Analysis of WeChat Reading's full-link user growth system

The Internet has been running wild, and the era of crazy gold rush is over. The disappearance of the demographic dividend and the continuous increase in advertising investment costs have led more and more companies to focus on growth ( user growth , revenue growth...). Looking for growth markets in the existing markets has become an industry consensus. This article analyzes the knowledge payment product - WeChat Reading , which has not only acquired a large number of users by virtue of its channel advantages, but also fully expanded the social relationship chain based on the WeChat platform by virtue of growth means and techniques, helping it to achieve a curve overtaking.

Case Name

WeChat Reading

Case Path

• Customer acquisition: New users can register for WeChat Reading and receive three books based on their preferences.
• Retention: Unlimited card draws in weekly teams, reading teams, weekly book giveaways, time-based book currency exchange
• Active: Reading team, team up to draw unlimited cards, ranking list
• Recall: 30 days of no login reward large unlimited card

Product highlights and reusable points

In terms of function, WeChat Reading is actually not much different from other similar products. If there is a difference, it is that the reading experience is superior to similar products. When using the WeChat reading product, users can be completely immersed in the book, and there will be no unnecessary distracting content on the screen. During the reading process, WeChat Reading completely simulates the real reading scene.

I attribute the reason why WeChat Reading can lead the way to: viral fission growth based on the chain of acquaintance relationships.

We all know that WeChat Reading, as a product of Tencent, although not directly affiliated with WeChat, has more or less received special treatment and support from WeChat in various aspects, the most obvious of which is traffic support.

Let’s take a closer look at the growth model of WeChat Reading.

When WeChat Reading was first launched, it was actually not that outstanding. Much of the credit for its rise can be attributed to its explosive growth based on WeChat . The registration process for WeChat Reading is very simple. You can log in using your personal WeChat account, laying the foundation for subsequent dissemination based on the chain of acquaintance relationships. (You should know that every additional step will cause the loss of some users. When doing growth, you must start from the first step when the user starts to contact your product. Don't just focus on the local path, but consider the whole thing. Maybe one omission will make you lose everything.)

As soon as a new user registers, WeChat Reading will immediately give the user three free books, and the user can choose any of these three books. I call this strategy [Allow users to perceive the core functions of the product at the lowest cost]. Users can get books for free, and they are the books they choose themselves. [Giving users the right to choose] will make users feel respected and valued, and the effect is a hundred times better than randomly selecting three books for them.

During the reading process, users can fully experience the core functions and services of WeChat Reading. At this time, users have actually been quietly recommended. This operation is more comfortable and gentler than the operation guidance/newbie help of other reading products. Users actively experience it rather than passively or forcefully. During the entire process, users are not disturbed too much and it is basically up to them to decide how to use the product, as the core demand that the WeChat reading product solves is: reading. Therefore, users will be able to experience the core functions quickly and within a short period of time.

After new users register, they can only read three free books, and they cannot continue reading after finishing them. WeChat Reading provides users with two options: one is to recharge reading, and payment can be divided into quarterly cards, annual cards, monthly cards, etc.; the other is to participate in activities, including: teaming up to draw unlimited cards, joining a reading team, exchanging reading time for book coins, etc.

Let’s analyze them one by one:

Needless to say, the choice of the two major directions actually plays the role of [screening users and dividing them into levels and circles]. The rich will naturally recharge their books directly, but most of the rich will think that it is unnecessary, that the small amount of money is not worth it, that sharing book coins is too embarrassing, etc. Based on this mentality, let us imagine what the friends of the rich are, that is, based on this circle of rich people, what are their consumption habits? Should be roughly similar.

As for ordinary users, they will feel that it is worthwhile to share it so that they can read it for free without spending any money, and they will not lose anything just by sharing it. This mentality of "taking advantage" is a deep-rooted aspect of human nature, and most people have it. If you think about Pinduoduo, you may understand why Pinduoduo is so popular in the sinking market. Moreover, ordinary users of WeChat Reading are not exactly the same as Pinduoduo's low-end users. Ordinary users of WeChat Reading are more pursuing progress and hope to improve themselves through reading. Therefore, many of WeChat Reading’s operational growth strategies can be explained.

