How to build a complete operating matrix?

Using private domain traffic to gain growth, achieve user reach, and then convert benefits has become an operating model commonly adopted by most merchant platforms. In this case, from which aspects can the platform start to build a private domain traffic operation matrix?

In recent years, under the influence of the Internet and business, the operating models of the vast majority of domestic self-media creators have begun to shift towards sophistication, and the accuracy and effectiveness of communication have become the main goals at this stage.

In order to obtain traffic, user resources and voice, many media began to "hatch eggs in a shell" and use various media platforms to build their own operating matrix. These new operating matrices have reshaped the relationship between media and users, providing media with a strong user base for tapping into and operating private domain traffic.

Behind the operation of private domain traffic is the iteration of user relationships.

In the second half of the Internet, a new relationship of deep connection and high-frequency interaction is forming between content creators and users. This new relationship poses new challenges to the current media platforms' content production capabilities, platform resource integration capabilities, and user in-depth operational capabilities.

1. Characteristics of private domain traffic

Private domain traffic is centered on precise users, with distinctive services and a complete membership system as the link, and is guided by reaching users and continuous profitability. It is a traffic resource that can bring new business growth points to creators under the Internet economy. It has three main characteristics: precise user portrait, repeated reach, and sustainable conversion.

The private domain traffic composed of these characteristics just meets the needs of mainstream media for precise communication. At this stage, more and more media have begun to notice that the core of private domain traffic operation is to highlight user value and reconstruct user relationships. The essence of private domain traffic competition is the competition for user resources. The operation of private domain traffic has become an important part of the media transformation process.

If you want to operate private domain traffic, you first need to solve the problems of platform and user source.

In recent years, a large number of media have begun to use Internet platforms to build their own operating matrices, utilizing port combinations of multiple media platforms to achieve group distribution and full-network dissemination. Currently, the media's operating matrix can be roughly divided into five categories, and these platforms constitute the rich content distribution ecosystem of mainstream media.

2. The current shortage of creators’ private domain traffic

1. Low operational accuracy, insufficient analysis and integration of user data

In the past, the media has focused its main efforts on reporting and reach, such as traditional newspapers focus on circulation, radio focuses on listening rates, and the objects of media services are mostly "audiences" rather than "users."

If the object of media operation is compared to a funnel, the large part at the top of the funnel is the fans, and the precise group that remains after screening at the bottom of the funnel is the users.

More importantly, many media outlets today lack the ability to analyze and integrate user data. Although some platforms currently display some user data in the communication ports opened by the media relying on third-party platforms, this is not accurate enough and cannot meet the needs of the media to conduct in-depth user expansion.

In fact, compared with commercial Internet platforms, the media has resource and brand advantages, but how to integrate these advantages across platforms, industries, and departments requires consideration of cost investment, as well as the ability to analyze user data and create user portraits.

2. Private domain traffic operations are fragmented and fragmented, and no aggregation effect has been formed

At present, compared with the top domestic Internet commercial platforms, the media’s marketization level is low and its Internet thinking is relatively weak. Many creators have set up cross-platform operation matrices, but for various reasons, these platforms belong to different professionals in the creative organizations, and daily operations and maintenance are done independently, resulting in the dispersed influence of the matrix platform.

Within some media, many departments are aware of the potential and value of private domain traffic, but are unwilling or do not have the energy to carry out in-depth operational maintenance. Moreover, the user resources of the operation matrix platform are scattered and fragmented, lack a unified combination, and are not utilized in a connected manner, and cannot form a clustering effect in the deep mining of user value.

3. Weak product awareness and failure to form an ecological chain to serve users

The operation of private domain traffic cannot be without Internet products that are popular among users. Internet products that are popular among users should be able to connect anyone (social links, interest links, emotional links), create an intangible and valuable online life circle for users, and form an industrial chain of services for users.

In the past, when providing users with information-based content, news information was a weak link for users, while systematic services were strong links. The products that provide services to users are divided into toB and toC. No matter which product it is, it can create new business opportunities for the media. Therefore, using "Internet thinking" to reform the organizational structure, dissemination system, and management system of traditional content and seize the initiative in technological development has become an important direction of traditional media transformation.

3. Private Domain Traffic Operation Strategy

According to current analysis, creators' operations of private domain traffic are insufficient. Based on the experience of domestic commercial Internet platforms, the author summarizes the operational strategies that media can use to operate private domain traffic with the help of matrix platforms. Specifically, they can start from three aspects: channels, services, products, and content operations.

1. Channel: Convert the public domain traffic of the operation matrix into private domain traffic to achieve accurate analysis of user data

Mainstream media have accumulated a large number of users on media platforms such as Toutiao and Douyin by relying on their advantages in obtaining information about real-time news, economic events, and emergencies. On this basis, the media can rely on its brand influence and long-term accumulated social resources, through online and offline activities, establishing communities, etc., to slowly accumulate the public domain traffic on the matrix platform into its own private domain traffic.

