very important, and it must be greater than the discount that users can enjoy through normal channels, so that it will be attractive. The cost of preferential bait is also postponed, and users can only use it when they repurchase next time.

Some brands like to use cash back red envelopes, but I personally don’t recommend it. Users attracted by red envelopes are only there for the red envelopes, and it is impossible to be sure whether they have a good impression of the product. It is best to choose ones that are related to the brand and product, so that it will be easier to build trust and generate repeat purchases later.

In addition, if the red envelope amount is set too large, the cost will be difficult to control; if it is too small, such as 2 or 3 yuan, high-net-worth users will find it troublesome and be unwilling to join, and it can only attract price-sensitive users. There are 5 more points to note when setting bait:

1) Suitable for the scenario

The choice of bait and the timing of traffic diversion should be in line with the user's consumption scenario. In this scenario, what do users care about most? What do you want most?

For example, in an offline snack shop, one of the values ​​of the private domain is that after users enter the private domain, they can directly select snacks and place orders on WeChat, and the snacks will be delivered free of charge within 30 minutes. The traffic generation effect is very different when the user is still choosing snacks and when the shopping guide comes up to guide the user after the user has paid.

The same applies to giving out coupons. When a user passes by but has not yet entered the store, a roll-up banner is placed at the door with a message saying "Scan the QR code to get a free gift." The probability of a user scanning the code is much lower than if a shopping guide gives out coupons one-on-one after the user has selected snacks and before the user pays.

2) Easy to execute

How do you understand that the selection of bait should be easy to implement?

Especially for offline stores, the cooperation of employees is needed to guide WeChat. Many times, employees do not understand private domain operations and the training costs are particularly high. If the bait is designed to be complicated, it is difficult for employees to explain clearly to users what it is. In addition, when business is busy, it will be even more difficult for them to take care of it.

For example, very complex membership system benefits. After the user makes a purchase in the store, the employee guides the user to add WeChat and receive a membership experience card. In this scenario, the user is in a hurry to leave after making a purchase and has no patience to listen. Faced with the complex rights and interests, it is difficult for the employee to explain them clearly at once, so both parties just deal with it casually and call it a day.

In comparison, physical baits are much easier to implement. A roll-up banner was put up with the execution steps clearly stated on it. When users see it, they will add it on their own without any explanation from employees.

3) High frequency band low frequency

Many products with high average order value, low repurchase rate and complex decision-making can use high-frequency bait to attract users into the private domain, and then slowly operate and convert them. For example, if you are selling home furnishings, you can use high-frequency decoration design courses as bait.

4) Urgent need

The bait must meet the needs of users. No matter how expensive the bait is, it will be useless if users don’t like it. Therefore, before choosing the bait, it is necessary to analyze the user's past consumption data; communicate with the user one-on-one to understand their age, occupation, gender, and consumption preferences, so as to "prescribe the right medicine".

5) AB Testing

When doing operations, don’t be too self-satisfied. Whether the bait is good or not, the users have the final say.

The number of users is limited. If a user doesn’t like the user and doesn’t agree to add you after you use bait A once, you can use bait B to add him next time. The possibility of success is even smaller and the experience is not good. Therefore, before officially starting large-scale traffic diversion, you need to do AB testing first and use data to determine which bait users are more interested in.

Select N (usually 3) baits that you think users will buy, and then select 3 groups of users with the same attributes and the same number, add them with different baits, observe the final conversion rate, and select the one with high conversion rate for large-scale promotion. If the data is not ideal, test it again and again until you are satisfied.

04 Common drainage contacts

Every touchpoint between users and brands can become a channel for attracting traffic, which can be divided into online touchpoints and offline touchpoints:

1. Offline touchpoints

1) E-commerce three-piece set: e-commerce package card, SMS, AI phone

SMS and AI calls are generally used in conjunction with each other. If done well, the traffic conversion rate can reach 30%.

• AI Phone

There are three common dialing scenarios:

1. Within 20 minutes after the user places an order, he still remembers the brand, and the AI ​​phone calls him to guide him: add WeChat to get an extra XX product, which will be sent with the package.
2. After the user signs for the package, AI will guide the user over the phone: add WeChat to enjoy exclusive discounts every week, receive XX products as gifts, obtain membership experience qualifications, etc.
3. For users who have not repurchased for a long time and are at risk of churn, you can revisit old customers: add WeChat to get exclusive products and discounts for old customers, etc.