For example, you can form a team to draw an unlimited card every week. Users only need to initiate a team and then invite friends to join the team to participate in the weekly lottery. The prize is an unlimited card for WeChat Reading (the unlimited card can be used to read all the books in the venue, and one unlimited card represents one day of free reading). This action may seem simple, but if you break it down carefully, it actually involves a lot of strategies and tricks.

First of all, it encourages the active participation of [KOLs], or it can be said that this action is to cultivate ordinary users into super users. Imagine if you were an ordinary user and you could start a team every week, and your influence was pretty good, and every week there were friends willing to join and read with you, would you have the following feelings at this time:

(1) My influence is quite good. My friends are willing to join my team. So I have to set a good example in the future.

(2) It turns out that some people are using WeChat to read books. This means I won’t be alone when reading and I can read with them.

At the same time, after a team is successfully formed, the prize will be drawn every Saturday at noon, and the team leader can receive additional rewards, which further increases the participation of users in team formation. [Someone initiates team formation, and some people participate in team formation] The process is fully implemented, forming a self-loop. Of course, this is also inseparable from the social relationship chain of acquaintances based on WeChat.

Secondly, the lottery draw time is fixed, which will allow users to form a habit and muscle memory to check how many unlimited cards they have drawn at a fixed time every Saturday. This action can at least ensure that users log in every week. Of course, WeChat Reading will also push the number of unlimited cards won to users via mobile phone PUSH messages.

Finally, the unlimited card drawn can basically satisfy the user's reading needs for a few days. This will to a certain extent prevent users from having to pay to purchase before they can read, and will not cause a part of the users to be lost directly. Moreover, e-books are not disposable fast-moving consumer goods. As long as they are put on the shelves, they can continue to generate revenue and value, so there is no need to worry too much about the wool party.

We can also understand the method of forming a team to draw unlimited cards as WeChat Reading's "using an obscure way to keep users." It does not give rewards directly, but instead puts on a cloak of drawing unlimited cards to make users more comfortable accepting it.

Let’s take a look at exchanging book coins for reading time . This strategy is even more interesting, so let’s break it down and analyze it.

The rules are as follows: the user's total reading time per week is counted, and the user can exchange the previous week's reading time for book coins every week, which can be used to purchase other books. To put it bluntly, the longer I read, the more books I can read next week. What’s even more interesting is that WeChat Reading has also added a reading time ranking list, so you can directly see the reading time and ranking of your WeChat friends. This will have several effects:

(1) Reading time has become a social currency or topic of conversation. Because WeChat is based on the social relationship chain of acquaintances, users can discuss who has spent the most time reading this week and how they rank. This has become a topic of conversation, which not only gives users something to talk about, but also helps promote WeChat Reading’s brand and spread word-of-mouth. Aren’t these customer acquisition and advertising costs low enough?

(2) The rankings have become a form of competition and comparison. [No one wants to lose] This is also a side of human nature. It is for this reason that when users see that they are ranked low, they will unconsciously take the time to read. This directly increases the active time of WeChat Reading and firmly occupies the limited time of users. [The competition for traffic is actually a competition for user time]. Whoever occupies more user time is more likely to stand out and win in the end.

(3) Exchange for book coins. Reading is for your own benefit, but while increasing your knowledge, you can also exchange your reading time for book coins so that you will have books to read next week. In this way, users will come to WeChat to read again next week, and this cycle will become a habit that is difficult to change. Then users will become dependent on WeChat Reading.

WeChat Reading’s recall strategy is actually the most ruthless. It carries out both attracting new users and recalling users at the same time, killing two birds with one stone. In the case of team drawing unlimited cards mentioned above, there is actually a rule, that is, if there is a new user or a user who has not logged in to WeChat Reading for 30 days among the team members, the entire team can strive for the draw for permanent unlimited cards. In this way, we can attract new customers and also achieve recall. In addition, the weekly team draw can be forwarded to communities, personal accounts, Moments, etc.

As mentioned above, [Circles], most of the friends in your circle of friends will be in the same circle as you, so there will be a large area of ​​screen sharing of team content. Will you be subconsciously promoted or advertised? If you haven't logged in for a long time, will you automatically open it again to take a look? [When something is mentioned many times by many people around you, you will develop a curiosity and watch], this is also psychology at work. WeChat Reading reaches users continuously in this way to attract new users and retain them.

