Like many people, from 17:00 PM today (January 26, 2016), my wechat moments were flooded with countless pictures of red envelopes (Posting a treasured photo, which can only be seen if my friends send a red envelope) in a very short period of time, and it lasted until 18th: About 10 minutes, during which almost all the colleagues around are playing this new circle of friends picture game.

This novel and the printing of a game, circle of friends is sea situation, literature and art, whimsy, sexy pictures of various variety, male, female of ticket, released relationships of all kinds of unusual at ordinary times “impulsive behavior” emerge in endlessly, even someone in order to “into” red envelopes, specifically his own head and nicknames such as aoi, Then he sent a bunch of photos of his private house to attract red envelopes. The red envelope picture is like a powerful nuclear warhead, instantly detonating the whole circle of friends.

As a product manager, I couldn’t miss any opportunity to get close to a great product, so I experienced this “flash in the pan” new product myself. In the process of experience, I deeply felt that this is wechat after a long time carefully planned a product, there are too many products worth every one to do product learning. Now, let me pick up this “red envelope picture” product for you.

Let’s start by looking at how the game is played.

Step 1: The small camera entry that sends pictures to friends has turned light brown

PM Volcano comment:

  • Wechat’s large flow entrance has become the basis for activities to detonate the circle of friends in such a short time
  • Sharing the status entry of moments reduces the acquisition cost of users;
  • A slight color change to inform the user that this feature is different from the original state;

Step 2: After clicking in, there is an option: red envelope picture, and prompt to keep this function until 20:00 PM

(Forgot screenshots)

PM Volcano comment:

  • The second step of the user operation process adopts a minimalist design, users do not need to learn, minimize the loss of users;
  • Time limit, so that users have a sense of urgency, to participate as soon as possible, otherwise there will be no opportunity; (This sense of urgency forced me to stop what I was doing and experience it.)

Step 3: Choose a photo

PM Volcano comment:

  • We all have pictures at the bottom of our boxes. We treasure them not because they are beautiful, but because they often represent our stories and memories. These photos often leave us in a very conflicted state, because on the one hand, we don’t want too many people to know about it on Wechat, but on the other hand, we want someone to talk to and share with (like announcing our relationship). This is not necessarily the user’s pain point, but certainly can be regarded as the user’s itch point. The word “treasured photos” instantly activated the user’s most own story memories, just find the user’s itch point; The format of “other friends send red envelopes to see” and “delete photos at zero” ensures that these stories can be shared with a small number of people without going viral, and that you can receive a small amount of red envelopes. So, not only does it tickle the user, it makes the user feel good. In fact, this is also the key reason why this product can explode the circle of friends.
  • Only one photo is supported, which reduces the user’s participation cost to the greatest extent. Choose the blur display after the photo, so that users can preview the style after the release, minimalist processing, no learning cost;
  • As a warm color red department, warm and passionate, strongly stimulated the user’s enthusiasm for participation; The color of the red envelope as the background, not only metaphorically the concept of “red envelope”, but also highlights the difference with other ordinary moments pictures sent;

From the point of view of the release process, the whole process is very short, basically three steps can be completed, and each link is basically adopted a minimalist design, users do not need to learn, acquisition cost is very low, which allows users to participate in the fastest speed. However, in the moments of friends of users, after the completion of other users’ sending, the moments of friends have changed a lot accordingly:

First, the status of the name and comment button color turned brown, small image blurred

PM volcano interpretation:

  • The color of the entrance is the same as before, and the effect of the small picture is the same as the preview effect of the originator. The overall product consistency is relatively good.
  • Because it is valid before 20:00, it should be deleted before midnight. Its display mode reminds users that this state is different from other states. In other words, wechat also wants to tell users that you should not be surprised if this state can not be seen later.

Second, when clicking on the picture, part of the random holes are clearly visible

PM volcano interpretation:

1, blurred images let users vaguely see the general content, small holes let users see a little bit of content, but also strongly stimulate the user’s curiosity, and then everyone’s deep heart more or less have that little peep desire; (Human weakness)

2. The lower part of the big picture is the key entrance for sending red packets to see photos. The cost is not high and the operation is very simple.

3. A small but delicate banner advertising space appears below the big picture. This little banner appear only in order to open a larger view, and in the lower part of the main visual range, for the user to see a larger version of the application scenario did not cause too much interference, so that later on I ask colleagues did you see the first few pictures inside what are some of the ads, they should also ask me that, “oh, where there is advertising, didn’t see it! ” It seems that this is indeed from the user’s point of view confirmed zhang Xiaolong has been stressed “do not disturb the user”The product designThe principle. In fact, this banner also reveals some clues of wechat’s next actions, which will be interpreted in detail in the second half of this article.

