Is Tmall’s elimination of package card traffic generation paving the way for DingTalk’s private domain?

DingTalk, which has always been regarded as a work software by users, is now also going private. What's going on? Recently, Tmall eliminated the package card diversion, is it paving the way for DingTalk's private domain?

Is DingTalk also going to start doing private domain? Isn’t it used for clocking in and chatting about work?

On June 28, an advertisement for a women's clothing brand's event appeared on the opening page of the DingTalk App, directly attracting users to add to the brand's fan group. This tactic instantly caused quite a stir.

“Could it be that Tmall’s ban on package card traffic diversion since July is to clear the way for DingTalk Private Domain, another platform under Alibaba?”

Various private domain operation communities have started to watch DingTalk's expansion into the private domain, and have gathered to discuss DingTalk's intention to enter the private domain.

If the experience of the entire private domain traffic flow is relatively smooth, you can directly reach the community from the splash screen ad or by scanning the code, you will receive a welcome message for new members of the community, and you can be directed to Taobao to receive coupons. If you are not a member of the store, you will be guided to open the membership to receive the coupons.

Those added to the group were all businesses and private domain operation colleagues, turning the brand fan group into a private domain communication group for business colleagues. As the group went off topic more and more, the group was set to a mute group.

In order to allow peers to better communicate about DingTalk private domain and avoid turning the brand group into a gossip group, the platform officials also opened a business peer communication group. In the communication group, everyone put forward various "opinions" on Alibaba's recent private domain initiatives.

01 Four major issues of DingTalk private domain

From what everyone in the group said, there are four points of confusion about DingTalk private domain:

1. The problem of crowd positioning: When you open DingTalk, it has a strong class-like feel. Is it really suitable for C-end people to do private domain?

2. Social scenario issues: DingTalk’s market share in the enterprise application market is less than 50%, and it lacks user awareness. Who would be willing to chat on DingTalk?

The essence of private domain is based on user relationships and the establishment of trust. DingTalk has no content or personality, only merchants. It is just like changing the Taobao group to an application scenario that workers often open.

3. Product positioning issues: Shopping groups and work groups are mixed together, and the shopping experience is not good. Some friends also suggested that DingTalk should first position itself as a work enabler and improve basic capabilities such as OA and documents. In addition, what are the positioning of Taobao groups, Alipay communities, and DingTalk private domains? There seem to be many touchpoints, but the penetration rate of each private domain touchpoint is very low.

4. Industry awareness issues: If DingTalk wants to expand into the private domain, it must first educate practitioners who previously used WeChat to do private domain work, from uploading to the boss to issuing instructions to employees. Without a cognitive foundation, it will be difficult to promote DingTalk’s private domain.

If the four questions of crowd, scenario, product and cognition are not answered to merchants and users, the private domains of Taobao, Tmall and DingTalk can only attract the attention of the industry but fail to bring real benefits to real sellers and buyers.

02 Taobao + DingTalk, the start of private domain?

According to information from the 2024 DingTalk Ecosystem Conference on June 26, Taobao has opened a DingTalk portal, which means that users can use their DingTalk accounts to scan the code to log in to the Taobao web version. On some product detail pages, there is an entrance to the "DingTalk fan group", which allows them to directly join the fan group created by the merchant.

However, DingTalk’s social capabilities are currently open to targeted merchants, and Taobao merchants need to apply for them themselves and then pass review and activation.

Therefore, the integration of Taobao and DingTalk is a move by Alibaba in the private domain e-commerce.

This move not only helps merchants establish more direct connections with consumers, but also ensures the flow of traffic and data within the Alibaba system, enhancing Alibaba's control over private domain traffic. However, for DingTalk, which has a strong class flavor, this challenge and pressure are very great.

The implementation of Tmall's new regulations is a blow to merchants who rely on package cards to attract traffic, but it also forces merchants to find new private domain operation methods. In this context, the emergence of DingTalk private domain groups undoubtedly provides merchants with a new option.

Merchants can build and operate their own fan groups within Alibaba's ecosystem, and stay in touch with customers through regular content updates, customer service, personalized experience, etc., to enhance customer stickiness. At the same time, Alibaba has a stronger control over private domain traffic by allowing traffic and data to flow within Alibaba itself.

Tmall has blocked external private domain traffic and left the path of private domain operation to DingTalk. While closing a door for merchants, it also opened a small window. Whether there is a ray of sunshine or continuous wind and rain outside this window requires platform education and resource support, and also the awareness and investment of the merchants.

