In today’s private domain traffic operations, the community has become an important position for brands to interact deeply with users. However, many companies are struggling with community operations, such as low user retention and insufficient activity. Starting from the whole cycle of community operation, this article breaks down in detail how to create a high-quality community with high conversion, high activity, and high stickiness.
The White Paper on Private Domain Operations in China reveals that 68% of enterprise communities have a survival cycle of less than 90 days, and the root cause is often falling into three major misunderstandings:
- Ignoring the core value of people: Treating the community as an advertising push pool, lacking in-depth exploration of user needs
- Operational rhythm fault: not designed according to the user life cycle of hierarchical strategy, new and old users “cook in one pot”
- Lack of content value: 60% of community content is stuck in product promotion, lacking practical dry goods that can solve user problems
A truly high-quality community must be a combination of “user demand detector” and “scenario-based service complex”. A leading maternal and infant brand once used a set of comparative experiments to verify:
Group A: Push 8 milk powder diapers discount information every day, with a monthly withdrawal rate of 42%
Group B: Operated in layers according to lactation/complementary food/toddler period, targeted provision of neonatal care courses, complementary food nutritionist Q&A, the conversion rate increased to 29%, and the average monthly repurchase was 3.2 times
This confirms thisThe golden rule of community operation: precise user circle (who is in the group) × High-frequency demand capture (what they want) × Peak experience design (how to give it coolly) = Sustainable and active monetization engine.
Coincidentally, Zero One Mathematics also uses 36-word operational motto for practical analysis:The purpose is clear, the members are accurate, the interaction and mutual assistance are interacted, the group owner is online, the content is not watery, and the communication depends on people.
- The first two steps are to filter out invalid users through the group questionnaire to ensure accurate members
- The middle two steps are to do the operation: the group owner personally makes content (non-robots), and designs the communication link for users to drive users
- The last two steps are precipitation: retain users with high-quality content and make old users the tap water of the community
Next, I will start withThere are four dimensions: the basic strategy of community operation, the full-cycle operation strategy of the community, the differentiated community type of play, and the logic of collaborative product selection of product efficiency, dismantling practical methods that can be implemented to help you build a high-quality community with high activity, high conversion, and high stickiness.
To achieve these three challenges, product managers will only continue to appreciate
Good product managers are very scarce, and product managers who understand users, business, and data are still in demand when they go out of the Internet. On the contrary, if you only do simple communication, inefficient execution, and shallow thinking, I am afraid that you will not be able to go through the torrent of the next 3-5 years.
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01 Basic strategy for community operation
At the beginning of the article, I will use 5 examples to explain the basic strategies of community operation:Precise positioning, content innovation, interactive incentives, data analysis and continuous optimizationThese five basic strategies.
These five strategies are the key to building a high-conversion, high-activity, and high-stickiness community.
Through examples, it can make everyone have a real experience. Of course, after each example, I will refine 3 practical methodological summaries for you to give you a deeper experience.
1. Precise positioning: Finding the right person is more important than blindly pulling the group
Case: In-depth operation of members of the Kid King community
Through the [Parenting Consultant + Community Operation] model, Kid King accurately targets the group of mothers aged 0-6.
Before joining the group, set up a [baby age + parenting pain points] questionnaire to screen users, and the community content focused on subdivided scenarios such as complementary food addition and early education enlightenment, and carried out live Q&A on parenting problems every week.
I will refine three practical methodologies of the Kid King community, which you can apply as practical guidance to your own community operations.
Practical methodology: 3D scanning method for user positioning
Portrait scanning: Establish a dynamic tag system that includes 20+ dimensions such as spending power, parenting stage, and interest preferences, and distinguish between cost-effective mothers and high-end parenting groups
Scenario matching: Design content matrices based on user journeys, such as pushing jaundice care guidelines for newborn mothers and providing kindergarten readiness checklists for families with 3-year-olds
Value proposition: Replace brand slogans with problem solutions, such as 1 scientific parenting tip per day from the Kid King community, so that users can clearly perceive the value of the community
2. Content innovation: replace information bombardment with value density
Case: [Knowledge Scenario-based Operation] of Keep Running Community
Keep breaks down running knowledge into fragmented content such as 5-minute warm-ups and 3 tips for knee protection, and combines user running data to generate personalized training plans. 80% of the content in the community is practical dry goods, with interactive topics such as running check-in challenges and equipment evaluations.
Its core lies in the content combination of knowledge inclusion + scenario solutions, allowing users to actively retain information rather than passively receive information.
