We need a set of operational plans based on the AARRR model, focusing on the three topics of growth cost, efficiency, and quality for each layer of conversion funnel. With the AARRR model + octagonal behavior analysis method as the theoretical framework, the gamification growth strategy should Born.

1. Introduction

With the increasing concentration of Internet online traffic, products that occupy users’ minds are gradually taking shape, and few new products can continue to attract users. Not to mention maintaining the steady growth of daily activities, it is difficult to increase the number of registered users

The big problem with the KPI index of the product user growth department. Traffic is getting more and more expensive, and the violent user growth strategy of subsidy wars is obviously difficult to maintain the long-term connection between products and users, and the operating cost pressure of products is also unbearable. In order to ensure the maximum utilization of traffic, a data-driven user growth strategy has also emerged.

When it comes to data-driven user growth strategies, the AARRR model is indispensable. We usually split and generalize the growth target into the “AARRR” conversion funnel model, namely: acquisition (acquisition of users), activation (inspiring activity), retention (increasing retention), revenue (increasing revenue), referral (communication recommendation). In this funnel, some of the imported users are lost in a certain link, while the remaining users reach the next link while continuing to use, and realize the final conversion in layers.

The meanings of the five links in the “AARRR” conversion funnel are as follows:

Acquiring users: refers to letting potential users come into contact with the product for the first time, or can be more broadly understood as “attracting traffic.” There are various ways, such as search engine discovery, click on website advertisement to enter, see media report download, etc.

Inspire activity: After acquiring the user, the next step is to guide the user to complete certain “specified actions” to make them a long-term active and loyal user. The “specified action” can be filling out a form, downloading a software, publishing a content, uploading a photo, or any behavior that prompts them to use the product correctly and efficiently.

Improve retention: Users come fast and go fast. The product lacks viscosity, resulting in the continuous influx of new users on the one hand, and rapid loss of them on the other hand. Usually the cost of retaining an old user is much lower than the cost of acquiring a new user. So mentionHigh user retention is an important means to maintain product value and extend the life cycle.

Increase income: Business entities are profit-seeking, and most entrepreneurs are most concerned about income. Even free products in the Internet age should have their own profit model.

Recommendation for communication: The rise of social networks has contributed to the spread of viruses based on user relationships. This is a new way to promote products at low cost. Proper use may lead to explosive growth.

In this article, we will not focus on the data-driven “growth hacking” strategy, let’s think about a few questions:

  • The AARRR model emphasizes data-driven operation strategies, but if multi-dimensional user data cannot be obtained in the initial stage of the product, how to obtain multi-dimensional high-value user behavior data at low cost?

  • AARRR’s user growth model is straightforward, but in addition to operating analysis through long-term data monitoring, is there a faster, efficient, and directly operable growth plan?

  • The AARRR model provides a modular product growth plan, but every layer of the funnel will miss users who do not meet the target conditions. How to directly find high-quality target users at the user acquisition level?

The three questions mainly revolve around three important factors that will be considered when the product department promotes user growth strategies:

  • Increase costs: How to maximize the reduction of product operating costs by acquiring the same number of users;

  • Growth efficiency: How to obtain the maximum product users in comparison with the same operating cycle;

  • The quality of growth: How to increase the proportion of seeds and high potential users by acquiring the same number of users.

From this point of view, no matter how much you know about the concept of the AARRR growth model, there is still no way to start with the actual user growth strategy for new operators or companies that lack a scientific operation plan. Just like familiar”Everyone is a Product Manager” can give you a thorough understanding of the position of a product manager, but it cannot help you become a real product manager.

We need a set of operational plans based on the AARRR model, focusing on the three topics of growth cost, efficiency, and quality, for each layer of the conversion funnel. AARRR model + octagonal behavior analysis method as the theoretical framework, gamification The growth strategy came into being.