Third, the red envelope numbers are randomly generated

PM volcano interpretation:

1, randomly generated numbers to replace manual input, minimalist design, reduce user operation steps;

2. Most of the digital amount is between 0.6-3 yuan, and the participation threshold is very low, which reduces the participation cost of users and improves their enthusiasm for participation;

3, set up the secret payment, this humble entrance actually revealed a Wolf ambition of wechat, detailed interpretation in the next half;

Fourth, red envelope photos need to be sent to the red envelope before the likes and comments

PM volcano interpretation:

  • Don’t send red envelopes, even like and comment don’t let you operate. Can not directly like live comment status, increase the sending rate of red envelopes; (Increased participation)

Of course, this product may have a lot of commendable places, space is limited, I will not list one by one, in a word, from the point of view of product design, red envelope picture products are almost perfect!

If you have been able to see our products through the above wechat, congratulations, you can be considered as a qualified product manager. However, to be an excellent or even excellent product manager, it is far from enough to see these things, because behind this short-lived product, there are actually many strategic plans of Zhang Xiaolong or Ma Ge for the wechat empire in 2016 and even the next few years, and many small moves of zhang Xiaolong. For instance advertisement banner, avoid secret payment also revealed zhang Xiaolong some Wolf child ambition. Maybe you’re a more mature product manager when you can see that. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = I am separated line = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

[next]

Yesterday afternoon (January 27, 2016), the red envelope picture incident immediately became a hot issue on Weibo and wechat. Today, weibo is even hot comments that “the haze has blown to the moments of friends”, “in the future, I will be so poor that I can’t even visit moments of friends”. So, the circle of friends in the gods began to guide jiangshan, from all angles of all directions to evaluate the red envelope picture this hot event. After reading a lot of articles, I found that although there were some subtle interpretations, most of them were superficial, and few could really understand wechat’s thinking behind the incident, let alone capture Zhang Xiaolong’s Wolf ambition from this small red envelope picture incident.

Although the red envelope picture is just a small gesture of Zhang Xiaolong, the cognition of the red envelope picture can reflect the position of a product manager from the side. From this point of view, I think product manager can be divided into three positions:

Product beginning – understand how to play the red envelope picture

This is the base level for junior product managers. The product manager in this section can basically understand how to play the red envelope picture (consistency, minimalist design, low participation cost, etc.), why it can trigger the circle of friends, (itch spot, comparison, snooping and other human weaknesses) I have done a detailed interpretation of these contents in the previous chapter, so I will not repeat them here. (If you are interested, you can follow the wechat public account PM Volcano and reply to “red envelope pictures”)

Anyone who has worked as a product manager for a year or two and read a few good books will probably understand all of this. If you do not fully understand it, it means that you may not have a basic, but still need to further study and experience; If you’ve been in this position for more than two years and still haven’t figured it all out, you might want to rethink whether you’re a good fit for this role.

Product middle – see the next stage of wechat product trends

This is the standard level for intermediate product managers. Product managers at this level can not only understand how to play picture red packets, but also predict some trends of wechat in the next period. The red envelope picture is only zhang Xiaolong’s first jump in 2016, but in fact, it has revealed part of wechat’s next stage of product trends, so what can product managers at this stage see specifically? To name a few chestnuts:

1, Spring Festival gala red envelope war before the warm-up

More than 80% of middle product managers can see this. As a TV program with strong ability to attract attention, The Spring Festival Gala has always been a competitive place for businesses. Since 2014, the Spring Festival Gala began to introduce Internet red envelopes as an auxiliary material for the gala. However, judging from the situation in the past two years, the night of the Spring Festival Gala has almost become the night of red envelopes. Fewer and fewer people will seriously watch the gala, but everyone has a mobile phone constantly shaking, and the red envelopes of the Spring Festival Gala become more and more overwhelming. Such promotion of good opportunity, micro channel pay treasure two natural won’t let go. The 2016 Spring Festival Gala was gobbled up by Old Ma’s Alipay, even though he said at the Internet conference that there would be new ways to celebrate the red envelopes. In order to seize the opportunity of the Spring Festival, wechat is not willing to lose the Spring Festival Gala. In order to seize the opportunity of the Spring Festival, it has even issued all advertising revenue as a red envelope to users as an incentive. And this seems to be a flash in the pan red envelope picture function, in fact, is an advance of the Spring Festival gala red envelope preheating.

2. New attempts at red envelope gameplay

After the birth of wechat red envelope, due to its strong market performance, led peers to follow suit, Alipay, JINGdong, Public Dianping, eleam, and even Tencent system within the old-time QQ and other major platforms have launched their own differentiated design of red envelope on the basis of wechat red envelope. However, since its birth in 2014, wechat red envelope itself has hardly made much improvement. Therefore, picture red envelope may be a new attempt and exploration of wechat’s own red envelope gameplay.