The reading team feature is even more magical. If you love reading and can find friends who are willing to team up with you, you can form a reading team and read together every day, just like usual. It’s just that your daily logins, comments, reading time and other indicators will be recorded. In this way, all aspects of retention and activity have been achieved. [Humans are lonely], working in a group and encouraging each other is definitely the best way, especially since it is based on the chain of acquaintances.

I would like to add that there is actually another potential form and channel for attracting new users for WeChat Reading. When a user buys a book, he can choose to give it to a friend or share it. What will be the effect of this? Users who have not used WeChat Reading will learn about WeChat Reading in this process, and it will be recommended by acquaintances. There will be no "trust crisis" and users will reduce their distrust of the brand, which solves a big problem. Many products fail because of users’ lack of trust in the products or services.

The effect of giving books as a gift is actually mutual. For the person who shares a book, giving it to a friend as a gift can indirectly express his care and concern for his friend, and serve as a catalyst for fostering affection; for the person who receives a book, receiving a book given by a friend gives him a greater sense of satisfaction than buying a book himself.

In addition, the beautiful sentences or golden sentences in the book can be copied and turned into a card to share with friends. As mentioned above, WeChat Reading users are ambitious and seek honor. They are happy to share such content. Such content is soft and will not make friends feel that they are showing off too much, but it can also give them a sense of honor and pride. It satisfies their vanity, which in fact not only meets the needs of users but also provides good publicity for the brand.

Finally, I would like to add that in order to improve yourself, you need to have strong self-control. Many people want to improve, but don’t have enough motivation or perseverance. After using WeChat Reading, you will find that it has been working hard to create and promote feedback. You can write notes on your favorite sentences at any time, and you can also see the notes left by others here. You can read with your friends and supervise each other. You can also see the reading time ranking list to motivate yourself not to fall behind. More importantly, you can share your favorite content in different forms to your Moments or friends at any time. These behaviors are all aimed at achieving the goal of [learning must have periodic feedback].

To be optimized

At present, WeChat Reading has actually cultivated habits for a large number of users, including insisting on reading every day, forming teams to draw unlimited cards every week, regularly participating in activities and so on. In this way, not only can we ensure the achievement of various indicators, but combined with all the analysis above, it can also ensure that the entire cycle of WeChat Reading is sustainable, and it always runs healthily from attracting new users to recalling new users.

WeChat Reading’s operational strategy is very good and clever. However, one thing that needs to be considered is that when WeChat no longer provides these supports one day, how can WeChat Reading ensure the normal operation of the ecosystem? At the same time, the current growth routine has not changed for a long time. After users are fed, how to keep them satisfied is a problem that needs to be considered.

Personal Thoughts

I believe that a good operation strategy or growth strategy cannot be separated from a solid product. If the product quality is not strong enough, it is futile to talk about operations and growth. Even if you attract users, they will still be lost.

Secondly, when doing operations or growth, you must combine them with reality to see what channels you have, what advantages you have, what your user groups are like, what the user needs are, and what goals we need to achieve through operations. Think through these issues one by one, and don't try to do them all at once. Wanting everything, but ultimately getting nothing. Make each step detailed. In the process of plan design, consider long-term and short-term goals, the entire system and the entire situation, coordinate them together, and play big chess rather than small chess.

Next, you need to think clearly about where your core innovation lies. Many cases are not repeatable and replicable. I do not reject following trends and imitating, but following trends and imitating does not mean that you do not need to learn and improve. You need to borrow the strengths of others and combine your own characteristics to carry out micro-innovations.

Finally, it is a matter of mentality. When doing operations or growth, don’t be too hasty. Calm down, take each step carefully, and think about each step before you take it. What this step will bring to the next step and what it will bring to the entire situation.

I think there are several major aspects of WeChat Reading that can be reused:

1. You need to fully research user needs to know what they want and what you can currently provide.
2. The entire operation system is closely linked. We do not fight alone, but work together.
3. When product quality is similar, operations determine everything. How to please users and acquire users in a way that is more in line with user acceptance is something that needs to be considered.

To sum up, we can see that as a knowledge-based payment software, WeChat Reading has acquired [massive users] + [brand influence] + [retention rate] at a very low cost. In the future, when WeChat Reading occupies an absolute dominant position, its harvest season will come. Let's wait and see!

Author: Dream Maker

Source: Dream Maker