Analysis of NetEase Cloud’s operational logic!

Let me make a bold prediction. I feel that a new vertical sub-position will emerge in the future: emotional operation, just like content operation, event operation, fission operation, and community operation.

I work in social communication, and the most obvious feeling I have recently is that this generation of young people has a strong sense of self-awareness and real-time emotional expression.

1. Mass collective entertainment is transforming into specialized circle entertainment

Have you noticed that there are more and more popular memes now, and they are updated very quickly. This emotional operations position requires insight into all kinds of emotions, the ability to jump back and forth between emotions in various circles, and the ability to manipulate all kinds of people.

Of course, it has always been important to understand emotions in marketing, but I feel that the emotional points now are different from before. The insight into emotions we talked about before has its own rules to follow. There are only a few types, and they all follow the routine.

But today's children have more diverse emotions, which appear for no reason and at any time and anywhere; their imaginations are extremely broad and their ideas are very "confusing"; they are very vertical and not very popular. People in different circles have different emotional points.

You are unable to understand their high points, down points, breakdown points, and resonance points, and you often look confused.

2. The phenomenon of online depression reflects the rise of various social circles

For example, the recent NetEase Cloud Music. This is actually a meme made by those born after 1995 and 2000 about a small cultural circle.

1. The genes of people who love to play memes

When talking about young people, the first thing that comes to mind is Bilibili, but in fact, NetEase Cloud is the most popular application among this generation of young people.

In Mob Research Institute’s September 2019 research report “Z Generation College Students Illustrated Book”, there is a chart like this: the vertical axis’s active user percentage is easy to understand, and the horizontal axis’s TGI refers to the target group index = the percentage of active users of the app among college students / the percentage of active users of the app in the overall population.

NetEase Cloud is the highest:

Young people are all on NetEase Cloud Music, so all kinds of jargon and jokes are often formed (before NetEase Cloud Music, all kinds of silly and touching jokes also often appeared). This is the gene of the group that gave rise to "NetEase Cloud Music".

Look at the age portrait of the Internet Depression Music:

2. The community gene of loving to play with memes

Various subculture sentiments will only appear in communities with a certain flavor. In mainstream places, young people will not be willing to express themselves or play with memes, and subculture sentiments will not become a focus of attention.

The reason why Internet Depression Music became a meme is because too many people gathered together to share their emotions. Taking stock of NetEase Cloud Music's series of community operations, we can see that they are good at capturing users' emotions and understanding their emotional points, giving people a feeling of a community culture that "this place is gentle and inclusive, and you can vent your little stress."

Gradually, users have come to regard this place as a secret space and a gathering place for nonsense, so so many joys, sorrows, anger and happiness gather here.

Just like when a dog is most relaxed, it will spread its belly out to show you.

3. From Internet Depression to Internet Healing: The era of emotional management has arrived. How should brands deal with this phenomenon?

If you play this kind of emotion well, you can take advantage of the situation, become a hot topic in the circle, and reach the pinnacle of marketing. However, there may also be some negative memes. This kind of emotion is too changeable. If the brand cannot control the degree immediately and accurately, it may fall into a brand crisis.

For example, Bilibili was criticized and removed from the shelves for rectification because it failed to maintain this subculture in a timely manner. NetEase Cloud’s response this time set a benchmark for emotional operations and is worthy of praise.

On August 3, NetEase Cloud Music launched the “Hug” Easter egg. In the comment area of ​​a song, you can use two fingers together to stroke a comment to give the commenter a hug and leave a record, such as "User A gave User B a hug."

The design of the trigger gesture is derived from the action of two arms opening to hug a person, responding to the phenomenon of "Internet Depression Music" in a warm way.

1. In terms of response speed

First of all, the brand’s response is a plus, and this response was very quick.

"NetEase Cloud Music" started to gain popularity in mid-to-late July and reached a small climax in early August; and NetEase Cloud Music quickly launched the "Hug Easter Egg" product on August 3.

It takes time for a product to go from development to testing, grayscale launch to full launch. The fact that NetEase Cloud was able to launch this feature so quickly shows how accurate and timely its grasp of user emotions is.

2. From the perspective of user acceptance

See using data to capture user discussions on social media.

Before NetEase Cloud Music responded, some netizens commented that the hot comments on NetEase Cloud Music were too "sentimental", and even joked that the evening was "NetEase Cloud Music Depression Time"; after the response, positive words such as "gentle" and "healing" appeared more frequently.

Within 24 hours, topics related to "NetEase Cloud Healing Plan" generated multiple heated discussions, with the peak popularity reaching 61.71. The Weibo topic #NetEase Cloud responds to NetEase Cloud Music# topped the Weibo hot search list, with 930 million readings and 81,000 discussions.

Within 24 hours, the amount of information on the "NetEase Cloud Healing Plan" reached 93,300 on the entire network, and Weibo became the main platform for the dissemination of relevant information, accounting for as high as 94.46%.

From the proportion of original Weibo and forwarded Weibo, it can be seen that forwarded Weibo accounts for 63.79% and original Weibo accounts for 36.21%. Judging from the proportion of original Weibo posts, some netizens are more willing to express their opinions on the "NetEase Cloud Healing Plan".

At the same time, analysis of the relevant information attributes of the "NetEase Cloud Healing Plan" shows that non-sensitive information accounts for 91.84%, which indirectly indicates that most netizens have a positive attitude towards this initiative.

3. Specific channels

When searching for "NetEase Cloud Music" on Bilibili, many people are spontaneously boycotting the app's excessive use of memes, calling on everyone to respect every emotion.