Practical Methodology: The [Three-Core Drive Model] of Content Operation
Knowledge core: Output skills that can be applied immediately, such as office stretch 12 style with GIF, to reduce user learning costs
Emotional core: Dig user stories to create growth files, such as 90 days from 180 pounds to the vest line, to enhance group resonance and sense of belonging
Conversion core: design content – product implicit hooks, push course-exclusive coupons at the end of dry goods to achieve natural value conversion
3. Interactive incentives: Gamified design that allows users to go from diving to participation
Case: The task breakthrough system of the Watsons member community
Watsons Build Points Task – Membership Level – Exclusive Benefits Closed Loop: Earn points for signing in, double points for sharing products, and unlock free trial qualifications by punching in consecutively. Set up roles such as beauty consultant and good product experience officer, and users can participate in the internal testing of new products by completing tasks such as product evaluation and friend invitation. This design transforms boring operational actions into an upgraded monster-fighting gaming experience, effectively activating user participation.
Practical methodology: the three-order design method of interactive system
Beginner level: Set low-threshold icebreaker tasks (such as posting orders to win points), control the completion rate above 90%, and build confidence in the first interaction
Growth Stage: Design tiered tasks such as checking in for 7 consecutive days to unlock membership rights, and improve user retention through the visualization of the progress bar
Advanced level: Create a community KOC development plan, give exclusive identities such as star promoters, and upgrade users from participants to co-builders
4. Data analysis: Use numbers to gain insight into the health of the community
Case: Data middle platform application of Perfect Diary private domain community
Build an activity scoring model based on user behavior data to automatically trigger exclusive offer alerts when users have not interacted for 3 consecutive days and clicked on promotional links. The operation team analyzed the characteristics of the top 10 content interactions and silent users every week, and after adjusting the strategy, the average monthly GMV of the community increased by 22%, and the user life cycle was extended by 3 months. Data-driven operational decisions have shifted the community from empiricism to scientific management.
Practical methodology: build a three-dimensional data kanban
Basic operation board: Monitor the number of new users, speaking rate (health value≥20%), and message open rate (health value≥60%), and evaluate the basic activity of the community
Conversion Funnel Board: Track the conversion rate of content reach→click links→ add-ons→payments, and focus on optimizing weak links below 15%
User Value Board: Calculate CLV (Community User Lifetime Value) and NPS (Net Promoter Score≥ 40 points are healthy) to measure community business value and user satisfaction
5. Continuous optimization: iterative thinking of community operations
Case: Weekly strategy review of the Luckin coffee community
By analyzing data such as the usage rate of community-exclusive coupons and the opening rate of new product previews, it was found that users had the highest demand for coffee coupons at 3 p.m., so they adjusted the push time and increased the afternoon tea set. After continuous optimization, the average monthly consumption frequency of community users increased to 4.2 times, and the coupon write-off rate jumped from 35% to 68%. This confirms that community operation is not a one-and-done process, but a dynamic process that requires continuous iteration.
Practical methodology: The application of PDCA loops in the community
Plan: Develop a content calendar + event schedule every month, and clarify the core goals of each stage (e.g., 50% ice-breaking rate in the introduction period ≥and ≥30% content dissemination rate in the growth period)
Do: Use the Enterprise WeChat SOP tool to automatically push standardized tasks and manually monitor sudden interactions (for example, if a user asks more than 5 questions and does not reply, triggering an early warning)
Check: Generate a weekly “Community Health Report”, focusing on analyzing actionable indicators such as the wake-up rate of silent users and the amount of content produced by KOCs
ACT (Optimization): Iterate community rules quarterly, such as upgrading member rights and interests, eliminating inefficient activities, and optimize two-wheel drive strategies through user research + data verification
02 How to operate the community at different stages?
A community is like an organic life form, following a specific law of development from budding to decline.
In the above part, I have compiled a general version of the basic strategy for community operation for you, and then we will disassemble how to operate communities at different stages horizontally to solve the problem of activity faults.
1. Initial construction period: accurately anchor seed users and lay community genes
The core of the initial construction period of the community is to create a high-purity user pool, screen target users through clear positioning, and establish the first cause effect with a sense of value.