II. Octagonal behavior analysis method

The octagonal behavior analysis method is to help game designers to design a product or a thing, including work, life, goal management, team management, etc., so that the product and our work and lifestyle can be more vigorous Implementation and popularization allow people to use the product as if they are playing an interesting game, gaining happiness and a sense of accomplishment, and ultimately helping the company achieve business goals, thus achieving a win-win situation for all parties.

The composition of octagonal behavior analysis method

As shown in the figure above, the octagonal behavior analysis method uses the common octagonal shape plus the core driving forces of eight dimensions corresponding to each corner. These eight core driving forces can help us to design a complete product. The product form and focus of users at different stages of use make users happy to use the product, so that the product can obtain the conversion of user value, and form a continuous improvement platform to provide users with more high-quality products and services.

Limited to space, we will give a brief introduction to the eight major behavior factors. Interested friends can go to Baidu to download specific concepts or cases.

1. Mission-epic meaning and sense of mission

refers to what mankind thinks he is doing, its meaning is more important than the thing itself, he must do his best to accomplish the goal to comfort his inner world.

2. Achievement-growth and sense of accomplishment

It refers to the drive to make progress, learn skills, master mastery and overcome difficulties through the use of products. Challenges are particularly important. Trophies and medals obtained without challenges are meaningless.

3. Authorization-creativity and timely feedback

It can drive players to devote themselves to the creative process, constantly find new things, and try different combinations. Through continuous experience of the process of creation, while focusing on the results of creation, and get timely feedback.

4. Ownership-ownership and sense of ownership

Able to drive the player to own or control a certainWe are prone to get addicted to external motivations. These measures can help increase KPIs in the short term, such as red envelopes and vouchers, which can increase orders for the direct benefits of users. But this approach is very dangerous. Many studies have shown that external motivations weaken internal motivations. Once the extrinsic motivation is stopped in operational activities, users may be lost.

One thing to note in the octagonal behavior analysis method is that the core driving force at the top of the octagon is a very positive driving force, while the motivation at the bottom is negative. The core driving force at the top is called white hat gamification, and the core driving force at the bottom is called black hat gamification.

Let’s take a very extreme example, which is “friend bargaining”. Similar to gamified operation, the best and most successful one is Pinduoduo. The gameplay of “friend bargaining” seems simple and easy to understand, but it actually covers almost all the behavior points in the octagonal behavior method.

  • Mission: “Friend Bargaining” provides the initiator with a goal to complete the bargaining task within a limited time. The material desires of users tend to be completed by users, and the bargaining tasks will continue to strengthen users’ sense of mission.

  • Achievement: Achievement lies in the fact that users complete bargaining tasks by using their personal connections, and successfully get a reward of 0 yuan for the task. Achievement itself does not lie in getting a gift, but in the material mapping of the value of the user’s own network, giving the user a sense of achievement.

  • Own: The prize picture and the introduction detail page drive users to complete the task to own the product.

  • Scarcity: The reminder with xx hours left keeps reminding users that prizes are scarce and bargaining must be completed within the time required. Enhance users’ sense of urgency and commitment to participation.

  • Evasion: Evasion consists of two aspects. On the one hand, users can avoid traditional purchase methods to obtain prizes; on the other hand, task prizes are selected and provided by the platform, allowing users to escape The process of proactively screening products and purchasing, direct contact with purchase behavior.

  • Unknown: The XX yuan that has been chopped is an element known to the user in the task process, but how many yuan can be chopped off at the end of the task is unknown. Curiosity about the unknown drives the user to participate in the task.

  • Social: As the name implies, “friends” bargaining is based on the logic established by the WeChat social chain. Without the social chain of friend relations, tasks cannot be carried out. At the same time, the use of social chains also raises the threshold and interest of the activity.

  • Authorization: The user who helps friends to bargain has created their own user value for this bargaining activity. The amount of money cut by different users is different, and the amount of money cut by each user is brand new, which is the secret of creation.