On TikTok, the blogger who originally posted about Internet Depression Music started to launch Internet Healing Cloud.

On WeChat, there are many public accounts with comments expressing grievances for every emotion.

4. From the perspective of brand strategic positioning

Taking stock of the excellent public relations cases done over the past year or so, they were all done from a joking and mocking perspective. DingTalk begs for mercy, Lao Gan Ma makes fun of itself, and Kindle covers its face. Everyone often holds the belief that "if you take it seriously, you will lose", is cynical, avoids the important issues, and uses entertainment to resolve problems.

As a result, everyone in the industry has taken this as the standard implementation formula, and they make fun of themselves no matter what happens.

For example, I have already fallen into this framework. When I saw NetEase Cloud Music, I discussed with my colleagues how to deal with this point if I were the brand public relations of NetEase Cloud Music:

The few things that came to my mind at the time were self-deprecating, a sad-faced contest, and taking out all the well-written NetEase Cloud Music comments; or counter-dissing those of you who diss NetEase Cloud Music; or making a happy playlist, the kind that's going to make you extremely excited.

This hug easter egg from NetEase Cloud really surprised me and was very heartwarming. You are making fun of NetEase Cloud Music, but NetEase Cloud Music has actually launched a feature to express its respect for every user's voice.

NetEase Cloud is creating user value, not playing with emotions or manipulating public opinion. In fact, NetEase Cloud has always been at the forefront in marketing activities such as joking, self-deprecation, and self-mockery.

The retro sand sculpture style advertisements that are popular nowadays should be a category pioneered by NetEase Cloud. I believe this time it’s not that I don’t know how to play, but it’s a choice.

If NetEase Cloud Music also makes an official meme this time, it might trigger another wave of self-deprecating screen-sweeping. But for those users who truly regard NetEase Cloud Music as a close friend and express their true feelings to it, do they feel like they have been abandoned?

Imagine if a person who is at a low point opens his phone and sees several or dozens of hugs and kindness messages from strangers; and this happens every day, I think he would be encouraged and have expectations and hope for tomorrow.

Life is hard, but sometimes it is the warmth from strangers that makes you feel that life is worth it. User value comes first in everything. When there is some conflict between the two, user value takes priority.

There is a strategy behind every action. It is not because it is popular now or to cater to public preferences, but after analysis, I think it is beneficial to users and can protect users. Know when to joke and when to take things seriously.

The brand has a consistent strategic positioning and is always clear-headed.

5. Community role model building

In addition, I think this wave is not only about protecting and accommodating every emotion of users.

NetEase Cloud is also using its inclusive behavior to convey to the community the power of example, the power to treat the world with warmth: we must believe that the emotions behind every comment are real, we cannot assume that others are just trying to attract attention, we must reject indiscriminate labeling and evaluation, and face every side of the world with sincerity and warmth.

4. Brand operation logic in the new era

Due to changes in the media, the information we receive is no longer completely symmetrical, and everyone is an information island. From my recent research into the consumption habits of various post-00s, I realized that it is difficult for us to have a common popular culture.

They will live frugally and even go hungry to support their idols, and they will spend tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy action figures, LV collars and suitcases for their pets, Versace dog beds, etc.

I even think that Maslow's hierarchy of needs is outdated for this generation of post-2000s and needs to be updated: In the past, breathing, water, food, sleep and other needs in Maslow's first level were basic needs, while this generation of consumers' spiritual and emotional pursuits may be more basic needs.

People no longer receive the same information from the same channels, no longer chase the same idols, and no longer watch the same CCTV Spring Festival Gala. Instead, they immerse themselves in various circles with similar ideals, similar values, and mutual understanding.

The era of "segmented" has arrived, and the era of "mass" has ended.

We have come to a crossroads where various circles are rising rapidly, so the logic of branding has completely changed:

1. The brand is ignited by a group of real and sticky fans, not through advertising.

Just like the growth process of NetEase Cloud Music: NetEase Cloud Music was launched in March 2013, but it faced more than a dozen music player products such as QQ Music, Kugou Music, Xiami Music, Douban FM, etc. that have been immersed in the industry for many years. This is obviously a red ocean market.

According to the general logic of the Internet industry, first movers will quickly occupy the market, and it will be difficult for latecomers to shake their position, but NetEase Cloud Music has done just that.

It is precisely because NetEase Cloud conducted a very detailed analysis of its users, and found this subculture user group of audiophiles based on age, music preferences and other dimensions, that it has carved out a differentiated path.

It is said that the first batch of users of NetEase Cloud Music were singers, bands, DJs, music critics and other people in the music industry and senior music fans. This kind of vertical circle, because of its uniqueness that the general public does not have and relatively high threshold, has its own communication gene and is prone to explosive growth.

2. Brands are no longer gods, but friends

Be sincere with your users and let them open their hearts to you.

3. People are more important than products

Further segment users by age, gender, education level, consumption habits, etc., and delve deeper into the circle culture to trigger resonance within the circle.

4. Dispersion of circles

Therefore, we need to communicate with consumers in as many scenarios as possible and no longer stick to a single channel as in the era of Weibo and WeChat.

5. Children's emotions are more diverse, unprovoked, and anytime, anywhere. You need to respond quickly anytime, anywhere

In this emotional battle from NetEase Cloud Music to NetEase Cloud Music, NetEase Cloud Music has given us a good demonstration - keen perception, rational analysis, precise response, fast, accurate, ruthless and steady.

Author: Squinting Sour Beans

Source: Sour beans