Is there still value in Weibo?

Abstract: The Author: @ Small Circle pear at the end of the year when the company budget, those responsible for corporate social media people, you are hesitant, hesitation, how much will be the next year to micro-blog? How to prove to the high level: Weibo still has the value of existence? You can still live.

Author: @ Small Circle Pear

And at the end of the year when companies are budgeting, are those responsible for corporate social media, are you hesitating and hesitant about how much you want to give to Twitter next year? How to prove to the high level: Weibo still has the value of existence? Can even still be vigorous? Or walk to see, just give Weibo "basic living expenses", let it low-key live? Those who have been due to the emergence of micro-blogging "Micro-blog commissioner", whether a bit disturbed, micro-bo if it really does not, what is their value? Blink of an eye, micro Bo has been bright bloom for more than 3 years, in addition to micro-blog, what will do? Those who are springing up as a result of micro-blog, whether the party is also melancholy: 2014, micro-blogging business will not be a big loss?

Yes, unknowingly, there have been some of the party's microblog in a stagnant state, once in full swing "Good Morning", "Goodnight" and so on, has become a historical relic, indicating that the company has invested in the vigorous "micro-bo movement" in the public relations and marketing, to borrow meager power to a "great leap forward", but the result?

All the anxieties and questions are focused on such a question: does Weibo have any value for companies? If so, what is its value? 2014, how much should the company invest in Weibo?

To answer this question, let's start with the original intention of writing this article. When micro-Bo hot (then, if which company does not open Weibo, really a bit outdated), I am in the party. I deeply felt the curiosity, joy and earnest anticipation of the Weibo. After the company decided to open Weibo, the company's external communications strategy, marketing plans, will be integrated into the micro-blog elements. And the KPIs are mostly: How much did the fans grow in the set time? How much is the forwarding rate for a Twitter activity? How much is the comment? These naked KPIs make many people who run micro-blogging like chicken blood, Thinking Day and night: KPI, how do you grow gorgeous? Thus also hatched a professional "add powder", "Brush Review" of "Science and technology industry chain."

Now Weibo gradually insipid, I came to the party B. When I chat with some party, I deeply feel the "Schon" reality. Now and some of the party to talk about Weibo, they downplay, that Weibo is insignificant. The sense of urgency of the "Weibo era" has shifted to micro-trust. "Forget Weibo, we're thinking now about how to do micro-letters!" "Micro Bo has not been a fire, I have not brushed a few weeks of Weibo, daily bubble micro-letter!" "We will not consider asking party B to maintain the microblog, the cost is too high." "Our boss now relies on micro-letters, meetings, talks, orders, all through micro-letters." The vane has changed! ”

So, I also smell the micro-blog When the popular, we rush to the microblogging frenzy.

So what is the value of Weibo for companies?

I am still not eager to answer this question, but would like to clarify another question: Do not think your company opened micro-blog, micro-letter, is very fashionable, on the "socialization." Micro bo, micro-letter, "micro any" ..., just tools. We can't be taken by the tools, led by the nose. We want to integrate these tools into the corporate public relations, marketing strategy, let them achieve change!

So, when party a asks us to submit micro-blogging and micro-credit proposals, I always first tell party a: I need to know your overall marketing/public relations plan? At least roughly what? What is the positioning of Weibo and micro-letters in your overall strategy? What do you expect from the two tools of micro-blogging and micro-credit? Are your men ready? Senior attitude? Are you really interested and conscious and hoping to achieve a "change" through social media? But really, very few of the party a can seriously answer the above questions. Party a always habitually said: "You do it first." Don't think about the budget first. "If party A does not know the answer to the above question, then I think: the first thing is, we still sit down and take these questions smoothly."

I would like to emphasize once again my unwavering view: Weibo, micro-letter is really not a artifact, are you really ready? (Take a look at a post I wrote: "Social media is not an artifact")

I would like to give three examples to illustrate my spit.

Example one:

Senior public relations veteran @ brother-in-law Lee a long time ago a microblog:

@ brother-in-law Li: Every day in the mobile marketing platform, seems to be not skilled people busy looking for a platform, chasing the most fashionable technology, afraid of MSN outdated, afraid of the app outdated, afraid of Weibo outdated, afraid of the micro-letter outdated, in fact, have the ability to write 1000 words of press releases, 300 words of copy, 140 words of micro-blog, Your kung fu is not out of date.

Example two:

Birijie, a global brand-building executive: The era of digital marketing is over (domarketing)

In the 1990 and 2000 years of Internet popularization, "digital marketing" and "Network Marketing" new words, refers to through the Internet brand and product marketing.

However, in the context of today's new technologies and platforms, the brand's top executives said that the concept of Internet marketing (or digital marketing) was dead, and that the network was just a way for manufacturers to deliver brand information and communicate with consumers.