Using the octagonal behavior analysis method to review Pinduoduo’s “friend bargaining” gameplay, we found that from the in-depth exploration of the product logic of Pinduoduo gamification, we can see that most effective user growth operations are essentially Using the octagonal behavior analysis method based on different user behavior elements, the more flexible and comprehensive the use, the more significant the user growth effect. The best example is the application of the octagonal behavior analysis method to the ultimate “friend bargaining”.

Three. AARRR model + octagonal behavior analysis method, gamification user growth

The above example serves as a stepping stone to introduce how octagonal behavior analysis can be applied to operational growth activities. The example of “friend bargaining” is just a review analysis from the perspective of the octagonal behavior model. Now we analyze it from the dimension of the universal user growth model, linking the octagonal behavior analysis model with the AARRR growth model. Now we combine the octagonal behavior analysis method with the AARRR user growth model, and analyze each layer of the funnel conversion model separately:

1. Get layer

(1) Traditional method

Acquire users from various channels (such as search engines, WeChat Weibo headlines and other self-media, website advertisements, offline activities, exhibition industry Shaolong, etc.). Naturally, the number and quality of users acquired by each channel are different At this time, the product team and operation team should pay attention to the number and quality of users converted from each channel, and focus on those promotion channels with relatively high ROI.

The problem with traditional methods is to focus on important operationsHow to get along. The e-commerce platform attracts users to enter the landing page to browse products and place orders through registration guidelines, channel page recommendations, banner images, and coupon pushes.

(2) Octagonal behavior analysis method: possession + evasion

Based on the user growth strategy of the octagonal behavior analysis method, the focus of the activation level is guidance, but the key to the problem is whether there is a clear goal for users to reach the behavior path that guides users to make decisions. Therefore, we must first let users know that this goal is a product or service that can be owned by certain means, and at the same time use the user’s fluke to “escape” and tell the user the fastest way to obtain it. Here, there are also two key factors:

  • The goal shown to users must be that users will produce goods or services that they desire, and should not be too abstract;

  • The threshold of “evasion” means given to users should not be too high, and should be a form of task within the user’s ability.

(3) Case

Timed red envelope rain is a very common operation method. The core idea lies in timing, attracting target users to focus on visits at a fixed time, and significantly increasing traffic. But there are also problems with the red envelope rain game:

  • Single gameplay, users visit the landing page at a fixed time, and a lot of loss after participating in the red envelope rain activity, lacking a grasper for continuous use of traffic;

  • The threshold of the event is too low, a large number of non-target users will not be activated by the event after receiving the red envelope, and a large part of the operating resources are wasted;

Let’s look at Tmall’s recent millions of red envelope rain games. First, the mechanism of inviting friends to increase the number of times is added. In addition to participating in traditional activities, users can also increase the number of games for themselves by inviting friends to click. This is a manifestation of the “escape” mechanism, and “possession” of course refers to the red envelope itself. At the same time, the event also introduces the “surprise” red envelope rain mechanism. During the process of the previous “invite friends to add times” task, how can the user meet to invite 5 friends and activate another task reward, “surprise red envelope rain”. Of course, you can also directly invite friends to open the surprise red envelope rain without inviting friends to add times.

Coming through this operation activity, we can find that although it is a simple form of “red envelope rain”, it isThe operational logic afterwards is very delicate. Two clues drive the user’s “own” psychology, while three clues drive the user’s “evasion” psychology, intertwined with each other to activate the user, supplemented by the gimmick of assigning prizes at a fixed time, which is equivalent to adding in a short-term operation activity Mid-to-long term operation gameplay.

3. Retention layer

(1) Traditional method

First of all, take advantage of product reputation. If the product or service is outstanding, such as really easy to use, really convenient, etc., users are very willing to recommend this to people around or around, and they are often familiar People introduce each other, the user retention rate will be higher.

Secondly, make use of the potential needs of users. At the spiritual level, users are not satisfied with their actual needs, but the product or the cultural spirit of the company inspires users. The spiritual satisfaction makes people feel nostalgic or Passionate about something.

