Sohu Video "Two legs" walk, three steps to change

Video business has always been a money-burning work, copyright purchase, production and distribution of a huge amount of expenditure, but in the Sohu video, it is obviously worthwhile, in the past, Charles Zhang said: "We are buying the future."

So what is the so-called "future" that Charles Zhang has come to? Since 2009, Sohu Video set up an "anti-piracy alliance", committed to combating piracy, has been effective now, the search for payment mode has made its profit model clearer. It seems that everything is moving in the direction that is expected.

Constraints: Copyright close to sky-high prices, the distribution policy tightening

From the mountain heavy water back to the way, Sohu Video took three steps. First, the joint industry launched a crackdown on piracy, put an end to the chaos and set up a new order; second, explore the pay model, the first implementation of the pay membership privileges system, after the introduction of a monthly business, training users to pay the habit of buying a large number of copyright, determine the content advantage.

After three steps, "The future" has come, but new problems have followed. Copyright fees rose sharply, high-quality programs close to sky-high prices, 2013 Sohu video spending 100 million betting "China good voice", fortunately its performance, the last summer, Sohu video advertising revenue reached 200 million yuan, a good sound copyright costs are doubled, 2014, and Tencent to 2-2 500 million yuan to buy.

There is a saying that "money can solve problems is not a problem", Sohu video nature is not bad money, otherwise will not buy program copyright, the problem is that individual television media quality program distribution policy began to tighten, no longer external sales network copyright, the video site will be pushed to the environment without rice, under the circumstances, Sohu Video is also seeking change.

Seek change: Three steps stand firm, the key exerting force self-control

How to change? Or is divided into three steps, these three steps are also contributing to the market position of Sohu Video today's main elements. First, with Hollywood to achieve strategic cooperation, the introduction of hit blockbuster, to create "Sohu cinema", the full access to the film industry, followed by the implementation of strategic investment, the merger of all 56 video, to avoid advertising diversion; the last step, and the most important step, is to launch homemade dramas to build their own brands

Chinese users have a strong demand for Hollywood movies, but because the video industry chaos has not yet opened, rampant piracy, user perception can be "unsightly" described. This September, Sohu Video announced a strategic partnership with Hollywood, formally with Miramax, Sony, Global and other well-known Hollywood film companies to form strategic cooperation, which means that domestic users will be able to "Sohu cinema" to watch the Hollywood hit blockbuster.

At the beginning of November, Sohu acquired 56 video of everyone, in the industry, it is a result of three-party benefits. Everyone sells 56 videos, the proceeds can be used to expand their core business, 56 video out of everyone, in the support of Sohu video resources can be better development, and for Sohu, benefited from two aspects, one is to enhance UGC content, the second is to avoid advertising business diversion.

In Sohu Video launched a series of homemade drama, more well-known "cock silk man", "Acura Lady", "hurried that year" and so on, it is said that "cock silk men," the total amount of play has been more than 2 billion, "Acura lady" The number of women has exceeded 900 million. Sohu Video of the homemade drama has achieved large-scale profit, advertising scale comparable to the TV drama level. The advantages of homemade dramas are obvious-low cost and quick results.

Star-building: The big fire to the line, the star effect is significant

On the surface, Sohu Video strategy is the core of content, in fact, in addition to quality content, Sohu video also cares about the star resources behind the content. The process of exerting the homemade drama is not only a process of making stars, but also a process of integrating star resources. "Cock Silk man" 30 seconds a smile, 1 minutes a star mode, became the highest volume of network homemade play.

The video, the Burning Money fire, has now been burned to the bottom of the line. On Halloween night, the Sohu Video holds the American drama Party, including Zhou, Yu, SA and so on many stars come to join in, accept the On-the-spot media interview. This is the brand of Sohu video, natural is the effect is remarkable. The star effect created by Sohu Video is gradually releasing energy. Interestingly, the party coincided with Zhang's birthday, and his presence gave the atmosphere a climax.

From online video to the online American drama party, there are industry people ridicule, this is not "video O2O"? This is the video O2O. There is no online accumulation, to create a not out of the atmosphere of the party, on the contrary, the offline star created by the effect of the line provides a lot of content, but also make the online brand more influential.

Zhang also said: "The video site to buy copyright and homemade play ' two legs ' walk." Compared to the former, the leg of the homemade drama apparently gives the body more support.