Taking the postgraduate entrance examination community as an example, there are two ways to set up a filtered group entry mechanism:
Questionnaire stratified screening:Set the required items such as postgraduate entrance examination target colleges + weak subjects + daily study time, and eliminate non-target users (such as in-service candidates mistakenly entering the exam preparation group)
Stepped Benefit Hook:Completing the questionnaire can unlock the “Collection of College Questions in the Past 5 Years”, and invite 1 candidate of the same major to join the group to get an additional “Composition Template Collection”, which not only ensures the quality of users, but also stimulates fission
On the first day of entering the community, we need to send a strong value signal, which we can achieve through the three elements of the welcome message, let me give you a real example:
Identity:Welcome to join the XXX XXX postgraduate entrance examination mutual aid group, where there are 100+ exam preparation partners from the same school
Community Services:Live broadcast of real question analysis every Wednesday + daily knowledge point check-in + college information express
Community Rules:Advertising/course promotion is prohibited, and the first warning for violations will be withdrawn for the second time
2. Growth period: start fission + active dual engine to break through scale bottlenecks
The core of the growth period is to move the community from cold start to self-growth, and the key is to design low-threshold fission activities and high-frequency interaction scenarios. For example, the once smash hit 21 Days Reading Community has a highly replicable strategy:
First, design a viral fission hook
Mission-driven fission: Initiate inviting 3 friends to join the group, unlock the “Douban High Score Book List” event, and successfully form a team to get additional incentives for listening members, with a fission coefficient (per capita number of new pulls) reaching 2.8
Content hook drainage: Every Friday, the “Mind Map of this Week’s Reading Essence” is released in the community, and the visibility permission is set to forward the circle of friends to drive external traffic import
Second, hierarchical activation of silent users
User group operation: Users are divided into active (speaking ≥ 3 times a week), diving type (only watching and not talking), and wool type (only receiving benefits) through the enterprise WeChat tag.
Differentiated Wake Strategy:
(1) Active users: Invite to become readers and give book rewards
(2) Diving users: Push 3 key articles you haven’t read this week
(3) Wool users: Trigger the reminder that the points are about to expire and guide the participation to check in
3. Maturity period: the value jump from users to assets
The core of the maturity period is to transform users into precipitable assets, enhancing long-term value through layered operations, KOC cultivation, and emotional binding.
Let’s take the most common beauty community as an example. The beauty community has achieved a 150% increase in ARPU (per capita revenue) for mature users through the membership tier system, and its strategy is worth learning from:
First, hierarchical operation: accurately match user needs
(1) Membership level system: set up three levels of silver→ gold → diamond, and diamond members can participate in new product internal testing and offline skin care salons
(2) Scenario-based package design: Push sensitive skin repair oily skin care gift boxes based on user purchase records, with a conversion rate of 42% higher than general activities
Second, KOC incubation: let users become spokespersons
(1) Set up a community experience officer role: invite high-frequency interactive users to try new products, output real evaluations, and reward 50 yuan coupons for each high-quality content
(2) Create a user case wall: organize 100+ empty bottle stories to enhance community professional endorsement.
Third, emotional connection: value recognition beyond transactions
(1) Monthly community anniversary: Send customized electronic certificates to users who have been in the group for 3 months, with a handwritten thank you message from the operation team
(2) User growth report: Show annual interaction data (for example, you shared 23 skincare experiences this year and helped 56 group members)
4. Churn period: Reversal opportunity from user churn to system upgrade
The core of the churn period is not simply recalling users, but finding operational loopholes and achieving strategy iteration through deep attribution. Here I give you a recall strategy:
First, attribution of attribution: use data to locate core pain points
(1) Exit questionnaire design: set required items + open questions, such as the main reason for your departure? (Multiple options are available)→ Outdated content / too little interaction / insufficient benefits, what services would you like to add to the community? Open-ended questions
(2) Data cross-analysis: Comparing the interaction frequency of content open rates between lost users and retained users, it was found that the churn rate of users who did not participate in the event for 2 consecutive weeks was 5 times that of active users
Second, layered recall: precise design to wake up the hook
(1) Shallow churn users (within 30 days): Push discount codes for 3 popular live broadcasts + exclusive courses you missed
(2) Deep loss of users (60 days +): 1v1 telephone survey to give away career development planning plans, and open up the privilege of old users to return (such as participating in new product internal testing for free)
Third, system iteration: establish an early warning mechanism for preventing loss
(1) Early warning indicator setting: When a user is silent + unfollows the official account for 7 consecutive days, the follow-up process of the operation supervisor will be automatically triggered
(2) Strategy optimization case: A retail community found that lost users complained that promotions were too frequent, so it was adjusted to select discounts every Wednesday
03 How to operate different types of communities?
Different types of communities have different characteristics and operation methods, and the following introduces several common types of community operation strategies and analyzes them with case studies.
1. Low-price drainage group: bait strategy to quickly gather popularity
Strategy Highlights: Attract a large number of potential users by setting ultra-low thresholds or limited-time offers.
For example, the “1 yuan flash sale group” launched by an e-commerce platform has limited flash sales products every day and quickly accumulates a user base.
The key lies in subsequent conversion, guiding users to convert to high-value products through precise push and preferential superposition.
2. VIP exclusive service-oriented community: Enjoy exclusive services and deepen high-value connections
Strategic highlights: Focus on high-priced products and enhance users’ sense of belonging with customized services and scarce experiences.For high-quality customized products, time-honored brands, etc., users are provided with exclusive consultant docking, new product priority experience, high-end offline activities and other rights.
