This is the traffic code of Zibo barbecue!

This article reviews the Zibo barbecue explosion and asks what factors drive traffic. Finally, it draws conclusions from two main aspects and gives some suggestions on how to attract traffic to more niche cities. If you have also paid attention to this hot topic, let's learn together.

It seems that "Zibo BBQ" became popular overnight. News about Zibo BBQ was everywhere on channels such as Douyin, Weibo, and Moments, and the discussion heat of many related topics soared. According to incomplete statistics, topics related to Zibo BBQ on Weibo alone generated nearly 1 billion reads and were on Weibo's hot search list 18 times .

On the Douyin platform, the number of views of short videos related to #ZiboBBQ and #ZiboFood has exceeded 7 billion times.

According to WeChat Index, topics related to Zibo barbecue have remained hot. According to Baidu Index, the search index for Zibo barbecue has shown an upward trend.

Traffic from social media has brought sales to Zibo BBQ, causing its business volume to show explosive growth. However, too good business has also brought troubles to local businesses in Zibo. According to information on hot topics on Weibo, some businesses had to take a three-day break because business was so hot that their employees were overloaded.

As soon as the news came out, it once again sparked heated discussions. Some people praised the boss for being a good and conscientious businessman, while others said that the publicity was excessive.

Amid the mixed reviews, someone pointed out the true meaning of brand management: moderate marketing and improved quality are the only ways to sustain long-term success and attract repeat customers.

At present, the Weibo topic #A barbecue restaurant in Zibo is closed for business because its business is too popular# has been read more than 260 million times.

In addition to the booming offline stores, online orders have also skyrocketed. According to Meituan data, as of April 10, accommodation orders in Zibo during the May Day holiday increased by 800% compared to 2019. It is estimated that 120,000 people will rush to this suddenly popular city during the May Day holiday.

Looking back at the explosion of Zibo barbecue, it is surprising why barbecue, which is common to the public, has become a top trend on social media? In addition to Zibo and barbecue, which are the focus of public attention, what other factors have driven traffic?

1. Using social thinking to do marketing has made Zibo barbecue a top-tier brand

In the era of social media, all traffic can be traced. In addition to the authentic taste of Zibo BBQ, what are the reasons that have driven the surge in traffic of Zibo BBQ?

1. Keep up with social trends and help cities release their charm

In fact, during the International Women's Day, Zibo BBQ became the focus of public attention due to topics such as #Zibo BBQ restaurant was full of college students within one minute of opening# and #College students went to Zibo to eat barbecue#. In the eyes of more people, this Zibo BBQ full of fireworks has a fashionable and youthful influx of young people, revealing a sense of luxury in the ordinary. Relevant departments saw the traffic generated by Zibo BBQ and quickly introduced a series of marketing measures, such as the Zibo Culture and Tourism Bureau launched cultural and creative products related to barbecue, tasting, etc., to "entertain" guests from afar.

According to CCTV News, with the addition of measures such as "barbecue volunteers", "barbecue-themed one-day tours", "Zibo barbecue maps", "barbecue trains" and "barbecue lines", the consumers' experience of eating barbecue in Zibo has been enhanced. The official "escort" of the hot spot has once again attracted people's attention and won unanimous praise from the public, which has retained users for Zibo barbecue and accumulated a good reputation.

At the same time, the popularity of Zibo barbecue has also attracted the attention of official media. People's Daily, CCTV News and other media have reported news about Zibo barbecue, achieving a strong increase in exposure.

From sparking heated discussions to becoming an instant hit, Zibo barbecue has turned the city's characteristics into the expectations of the entire nation, and has demonstrated the city's enthusiasm and sincerity through topic discussions and social services. Zibo has also demonstrated the city's humanistic charm through the more down-to-earth barbecue.

2. Use hot marketing to drive offline sales

Officials have stepped in to protect the city's tourism industry, which is already a hot topic. Zibo BBQ has also used the hot spot + hot spot method to promote Zibo BBQ, which has a sense of life, to people's hearts. Zibo BBQ also uses online hot spots to attract online traffic to stores and drive offline sales. The core point that has helped Zibo BBQ to go viral is: understanding hot spot marketing.

