Sohu pc end traffic increased by 25%

Sohu Board Chairman and CEO Charles Zhang

"Science and Technology News" February 5, Sohu released the fourth quarter of 2012 earnings, Sohu board chairman and CEO Charles Zhang in the subsequent conference call revealed that Sohu news and content of the mobile end of the PC platform does not have a direct impact, Sohu pc end of the first page traffic increased 25%. But Zhang's comments were questioned and accused of investors.

In a conference call, Charles Zhang answered JPMorgan's analyst about the impact of the mobile end of the Sohu portal on PC-side traffic, saying that the mobile side of Sohu news and content had no direct impact on the PC platform. "Because of the user's higher awareness of Sohu content, so when the PC at hand, more users will use the PC to visit the Sohu Portal, so the mobile end of the PC platform has no direct impact." ”

Zhang also revealed that Sohu's news and content has been improved, and the layout of other channels to beautify the design, which helps Sohu pc end of the first page traffic increased by 25%.

Analysts asked Sohu portal page specific mobile traffic data, Zhang said, in the Sohu portal page increase of 25% traffic, does not include the flow from the mobile side, "We have not yet disclosed the mobile end traffic data."

However, Zhang was questioned about Sohu pc end traffic increased 25%, there is a point of view, Zhang was deliberately stressed that the PC end of the first page traffic increase is actually in the cheat investors.

The analysis pointed out that Charles Zhang has said that in the mobile Internet blowout outbreak of the present, Sohu's entry point is the media, through the Sohu News client and mobile phone Sohu to accumulate user size, the formation of force point. Analyst asked Sohu Mobile end traffic, in fact, is to pry Sohu in the mobile Internet strategy implementation and effectiveness, and Zhang's answer to analyst questions when the obvious in the "Tai Chi."

There may be two reasons why Charles Zhang avoided moving traffic data. One is the mobile end of the score is really bad, the announcement could be blamed for the weakness in the mobile Internet that could affect its stock price rating, and the appearance of a collapse in share prices, similar to Facebook's weakness on the mobile side, created a mysterious illusion, allowing investors to guess that it could not confirm the impact of investor judgments. And from Charles Zhang deliberately emphasized Sohu pc end of the flow of 25% can be speculated that Sohu in the mobile end of the flow may be really miserable, the announcement of the share price will plummet.

Another is that the mobile end is good to catch up with the PC side, published will be questioned. The industry in the mobile internet has not yet found a reasonable profit model, mobile terminal small screen ads show the problem has not been resolved, Sohu portal revenue mainly from the PC-side online advertising. Sohu 2012 fourth quarter total income of 299 million U.S. dollars, 2012 fourth quarter total online advertising revenue of 121 million U.S. dollars. Once the mobile end of the flow over the PC, will inevitably affect advertising revenue, Sohu earnings will be difficult to see, stock prices will also fall.

Considering the above two reasons, it is a wise choice for Charles Zhang to avoid talking about mobile end traffic. However, another issue surfaced, in the majority of Internet companies advocating mobile end of the flow of PC-side traffic decline, the Sohu pc end of the flow of the first 25%?

Alexa show Sohu (sohu.com) traffic

Science and technology reporter through the query Alexa traffic statistics learned that Sohu (sohu.com) between October to December PV (comprehensive browsing volume) did not appear a sharp increase in the last 3 months of PV has decreased by 0.38%. It is noteworthy that the reporter used some browser on the PC to open Sohu News page, click on the article will automatically eject Sohu homepage page.

Industry insiders pointed out that this approach Sohu can indeed improve the flow of the first page, but will also affect the user experience. And the use of this means to beautify the earnings data, Charles Zhang really has been "out of his wits"?