For example, the high-end pet products community designs “pet health record customization services” for members, regularly pushes exclusive nutrition plans, and holds pet-themed private meetings. The core of the operation is to strengthen “uniqueness”, match personalized services through one-on-one demand surveys, regularly release limited customized models and exclusive discounts, and deepen emotional connections in combination with offline salons, so that users can continue to consume due to professional services and quality recognition, forming a closed loop of high repurchase and high dissemination.
3. Free welfare community: lightweight and attractive, extending multiple values
Strategy highlights: Gather users with low-threshold benefits and extend consumption scenarios through high-frequency interaction.For low-priced products such as accessories and tissues, attract people to join the group by means of free collection and point redemption.
Taking girls’ jewelry as an example, in the hairpin welfare group, users can redeem new products by signing in every day to accumulate points, and the community shares hairstyle matching tutorials.
The key to operation is to activate the sense of participation, set check-in tasks, creative order activities to cultivate user habits, and later push related high-value products, such as beauty tools and clothing matching links, to convert traffic into other categories of consumption, and realize the value extension from “welfare attraction” to “diversified consumption”.
4. Content grass planting community: Deep grass planting and building trust consumption
Strategic highlights: With professional content as the core, cultivate consumer trust for high-priced products.For luxury goods, 3C digital, etc., output in-depth evaluation, usage scenario analysis, and industry knowledge popularization.
For example, the high-end home furnishing community continues to share decoration cases, material comparisons, and designer product selection experience, and plant grass products in content penetration. The focus of operations is to maintain the dry attributes of content, initiate topic discussions (such as “Smart Home Shopping Pitcase Avoidance Guide”), and invite users to share their experience. Combined with limited-time discounts and exclusive packages to promote conversion, users can recognize the brand due to the professionalism of the content, naturally complete the decision-making link from grass planting to consumption, and realize the efficient sales and word-of-mouth precipitation of high-priced products.
04 What is the selection logic of the community?
Community product selection logic is a key lever to leverage traffic conversion and improve operational efficiency, and it is necessary to dynamically adjust around industry attributes, customer group preferences, and operational goals, and activate the commercial value of the community with multiple strategies.
1. Anchor the operation goals and build a product selection combination matrix
Product selection needs to be accurately matched to different operating scenarios. Pull the new stage, to“Internet celebrity hit + fission activity”For example, with the help of Internet celebrity products such as cat’s claw cups, the “invite 2-3 friends to join the group and enjoy 0.1 yuan flash sale” activity is designed, just like the supermarket case of Weimob service, which uses the attraction of explosive models to promote user social fission and expand the private domain traffic pool at low cost.
transformation stage,“Regular Hot Models + Lightning Sale Events”It is easier to ignite the enthusiasm for consumption, select high-demand products in the season to carry out limited-time flash sales, and quickly realize the conversion of traffic into sales.
2. High-frequency iterative product selection to weaken user marketing resistance
With dynamic updates of product selections, “freshness” hedges against user burnout in marketing.
For example, a supermarket breaks the traditional rhythm of activities, pushes discounts every day, updates the selection twice a week, and pushes products in different time periods. Adopt the combination strategy of “Internet celebrity explosive products + hot products of the week + potential new products”: maintain attention with popular products, meet immediate needs with hot products, and stimulate the desire to explore with potential new products.
Users continue to pay attention to the event because of “novelty and interest”“Product selection innovation – interest driven – engagement conversion”positive cycle.
3. Deeply cultivate customer groups and industry characteristics, and accurately select and adapt products
Insight into customer needs and industry attributes is the underlying logic of product selection.The maternal and infant community focuses on safe and practical maternal and infant products, with parenting knowledge sharing activities; The beauty community focuses on popular makeup and skin care products, combined with a try-on experience.
By investigating the consumption habits of customers and exploring industry characteristics, the selection of products not only meets user expectations, but also maximizes the release of community operation value, and achieves the multi-dimensional goals of traffic acquisition, user activity and consumption conversion.
05 Summary
Community operation is a deep value cultivation that runs through the user life cycle.
from“Precise rooting” in the initial construction periodarrive“Fission growth” during the growth phase； from“Deep value cultivation” in the mature periodarrive“Iterative renewal” during the silent loss period, each stage is an accurate response to user needs. Different types of communities have their own rules like puzzles – low-price drainage type leverages traffic with benefits, VIP service type uses exclusive access to deepen connection, and product selection logic uses dynamic combinations to open up traffic conversion links.
The ultimate significance of community is to build a warm value community. It is not a simple user aggregation field, but a “growth ecology” where brands and users go in both directions.
I hope this article has inspired you!
