Broad Spectrum Positioning Science Of Tencent

In the impression of people,

So, someone came from

In marketing, there are many people who share the same view.

In recent years, I have heard similar stories many times.

One theory is that Tencent started to do instant messaging, and QQ did a good job. This is a good thing to do with the QQ space associated with it.

Tencent wants to do everything but blur its professional image in the field of instant messaging, which is just the opposite.

Besides, everyone in the Internet industry has their own strengths. Every company has limited resources and capabilities. How can you do well?

Another argument is that people's brand impression of QQ has been limited to entertainment and making friends. QQ's user base is mainly teenagers, and it is difficult to develop to white-collar and business users.

Hearing this, I had to laugh, "friend, you are OUT!"

Tencent energy

The above two statements represent two basic dimensions of brand positioning, one is product positioning, two is consumer positioning.

According to popular saying, in these two dimensions, the positioning should be as fine and clear as possible. The purpose is to become a representative of a niche market, and set up the image of "experts" in the minds of consumers (such as air conditioning experts, direct selling computers).

The final result is that the competition between brands is different, and each needs its own needs.

But in fact, Tencent has been developing new products, even though others have already established clear positioning in a niche market, such as Shanda in the game area and MSN in the field of business instant messaging.

Tencent continuously expands its product line (and basically uses Tencent and QQ brand) to expand its user structure.

Some people believe that Tencent is an Internet company that does not focus on long-term planning. Product development is aimed at the user market and pursue short-term benefits.

However, what makes the positioning theory disappointed is that while maintaining the dominance of the instant messaging market, we are building a strong advantage.

On the basis of online living platform, Tencent is building an ecosystem including netizens, enterprises, stationmaster and so on. At the netizen level, it meets users' needs of communication, information, entertainment and business. At the enterprise level, with the wisdom of Tencent, through the relationship chain, it can provide online marketing solutions for enterprises by visual frequency, IM (enterprise QQ), portal, video, wireless and so on.

In Ma Huateng's words, "the three major trends in the development of Internet in the future are, first, the formation of an individual centered social network; secondly, the extension of Internet applications from individuals to enterprises; third, the integration of offline life and online life".

The ecosystem of "online wonderful and wonderful life" built by Tencent is being formed. In this ecosystem, no matter product or brand positioning problem or consumer low age problem, it will no longer become a problem and obstacle.

Tencent's instant messaging (QQ) is not only far ahead of the number of active users and the number of online users (Tencent's second quarter earnings report, QQ's active user number is 568 million 600 thousand). On business users, it also surpassed Microsoft's MSN a few years ago, becoming the mainstream of Online communication between office white-collar and SME business people.

According to incomplete statistics, the number of users in the office area of QQ is only 5 times that of MSN.

What is even more amazing is that the Tencent network, which has made a successful effort, has won the respect of most knowledge-based netizens and media colleagues with its independent topic selection and editing ability.

With the growth of Tencent users and Tencent, today's user groups are becoming mainstream and become mainstream consumer groups in today's society.

Tencent is no longer the place where people imagined "little child" to have fun ten years ago.

It's incredible. What kind of energy does Tencent have to surpass itself and develop quickly?

Why can Tencent? I was a fan of Tencent when it launched OICQ in 1999.

At that time, people were still young. OICQ was the right-hand man of chicks. She often had a teenage girl, 20 year old lonely girl who took the initiative to chat with you.

Later I heard that there was MSN, which was a communication tool between white collar and business people. I thought I was also a white-collar worker. How could I mix with a group of little girls and lose my identity? So I threw QQ away to MSN and printed a MSN address on my business card.

A few years passed, and I wondered if QQ was going to die. Suddenly, one day, the managers of small and medium-sized enterprises all over the country used QQ basically.

Those who are 30 years old and over 40 years old are not shy or afraid to drop their QQ numbers.

The reason for this is that besides the QQ number, it is convenient for oral communication. QQ's powerful file pfer function, convenient group chat and screenshot function are not available for MSN.

In addition to good use and fun, occasionally with friends and customers make funny faces, happy and happy.

It seems that "old comrades" are not unable to use QQ. QQ has contributed to helping the mainstream Chinese people become relaxed and interesting.