• Short message

In addition to working with AI calls, it can also be pushed when the brand has events or promotions, with a conversion rate generally between 0.5% and 3%.

WeChat has just updated its mini-programs to allow them to generate links, and the links will automatically jump to WeChat. Long pressing the mini-program will allow you to add the company’s WeChat account. This also means that after the user clicks on the link pushed via SMS, they can directly jump to the WeChat QR code interface set up by the mini program. They can add it by long pressing, which greatly shortens the user's path.

• Parcel Card

The conversion rate is between 5% and 15%. The scan code benefits on the package card, bait + private domain value can be used together. For example, by adding WeChat, you can receive XXX products for free, participate in weekly flash sales, get free trials of new products, and receive one-on-one usage guidance, etc.

The card material must have texture, otherwise it will reduce the style and may be damaged during transportation; the style must also be eye-catching, otherwise the user's attention will be mostly focused on the product when unpacking the package, and it will be easily overlooked. The general styles are: red envelope, envelope, opposite sex, card.

2) Stores

All touch points between the store and users can be used to attract traffic. For example: roll-up banners, table cards, posters, name badges, booths, menus, tote bags, fee receipts, employee T-shirts, and even the products themselves can be affixed with QR codes.

One of the biggest benefits of attracting customers to offline stores is that shopping guides can follow up. At each stage of the user's transaction path, while providing services to users, you can provide guidance through word of mouth to increase the conversion rate of adding fans.

2. Online touchpoints

1) Official Account

▲New follow-up reply

▲Menu bar

2) Mini Programs

▲Place bait on the page, and jump to the micro page after clicking

3) Own APP

▲Take Luckin Coffee as an example. A little person pops up at the bottom of the APP to remind you to get a coupon. After clicking, you will be redirected to the customer service session and guided to add WeChat.

4) Video Account

▲Personal introduction

There are also some self-media platforms, such as Zhihu, Xiaohongshu, Toutiao, and Douyin, which can also be used to divert traffic, but you need to pay attention to the platform rules and keep WeChat hidden to avoid having your account blocked.

05 Conclusion

1) Private domain traffic generation is not about simply adding fans, but about generating traffic for users who recognize your brand, have purchased your brand, and have a clear intention to repurchase.

2) The value of the private domain determines user retention, so before attracting traffic, it is necessary to first clarify what the user can gain and what long-term value he can get after entering the private domain from a long-term perspective.

3) The value of private domain can be considered from the perspective of unique services and transaction paths.

• Unique services: Only those services that you have and others do not have can be considered unique services, which can make users feel valued and produce a sense of exceeding expectations;
• Transaction path: Start from each link of the user's transaction path to see where services can be optimized and value can be improved;
• On e-commerce platforms, the typical user transaction path is: browsing, comparison, consultation, ordering, logistics, and after-sales service;
• In offline stores, the typical user transaction path is: entering the store, consulting, placing an order, leaving the store, and after-sales service.

4) Bait is the benefit that users can get immediately after entering the private domain. It determines whether the user is willing to enter the private domain at the moment, immediately, and right away. Only when the user's motivation to obtain the bait is greater than the resistance he encounters, will he be willing to take action.

There are three types of bait: physical, virtual, and preferential. Pay attention to the following five points when setting them:

1. Suitable for the scene
2. Easy to execute
3. High frequency band low frequency
4. Urgent need
5. AB Testing

5) User touchpoints are divided into online touchpoints and offline touchpoints.

Online touchpoints include:

• Public Account
• Mini Programs
• Own APP
• Video Number
• Wemedia platform

Offline touchpoints include:

• E-commerce three-piece set: e-commerce package card, SMS, AI phone;
• Stores: roll-up banners, table cards, posters, name badges, booths, menus, handbags, fee receipts, T-shirts, the products themselves, and shopping guides can also provide guidance through sales talk.

Well, the article ends here, thank you for reading this!

Author: Tomato Operation

Source: Tomato Operation