The media can establish fan communities with higher verticality, such as reader groups, car owner groups, and travel groups. Starting from the user's pain points, using big data technology, we build a user service model that is tailored to each individual through survey questionnaires, offline activities, and personalized services. We organize our own user data analysis, rebuild user links, and ultimately realize commercial value.

In addition, the media can fully understand the operating rules and actual gameplay of various commercial Internet platforms through technological investment or cooperation with commercial Internet platforms, and based on the backend fan portraits of operating matrix platforms such as WeChat official accounts, Toutiao accounts, and Douyin accounts, according to the reading volume, forwarding volume, like rate of content products, or video embedded advertisements, visit rate, conversion rate and other data feedback, to achieve accurate user portraits and build their own private domain traffic models.

2. Service: Continuously provide high-quality content services to achieve a healthy interaction between personal resources and media resources

The private domain traffic operation process is a process of transforming existing static stock resources into dynamic and interactive data resources, and it is also a process of transforming unfamiliar users into super users.

The media should promptly establish a dedicated private traffic operation team, and through different topic guidance, label management, and layered and graded operation methods within the user communities of new media platforms (WeChat groups, Toutiao accounts, circle groups, client interactive communities), continue to provide users with high-quality services and continuously realize the transformation of user identities at all levels.

At the same time, new links between community members are built, KOLs within the community are transformed into KOCs, a valuable online living circle is created for community members, and a virtuous interaction between personal resources and media resources of community members is achieved.

The user communities established by the media should have a clear positioning and common goals, be able to continuously output high-quality content, help members solve problems, and be communities that deeply explore value. Their members generally have the characteristics of identity recognition, common interests, shared interests, and resource sharing.

For example, media members can regularly release various types of information that riders are concerned about within the target group based on seasonal changes, specific holidays and other nodes, sort out common problems encountered by riders in buying cars, second-hand car transactions, license plate transfers, repairs and maintenance, and invite traffic police, lawyers, and senior experts to provide professional answers. During the morning and evening rush hours every day, you can launch a reward-based traffic reporting activity to enhance interaction among community members. These information and services can enhance the stickiness of the media’s private domain traffic and lay a solid foundation for the in-depth expansion of user resources.

3. Product/content: Focus on user conversion to achieve the transformation of stock into increment and traffic into output

First of all, the conversion of private domain traffic must be based on good products or content.

Products with good reputation or high-quality content can make the operation of private domain traffic more efficient. For example, Xiaomi's Mi Community, by creating a unique and distinctive "fan culture", enters the user's demand chain, adapts to the user's lifestyle, and continuously monetizes private traffic from users. Xiaomi Community has built a virtual community that is closely connected to users, and has established an ecological relationship of interdependence and interaction between enterprises and users, allowing users to become members of the community.

Secondly, the conversion of private domain traffic requires the construction of a complete membership system.

A complete membership system is an important part of private domain traffic operations. It not only enhances the ability of mainstream media to connect with users, but also connects and combines the media’s private domain traffic resources. For example, the 88VIP membership model launched by Alibaba provides a reference for mainstream media to establish a membership system.

Alibaba has built a future data product by promoting 88VIP membership, integrating core resources, directing traffic among businesses, connecting business systems, and achieving user and data sharing. With the help of the 88VIP membership system, Alibaba has retained its users, obtained a more panoramic and in-depth user portrait, and directed users between platforms. Members can enjoy more preferential services from Alibaba's various platforms, which to a certain extent locks users into Alibaba's ecosystem.

Once a complete membership system is established, the media will have more comprehensive data, which will enable future new retail and other operational activities, and build new scenarios for users to discover value, serve their lives, and obtain resources.

The key to converting private domain traffic lies in the repurchase rate. The operation of private domain traffic emphasizes long-term sustainability. Completing a transaction is not the end. Instead, it should be guided by the user's lifetime value. Through continuous high-quality content and services, we can repeatedly reach users in the domain's traffic pool, increase user repurchase rate, and use users to achieve further dissemination and fission.

We can learn from the User Operation Center project established by JD.com. The main function of this project is to structure the massive amount of accumulated user data, visualize user characteristics by classifying and establishing the main user touch points, and finally achieve full-area reach of users, providing a sustainable profit model for the company.

You can also learn from the two user growth systems developed by Didi Chuxing. One is to obtain Didi coins by taking taxis and redeem gifts in the points mall. The other is to accumulate mileage by taking taxis and upgrade to different levels of membership to obtain different membership privileges. This will invisibly increase the customer's repurchase rate and increase the possibility of passengers consuming on the platform again.

To sum up, in the current situation where competition for user resources is becoming increasingly fierce, mainstream media should adapt to the situation, innovate decisively, and continue to be driven by technological investment and media platform matrix, with connecting users and special services as the core, and using membership system and benefit transformation as the link, so as to transform audience thinking into user thinking and create a new private domain traffic operation ecosystem, so as to gain the upper hand in the process of media transformation.

Author: Lueve

Source: Lueve