From this analysis, the number of QQ in white-collar and business people is several times that of MSN, which is a logical thing.

Many people in the Internet industry say that Tencent has achieved success in many fields by relying on QQ's huge user base.

Tencent used the first mover advantage to occupy a large number of users, and then continuously developed these users, increasing applications, accumulating and enlarging.

It should be said that this factor is not excluded. In the communications and Internet industry, the advantage of the first group of users is obvious. However, MSN once had more than QQ business users. Why did it not rise or fall? Many antivirus software, downloading tools, and playback software also have tens of millions of users. Why not expand the products and users? Is the user easy to be surrounded by one of your functions? {page_break}

In my opinion, Tencent is a product driven, customer value driven company.

Just like its slogan of "user value as its guide", it focuses on user needs and usage habits, constantly polishing, carving and improving the details of products, striving to do better.

Almost every product of Tencent can find the advantages of similar products, so that users can get a more perfect and intimate experience.

How can they be unhappy if they are good products, rich in variety and convenient to use?

There are sure to be many marketers who ask: is it right to win a competitor as long as the product is better or better than others? If your product can not be perceived by consumers, it can not occupy a favorable position in the minds of consumers, and a good product is no good.

Yes! Can we rely on products to win the world? The key is to see what kind of product your product belongs to and what kind of relationship it has with consumers.

I divide the relationship between products and consumers into four types (quadrants).

In the first quadrant, the needs of consumers are mainly applied in practice, and the value of products can be identified. What enterprises need to do is to do their best and create greater value for consumers.

This value can be perceived by consumers in the process of consumers' use. Advertising only shortens the time for consumers to contact and try products.

For such products, positioning is a piece of chicken ribs, dispensable.

Coincidentally, most of the Internet products belong to this section.

This is just right for people like Ma Huateng who don't like to talk about strategy, immerse themselves in researching products and customers' needs.

Positioning is not a shackle.

This forms the philosophy of Tencent: focus on products and user experience.

Simple and old-fashioned, it works.

In many places, it breaks our understanding of the concept of positioning and makes us clearer.

First, for products that are mainly practical applications and consumers have the ability to identify, the function and performance of products are the first or even the most.

As long as we can better meet the needs of consumers, products will be rapidly passed through word of mouth and sales will increase rapidly.

Second, consumers do not need to be "different" instead of "better". They do not have patience to distinguish "better". They only need time.

For these products, as long as you can be unique or excellent, your user positioning is broad and comprehensive. You can completely take all consumers without fear that the initial brand image will create psychological barriers to the entry of another user.

In fact, the temptation of function is so strong that consumers who pursue practicality will not stop looking for footsteps, and step by step across the so-called positioning barriers.

If you restrict yourself from a consumer's perspective, it's like fixing your hands and legs.

The correct path is: starting from a core user group, gradually covering the entire consumer group.

Products compatible and compatible, and new products with fine-tuning will be introduced.

For example, Tencent QQ is widely welcomed by business users, and enterprises across the country have completely lifted the ban on QQ.

There is a saying in the long tail theory that, in the Internet age, products are no longer divided into high-end, middle and low ends, but only one standard is whether the user needs it.

Thirdly, product diversification and brand positioning are not feasible.

The key is whether consumers are willing to accept whether this model can bring value to consumers.

Whether the location is wide or narrow, the adoption of multiple brands or single brands depends on the needs and interests of consumers.

Consumers can accept the following considerations:

Can a.'s new products provide new value?

Is there any correlation between B. and new products?

Is there any convenience (synergy) in the use of C.?

Is d. easy to understand and memorize?

If the answer to these questions is "yes", then the diversification of products and the adoption of a single brand are no harm.

What enterprises need to do is to abstract a dominant concept.

For example, Tencent has positioned itself as "online living community", putting forward the concept of "one-stop Internet service", which extends to many fields such as search.

Fourth, the so-called "leading brand", which has taken the lead in the minds of consumers, is not indestructible.

As long as you can see that the other side is flawed and have the ability to improve, you hasten to do well, do not worry about the reaction immediately.

A successful brand is often too self assured, or because its organizational structure and profit model solidify, it is difficult to fundamentally adjust.

For example, Lianzhong and Shanda were overtaken by Tencent.

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