03 What should we do with the private domain of shelf e-commerce?

It has been difficult for peers in the private domain in the past two months, especially for those in the private domain of shelf e-commerce. First, Qiwei banned SCRM that used aggregated chats, followed by Tmall banning WeChat private domain traffic using parcel cards, and now there is another DingTalk private domain. Should we follow suit or not?

Especially for friends in Taobao shelf e-commerce, package cards are the main channel for attracting fans in WeChat private domain. The platform ban has a great impact on private domain traffic, and even worse, it directly kills the private domain operation business.

The image is from the public account Jianshi Share

After seeing some sharing, it is more feasible to summarize:

1. Print a QR code on the product packaging to remind users of product traceability or service rather than discounts. However, this method cannot be used for non-brand stores that are agents or distributors.

2. Attach some product gifts and attach a QR code to the gift stickers to attract traffic. But from my personal experience, if the gifts have been received, there is generally no strong motivation to add WeChat private domains.

Other methods, such as boldly and reasonably using the three-time punishment mechanism, or sending it after a period of time, diverting traffic from the client side, diverting traffic to DingTalk first and then to WeChat private domain, etc.

But in essence, they are all methods of attracting traffic to counter the platform. Although public-to-private is a way to fight against the platform and steal traffic, as the stock trend becomes obvious, each platform will pay more attention to its own traffic closed loop, and the difficulty will continue to increase.

For shelf e-commerce, in addition to the above methods, finding or amplifying the second path of private domain growth is the focus of private domain traffic diversion now and in the future. WeChat private domain has always been the largest private domain scene. The simplest way to judge is where people’s social interaction is, there is the private domain e-commerce scene.

This also gives many businesses an inspiration. Don’t regret not accumulating private domain WeChat users before the platform is banned. This hopefully serves as a wake-up call to business friends who are engaged in content e-commerce or live streaming e-commerce.

04 It is becoming increasingly difficult to find growth in the existing stock in the private domain

I mentioned in my 2023 year-end live broadcast that in 2024, each platform will strengthen its own closed-loop operations and build its own "private domain" scenarios, and each public domain touchpoint will be able to form a closed loop of "product-effect-sales".

In the process of finding incremental growth in the existing stock, private domain is not just a synonym for the exclusive WeChat ecosystem. Each platform will establish and deepen its own private domain influence and keep the platform traffic on its own platform as much as possible.

No one wants the platform traffic to flow out in vain. Even if you want to divert traffic, you have to pay a "toll" and apply for permission before you can divert traffic to a third-party platform. This is reasonable at the platform level. If you don't pay the toll, it is natural to be restricted and punished if you are detected to have external diversion.

Therefore, by creating natural traffic or matrix accounts, while using the number of accounts to fight against algorithm uncertainty, it is also a preparation to fight against the platform's diversion of traffic to the WeChat private domain.

For example, Xiaohongshu was also strengthening the private domain concept of "group chat" before June 18th, gathering interested users within its own platform. At the same time, it completed the entire private domain process, from content to purchase results, around group chat + live broadcast + in-group purchase + notes.

From the perspective of the platform's own ecological development, it is healthy, and we also see the value of private domains to the platform, merchants and users. However, even if a platform like Xiaohongshu has a good community atmosphere, there are also a large number of benchmark cases used for industry education.

But in fact, I have also added many different brand communities or ordinary business groups. Apart from posting live broadcast previews and forwarding notes, there are actually no specific operational actions.

What’s worse, some personal IP-based communities still use the hook of diverting traffic to WeChat private domains to obtain information, and only use the community as a diversion scenario.

On the other hand, if DingTalk’s private domain does not have the advantage of social connections among acquaintances, nor does it have high-quality content and community atmosphere, and is only based on the relationship between merchants and office workers, how can it complete the conditions for accumulating private domains in a short period of time?

A friend who works in the footwear and apparel industry recalled that when Alibaba's new retail trend was emerging in 2016 and 2017, Alibaba encouraged store clerks to guide customers to download DingTalk and scan the code to register as members, paying two yuan for each registration. However, after a period of time, the project came to nothing and did not achieve any results.

Today, seven or eight years later, Taobao and DingTalk have once again cooperated deeply to enter the private domain scenario. At present, there are still many questions that need time to be answered.

The problem that our business colleagues need to solve is more urgent. What should we do after the package card powder is cut off?

First, determine which platforms to build your own "private domain" business;

Second, WeChat private domain is still the core, and choosing which paths to use for continuous traffic generation is still the top priority for private domain players.

Ultimately, the only safety line against traffic risks is to take control of the user's operating rights in one's own hands.

Source: LearningBeta