3. New attempts to commercialize the circle of friends

Zhang Xiaolong has always stressed not to disturb users, to easily disturb all the behavior of users (such as advertising) very cautious attitude, so that in the circle of friends has been born three or four years later, we can still have a relatively clean and comfortable circle of friends. Any other app, let alone with hundreds of millions of daily active users, or even with 10 or 20 million daily active users, would be awash with ads. It is not difficult to find that the commercialization process of wechat circle of friends has been relatively slow, and the reason must have a lot to do with The product proposition of Xiao Longge. However, after all, wechat is a commercial product, commercial products can not have the appeal of commercialization, therefore, in such a picture red envelope, under normal circumstances, the user can not see, click on the big picture to see a very small and humble advertising banner at the bottom of the effective visual range. Such a way of advertising is also very likely to be a wechat will be a new commercial attempt to minimize the user’s disturbance. (Please refer to above for details)

Can be based on a small action to predict the next phase of the trend of some of the above wechat product manager, the basic product manager industry can be regarded as the backbone. In fact, I see many product managers who post comments on red envelope pictures in wechat moments are at least in such a position. But is this the end of the product manager’s thinking? Apparently not!

Product level – understand the business logic behind wechat trends

In the high section of the product manager, not only to predict the next phase of the trend of wechat, but also to analyze the wechat this series of trends behind the deeper level of business logic and zhang Xiaolong accidentally revealed the Wolf ambitions. Specifically, three aspects of interpretation:

1, to create a sharp knife to seize the Internet financial market

We know that wechat is doing preheating for the Spring Festival Gala red envelope, and also know that this may be wechat’s new attempt to new ways of red envelope products, but why wechat should spend so much effort to push red envelope? Because wechat wants to create a sharp knife to seize the Internet financial market!

Internet finance is a big cake, almost all platform products will compete for the future. In fact, in the field of Internet finance, Relying on the booming development of e-commerce in recent years, Alipay has taken the lead in both capital precipitation (margin, custody fund) and Internet finance (Yu ‘ebao). Despite coveting the big cake of Internet finance, before 2014, wechat platform of social gene did not have a good entry point and was always in a relatively weak position.

However, since the birth of Wechat red envelope in 2014, due to its minimalist design and fresh and interesting gameplay, it soon attracted a large number of ordinary users to use and share the spread. To use a red envelope you have to tie the card, to send a red envelope you have to save money, all of a sudden, wechat with the user card real money link up. After receiving and receiving red envelopes, many users did not withdraw the change, the change not withdrawn is actually in wechat’s own pocket, and on the basis of the volume of wechat user group, this constitutes a huge amount of wechat capital precipitation, and this precipitation cycle may be very long! Moreover, after binding bank cards, wechat can start to set foot in all kinds of payment fields, connecting e-commerce to make online payment, connecting merchants to make O2O offline payment, etc., forming a key bridge connecting everything.

Why wechat push red envelopes, now understand? Clearly, wechat has been rewarded. This is actually the reason why wechat and even other wechat followers spend so much effort to create a red envelope system!

Wechat layout of Internet finance is determined to be huge, therefore, the knife is polished and support is regardless of the cost, do not believe we can also look at wechat push red envelope this strength in the end how much:

You may have seen the advertisement below the big picture, but I think you may not have noticed that a large part of the advertisement is for wechat red envelope and another product called “Wealth management Pass”. You may not have noticed that when you grabbed a red envelope on wechat, there happened to be a quick financial entry for Qiantong. You may not have noticed, but somewhere along the way, your wechat red envelope has an entry point for quick money management…

You may have seen the wechat Red envelope push no secret payment, but I don’t think you have thought about what that little button means. Let me help you to pick up the impact of this thing, as we all know, payment is a process, in any process, every step of the operation may lead to the loss of users, once input password, there is the possibility of typing wrong. According to the current wechat payment method, you have to enter six digits, even if you don’t need to click the final confirmation and the password is correct, it means you have to do it six times. Wechat has 600 million active users. Let’s assume that 1% of wechat users have signed up for secret-free payment, and calculate it according to the frequency of payment per person per week:

Reduced number of user operations per month =6 x 600 million x %x4= 144 million/month

Just imagine how much a reduction in the number of operations of this magnitude would increase trading. Now you can understand why wechat shakes to make secret payment free. In the final analysis, the red envelope is a sharp knife to seize the heights of the Internet financial market. Through this knife to the layout of online financial management, the first payment of the commercial territory, and ultimately achieve wechat to connect all the Wolf ambition.

2, seize the new heights of Internet intellectual property

China’s Internet industry has always been a weak area of INTELLECTUAL property protection, with chaos and copycat rampant. Up to now, there is still no good intellectual property protection system and leading enterprises to do this. Chaos means opportunity, and the more chaos there is, the more opportunities there are in places where politics is needed, and obviously, Little Dragon brother knows this very well. Therefore, wechat in the recent has begun to do some original protection of wechat public accounts, has achieved some results.

Wechat in the public test activity of giving red envelopes to see pictures, in another way is actually paid to see pictures, and this activity emphasizes the “treasured pictures” represents what? Original!!! If you want to watch original content, you may have to pay for it.

No, you didn’t! The next thing xiao Longge wants to do is to seize the new heights of Internet intellectual property rights and establish a new benchmark for intellectual product protection. This is the little dragon elder brother in the connection of all the other Wolf son ambition!

Finally, I would like to say that the picture red envelope event should come to an end, but it brings us thinking and enlightenment is far from stopping, to be an excellent or even excellent product manager, we have to do and must do is:

Keep learning, keep thinking!