Finally, it is also relatively common. By recommending and sharing with friends, you can get cashbacks, coupons, discounts, products, etc., or if multiple people participate, it can be better, etc. This is actually using direct launch Users pull friends to participate together.

The greater the retained base and the more core users, the greater the likelihood of recommending people. But with regard to the issue of improving user retention rate, there are several points to note: the quality is not up, and the cost is not calculated, and the new is vigorously; there is no convenient sharing function; the material and real rewards are directly used to encourage users to share. These all require attention.

(2) Octagonal behavior analysis method: authorization + unknown

The user growth strategy based on the octagonal behavior analysis method, the key to retention is to drive both from the product level and the user level. From the product side, users should be empowered with a system mechanism that allows users to actively create and get instant feedback, so that users can continuously contribute value to the product. The more value users pay, the longer they stay in the product and the easier it is to become a core user. At the same time, at the user level, it creates unknown exploration scenarios and incentive feedback for users, and inspires users on a spiritual level. Authorization, or creation, and the unknown are a closed-loop system. The more unknown factors the platform outputs to users, the easier it is for users to create. While creating, it will trigger more unknown factors. Here, there are also two key factors:

  • The creative ability and scope authorized to users should be within the controllable range of the platform, with authorization boundaries and thresholds set;

  • The drive of unknown elements should be continuously renewable, rooted in every demand level in the process scene created by users.

(3) Case

This time the case is still on Tmall… The ideal cat park activity is a classic operation activity before Taobao. This activity makes good use of the “authorization + unknown” octagonal behavior analysis method. The main method of playing the ideal cat paradise activity is:

  • Open the Taobao APP, directly shake your phone to enter the event page, click “Shop to grab a red envelope” or enter the brand store to participate in the game to receive red envelope/cat food, shopping allowance; or directly enter the event page, Adopt a cat at random;

  • You can randomly get red envelopes or shopping allowances and cat food when you visit brand stores. At the same time, there are also built-in mini games on each store page, which can trigger occasional tasks by participating in the game;

  • Raise a cat to 8KG, adopt the next one, and after raising 3 cats, you can participate in the top gold coin on June 6th, 11th, and 18th to grab a red envelope of up to 618 yuan and shop at the same time. Brands can also open a big treasure box.

Through the above-mentioned activity gameplay, we can see that, first of all, the activity authorizes the user a right: “randomly adopt a cat”. The adoption of the first cat is random, and the subsequent adoption of cats can be chosen by the user according to their wishes. At the same time, in the cat house, users can also choose props to dress up the cat, take photos of the cat and other creative actions. Turn the cat raising into a creative development game, but without losing the pet element that impresses the user’s emotions.

While raising cats, cats need to complete certain tasks to grow up, such as paying attention to shops, participating in activities and games, in order to exchange cat food. Driven by the authorization psychology, the user will take the initiative to complete various tasks, and the unknown elements interspersed in each task will drive the user to continue participating in other activities.

For example, when a follow store enters the store’s details page, you will see a randomly triggered smallGames, such as “catching cat tail”, “grab cat food” and so on. After users participate in the game and receive random rewards, they will browse the store’s merchandise in the continued scene and even complete the order. There are many other ways to play in the cat paradise.

The more subtle aspect of the ideal cat paradise activity is that the game of raising cats did not flow into the traditional closed-loop gameplay of changing cat food by paying attention to the shop and then raising cats, because user fatigue is very fragile, and the simple method of raising pets is very It is easy to get users bored. Therefore, the event has set up gameplay goals at multiple time nodes. Raising a certain number of cats can participate in the red envelope rain activity.

Combining the “authorization + unknown” octagonal behavior analysis gameplay with “owning + evasion”, on the one hand, it drives user retention through physical rewards, and on the other hand, it uses different issuance times to alleviate users’ proneness during activities The fatigue time node guarantees the retention rate of the whole cycle of the activity.

Limited to space, the conversion layer and how to improve the user growth strategy from the three aspects of quality, efficiency and cost will be explained in the next article. Interested readers can continue to pay attention.