Unlike in the West, Chinese people hardly ever visit company websites or use emails for communication. This has led brands to seek methods of “capturing” these consumers’ attention by creating exclusive content on social media platforms. Companies attract consumers, by bringing them to their private traffic pools, where they can attract them with special offers and exclusive pieces.
Consequently, the notion of “private traffic” (私域流量 si yu liuliang in Chinese) has become a popular term amongst marketers. This is similar to having an owned channel such as a blog or email list — a private traffic pool that can be cultivated and managed by brands. Today, private traffic operations are one of the best ways for customer acquisition and many foreign brands are willing to adopt private traffic strategy to offer more personalized services to their customers.
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What does Private Traffic stand for?
For companies looking to maximize control and keep customer acquisition cost low, private traffic is the optimal choice. Leveraging these options can help firms reach their target customers with ease while providing advanced analytics for improved insights.
Some of the popular Chinese social media sites that provide private traffic channels are:
- WeChat Moments
- WeChat Mini Programs
- Wecom Accounts
- WeChat Official Accounts
- QQ Accounts
What does Public Traffic stand for?
Direct public traffic also referred to as platform traffic, is not exclusive to one single user. It’s the collective attention that brands may purchase with various types of ads or visibility ranking promos on popular e-commerce platforms such as T-mall or JD.com. Yet the cost of this type of targeting consumer groups can increase over time.
What are the advantages of private traffic for brands?
By utilizing private traffic through social media platforms, brands can:
1- Target a specific audience
Private traffic allows brands to target a specific audience, rather than selling to a broad group. This makes selling more successful and efficient as it helps to maximize the conversion rate by targeting customers who are already interested in the product. When they join private traffic pools, they can be sure of what to expect, hoping for valuable and personalized services in exchange for their time and customer engagement.
2- Create tailored marketing campaigns in private traffic pools
Private traffic also allows for improved insights into customer preferences, buying behaviors, and demographics. Brands can use this data to create more personalized selling campaigns, which can result in higher ROI.
3- Utilize a cost-effective method of selling
Selling through private traffic is also a cost-effective method of selling as it eliminates the need to invest in expensive visibility ranking promotions. Additionally, selling through private pools can often be faster and easier than selling via public channels. The customer acquisition cost is also lower in private traffic.
4- Develop better customer service
By selling through private traffic, brands will also have access to better customer service, resulting in higher customer satisfaction and retention. Selling through private traffic can also open up the possibility of selling exclusive products not available in public traffic.
5- Build trust with potential customers
Finally, selling through private sources in China can help build trust with potential customers by offering targeted content that resonates with their needs and interests. This type of personalization can demonstrate that a brand understands its customers, which could lead to repeat purchases and long-term loyalty.
What is the inner-working of private traffic operations within WeChat’s ecosystem?
With a staggering 1.2 billion monthly active users, WeChat has become an incredibly popular all-in-one app for private communication and data traffic exchange. As such, selling through private traffic within WeChat’s ecosystem is an effective and efficient way to reach potential customers in China.
WeCom (WeChat Work)
WeCom facilitates retail companies to efficiently manage and retain customers by integrating WeChat and other connectivity solutions. Moreover, it provides applications such as sign-in and WeChat Group that amplify the interaction between the company and users.
WeChat Moments
WeChat Moments is the cornerstone of word-of-mouth marketing plus viral connection in private traffic, as well as being a prime position for brand advertising. By leveraging WeChat Moments, you can maximize your reach with an engaged audience interested in what you have to offer. You can also collaborate with Key Opinion Consumers, which will help you reach new customers and attract them to your private channels.
WeChat Official Accounts
WeChat Official Account gives brands the platform to build their official account, and broadcast powerful brand stories, and detailed information about what the brand has to offer. With interactive campaigns, it enables them to engage with customers at scale – boosting loyalty & promoting growth.
WeChat Mini Programms
Launched a couple of years ago WeChat Mini Programs enable developing mini-programs significantly faster than producing downloadable applications, and end users don’t need to bother with a complex installation or download process.
The user base of WeChat Mini-Programs had grown to an impressive 850 million users recently- a 12% surge from the preceding year! Consumers are leveraging mini-apps to shop online, get custom services, receive coupons, order food, or book hotel or plane tickets with ease. Truly a convenient way for performing daily tasks!
WeChat Channels
WeChat Channel is WeChat’s built-in video platform that leverages users’ social networks to curate content tailored for them. With this innovative system, viewers can find the videos they care about quickly and easily!
Utilizing WeChat Channel videos may truly be advantageous for many businesses. With the rise of short video usage, these videos are quite easily shared from one user to another. If a business links its WeChat Channels with Official Accounts as well as Mini Programs, it will allow them to reach an even wider range of customers quickly through shared content.
Do you want to build a private traffic network on WeChat?
Discover how with these simple steps.
- To get started, create your WeChat official account to efficiently communicate with customers and offer individualized services.
- Next, garner attention for your brand and promote content, and post high-quality materials on WeChat Moments.
- Thirdly, leverage public traffic to promote your brand-owned sales channels like mini-programs and create a successful connection between e-commerce and social platform marketing.
- Finally, tie everything together by creating a public account that will give access to its mini-program on the homepage and posts. This facilitates traffic circulation across multiple platforms.
Overall, selling through private traffic in China can be a powerful strategy for brands wanting to reach more customers and increase sales. By taking advantage of the benefits of selling through private sources, brands can gain an edge over competitors while growing their customer base and revenue. With the right approach, selling through private traffic in China can be a profitable endeavor for any business.
We have experience with private traffic sales in China
Are you interested in the Chinese market? Let us help you establish your brand in this booming market and make selling through private traffic in China easy.
We are China digital marketing company with more than 10 years of experience. We offer many solutions for brands, helping them reach their goals in China. We offer tailor-made services, depending on your company’s values, goals, and budget.
Contact us today to learn more. We offer a free consultation with one of our experts, that will learn about your brand and present the best solutions for the Chinese market.