It can be said that revenge tourism is an indisputable fact. In the eyes of more people, spring is a good time to travel. Play during the day and eat special snacks at night to enjoy both the eyes and the mouth. In addition, Zibo barbecue is already well-known in Shandong and has always been the first choice of many young people. With the help of Internet hot spots, Zibo barbecue with its own fireworks has become popular all over the country.

Since the Zibo barbecue craze in March, discussions about Zibo barbecue have been emerging one after another. Taking advantage of this wave of popularity, relevant departments launched a series of activity plans around "Zibo barbecue", which aroused users' strong interest in it. At this time, the official took the opportunity to announce the "May 1st" Zibo Barbecue Festival, and opened 21 barbecue special lines, which once again raised the popularity of the topic and achieved the expansion of the dissemination volume.

It is not difficult to see that by using the barbecue group organized by college students as the entry point for communication, relevant departments have launched theme activities and public services, cleverly transforming the hot spot into an opportunity for city image and cultural communication. Coupled with the creation of theme activities, the Internet hot spot has been turned into urban traffic, achieving effective conversion of online traffic.

3. Use social media to create a sense of ritual and attract more young people

The popularity of Zibo barbecue is not only due to the core Internet thinking, but also closely related to young people's love of showing off their lifestyle and enthusiasm for experience.

Young people have always been the target of brands. According to relevant data, in the hot topics related to "Zibo BBQ", 76.13% of the participants were young people aged 18-40, which also indirectly proves the influence of Zibo BBQ among young audiences. With the increase in the number of participants in the discussion, the popularity of Zibo BBQ has also risen.

The reason for this is that in addition to young people's keen sense of hot spots, it is also inseparable from the sense of table ritual created by Zibo barbecue. By introducing simple meals such as "one table, one stove, and one roll", eating at roadside stalls can also bring "satisfaction" and "warmth" to young people. By stimulating user enthusiasm through emotional value, Zibo's night economy full of fireworks has become the current top trend.

2. Integrate the night economy to drive cultural tourism + barbecue theme consumption

The night economy has always been a focus of discussion on social media. Zibo BBQ has well linked the local barbecue food culture with the current popular tourism, allowing the public's daily short trips to go from being a feast for the eyes to a dual satisfaction of vision and taste buds, and also making Zibo more attractive.

Whether they are college students or office workers, young people generally avoid weekdays when traveling, and choose to go to unique places with a few friends. Zibo barbecue combines food, travel, and leisure, giving busy young people a good place to release negative emotions. Judging from the hot comments of young people on social media, more people are willing to go to Zibo for barbecue, to experience a life with fireworks, to throw away all worries, and to seek a moment of peace.

Through the theme consumption of "culture and tourism + special food", Zibo BBQ has turned Zibo into a city with a strong humanistic atmosphere and warmth, realizing the socialization of local tourism marketing. In addition, the relevant departments have effectively leveraged the hot spots to fully release the charm of the city of Zibo, making more people full of expectations for "culture and tourism +".

3. Finally

From a small city that no one cares about to a top streamer on social media, Zibo BBQ has comforted everyone with its daily life in just over a month, successfully opened up a unique "hardcore" marketing path, and made Zibo BBQ a memorable brand symbol. Looking back at the tourism boom in Zibo, it is not difficult to find the marketing method theory:

1. Strongly associate hot spots with regional culture

Going with the flow, there is a lot to be done, this may be the most brilliant part of Zibo barbecue. After capturing the social hot spots, the relevant departments quickly tied the hot spots to Zibo's local food culture, endowed it with the city's hot spot attributes, set off a craze for eating barbecue in Zibo, and made barbecue a way for people to experience the city's cultural atmosphere.

2. Turn explosive topics into longer-lasting marketing

What’s even more interesting is that after the relevant departments in Zibo discovered the hot spot, they did not simply take advantage of it. Instead, they turned the hot spot into a long-term topic through strategies such as real public services, urban activities, and free cultural and creative products.

3. “Cultural Tourism +” innovation, building a new brand marketing ecosystem

In addition to using hot spots to create new topics, Zibo BBQ has also built its own urban marketing ecology through the innovative model of "culture and tourism +", so that eating barbecue is not only a way to fill the stomach and entertain, but also a way for the public to cheer up and relieve stress, and it is also a city business card of Zibo.

Author: Mr. Bingfa

Source: WeChat public account: "Marketing Art of War (ID: lanhaiyingxiao)"