"Do not form the concept of digital marketing based on the tools used, such as platforms, two-dimensional codes, or more new technologies," said Marc Pritchard, a Birijie executive responsible for global brand building, in a recent industry meeting DMEXCO the world's biggest advertisers. ”

The senior said that, in the view of Procter and Gamble, the digital marketing era is over, the so-called digital tools, is only a means of communication with consumers, the advertising industry should pay attention to through a variety of creative, fresh advertising, to brand building.

Birijie also cited an example, such as an advertisement for a Braun electric razor, that would first be aired on the web, stimulating sales, and then the ad would be aired on traditional media. Braun, he says, is only doing a planned advertising campaign, not a mere internet marketing.

The new concept, Birijie says, has created a lot of room for innovation in the branding of Procter and Gamble, using new technologies and Internet tools such as Web search, social networking, mobile advertising, and two-dimensional code to create creative advertising.

Digital technology or Internet technology, Birijie says, provides a new way for brand information to be passed on to consumers, capturing the imagination of consumers. However, the advertising industry is not the core of new technology, the most fundamental or creative advertising.

Example three:

Zhongshufen: Marketing should jump out of form and pay attention to creative connotation

For the new form of marketing, Zhongshufen, chief executive of the Integrated Marketing Communications Group in Greater China, said: "I think in the overall trend, like video, micro-film Ah, into a form." Then you say this is not a trend, I do not think it must be a trend, but we can find that some things into the form of the time, there will be a lack of some marketing ideas and connotations, I think this is our marketing communicators, these experts in the industry to be more attentively. ”

OK, let's go back to the conversation: what's the value of Weibo for companies?

There are plenty of reasons to prove that Weibo is still valuable; here, I just want to say one thing: Weibo's media properties are still strong, and it's a platform without windows and doors.

Micro-Credit subscription number "one per day" and service number "per month," The amount of information sent, determines the micro-letter in the shape of corporate brand image in this respect, weaker than micro-bo. Personally think: For the company, micro-letter more emphasis on service functions, especially through the micro-letter to create personalized, customized, private exclusive services. Micro-letter to the traditional business model, such as corporate customer service, etc. have undergone qualitative changes. But in terms of "media attributes", the spread of information on Weibo is broader and more flexible.

Therefore, if the enterprise needs a platform, can be timely, flexible (I particularly emphasize "flexible"), creative release of information, so that information fullness, longing through the content of the value of the enterprise to shape the three-dimensional brand image, Micro Bo is still a good platform.

Micro-Blog emphasizes "content is king", it needs excellent copy master. So those micro-blogging experts, in the micro-blogging world for so many years, your "copywriting writing ability," this basic skills is solid? If you have trained this basic skills, even if one day Weibo withdrew from the stage of history, you are also a sought-after talent.

There is: Micro-bo is a large platform without windows and doors, everything that happens here, has been made public. In the micro-boping platform, and the target customer interaction, the most important thing is: to allow fans to interact with each other, to create a fan of the aggregation platform, which is the congenital advantage of Weibo. Regardless of next year Weibo to party A or party B maintenance, if because of "less people playing Weibo", "no Fire", but only on the micro-blog to send some perfunctory information, only to maintain their life signs, it is back to the era without micro-blogging, one-way dissemination of information.

Weibo brings the company the biggest change is: the freedom of information release and interactivity!

Because of this, "influence marketing" triggered by Weibo is more effective. Now, those who grow the business of the Reds, large is increasingly unpopular, "minority opinion leader" more precious. Here "minority Opinion leader" refers to a certain field/industry experts/professionals, they have a field of in-depth research, unique insights, in the industry has a certain degree of visibility and discourse right. Their social media accounts, such as Weibo, are not empty, quality, and interesting. The company should dig up these "minority opinion leaders", their mass base is specialized, and has the thickness!

Also because of this, Micro Bo is still the corporate crisis public relations social media main position. Because Micro Bo is no windows and doors, 360 degrees full transparent, fully open, when the enterprise crisis, many people will habitually, first through micro-BO search business in this area of information, onlookers public controversy. At this point, the company's position on the microblog is crucial. If you plan to "turn adversity into a machine", Micro Bo also take water and soil.

When a housewife cooks dinner for the whole family, what kind of food do you want to cook first? Then use special pot soup, special cooking pot, special dessert oven .... Companies in the use of micro-bo, micro-letter, but also pay attention to nutrition with the combination of various food products. Micro bo, micro-letter or "micro-what" is not "n choose one" problem, is a reasonable collocation.

So, based on this, what is the value of Weibo for the company? The most relevant person in charge of the company is: What role does Weibo play in the company's overall communication plan? What functions do you assume? Is this function what the company needs? Is it possible to cut off other budgets? Only you can answer these questions.