"For doing the peace of any previous war, war microblogging, search the sum of the electricity supplier - but has never been put into effect a lot, hit now Tencent certainly have to pay the difference between the micro-card view is that it is. some tragic, because this is the most Tencent do not want to hand over a card. "
Wen | "financial" reporter Gao Hong Hao Edit | Song Wei
If there is an APP was born in early 2018, dividend peaked in the Internet population, traffic prices continue rising this year, it took six months from start to 400 million yen only live, then continue to grow. In May 2019 to June month, also achieved a daily active users from 6 to 7.5 million, a 25% increase.
This is not like a miracle product? This is not a nice growth curve?
However, this is the micro view - Tencent almost a half pour resources to support the Group's products. "Tencent's resources, this rate can only be regarded as a mess." Tencent is an investment and corporate executives said.
Micro-up since the beginning of 2018 by Tencent restart, pull all means bring new growth is good, but the user is always able to come up retained - the latest data show, deft and vibrato are retained in the upper and lower 80%, depending on the micro only 43%. As micro of PV (page views), long-time users are in the order of 1/4 of vibrato, UGC community atmosphere is also inadequate. In May this year, vibrato Nikkatsu has exceeded 300 million.
"Tencent micro view as well as catch up with last year vibrato expectations, but changed several generals, devoted a lot of resources, this summer, everybody's feeling more and more desperate." Tencent Group, one on the "financial" reporter Say.
Change management and employee morale Tencent attitude seems to be that one or two down quarters of thing.
Before the second quarter of 2019, Tencent micro-view is still confident: Tencent most business in 2019 more than half of budget cuts, slightly depending on the budget has not been shaken. As micro Instagram not only from the high-priced hired engineers and growth algorithms, but also plans to expand the micro view of the technical team of 200 people.
Tencent vice president in charge of micro-Lin Songtao transferred to the apparent end of 2018. In May 2019 the global digital ecosystem Tencent VP-level General Assembly speech, his first play, first to Yin Yu is responsible for the information flow of business, responsible for Tencent Sun Zhonghuai and beams in charge of social services of video.
High-level determination is also reflected in this year's Tencent floating inside a rumor: if not completed in 2019, as the micro-stated goal - daily active users reached 40 million, in its entire PCG (Tencent platform and content business group) we have not to year-end awards.
A dry Tencent told the "financial" reporters, to do battle if for any previous war war, war microblogging, search the sum of the electricity supplier - but has never been put into effect a lot, hit now Tencent certainly have to pay licensing a. The difference is that the micro view, it is somewhat tragic, because this is the most Tencent do not want to hand over a card.
To some extent, it is a test of Tencent defense and combat capabilities in the face of the challenger; test the actual effect of the whole management of the 930 architecture reform.
"Since beating byte rise, Tencent hardly played a victory, inside is really too eager to win once, and if you give up now, morale will certainly be hard hit." A Tencent PCG (platform and content Business Group) say "financial" reporter.
A dry Tencent, said, in his view, the reason Tencent do not give up micro view is that it involves the use of troops beating bytes, do not let bytes beating so fast, do not be so easy to do social networking.
"Do not say now now do heart there is always a 30% chance of winning, even if there is also the possibility of 0.1% fight on." The source said.
July 30, rumors that Tencent is the leading micro view of deft merger negotiations. Tencent Group did not respond to rumors.
Micro-up to the deft, Tencent will be a great internal complaints, popular support; deft into Tencent, is always desirable to do, but to sink China to relinquish control, almost impossible. The only certainty is that both sides in-depth talk about the possibilities, but no results.
Two boss's challenge (question)
By the end of 2017, in a re-set at the meeting, Ma rare graphic information flow of goods QQ big surprise in a humble and praised up.
"IT business is very important, I brush QQ Aspect every day, very clean, no mess." Ma said.
Scene silence. "Ma seldom speaks." One person present said, people all know, every day Express is the regular army, Pony Express every day, there is no point evaluation is doing well, but chose to ignore it directly. "In this manner the evaluation team found him how disappointed."
Martin Lau, President of Tencent, will spearhead IEG (Interactive Entertainment Business Group), Liu Zhi Ping said, "I heard IEG colleagues to work overtime every day late, but it should also pay attention to quality."
Liu Zhi Ping said very restrained, but the presence of people have heard out of his subtext. "Translated: While you work overtime every day, but what is made out of?" The source said.
Some solidification atmosphere of the meeting. In the past, Tencent two mild-owners are rarely on the same occasion questioned the product, they are encouraging and show more results-oriented. This time, Liu Zhi Ping or even directly point out at the meeting, and now are "extraordinary times" for Tencent.
This "extraordinary period" means, Tencent and bytes beat the battlefield is expanding - from product competition form a single stream of graphic information to include the full match in a short video and other products.
In the two months after the recovery disk it will, vibrato meteoric rise during the 2018 Spring Festival, the rapid growth of daily active users 30 million, this rate even more than the micro-letter year. In late February 2018, vibrato Nikkatsu one stroke more than Sina Weibo.
From 2018 Spring Festival, Tencent began to do the warm-up for the micro view of the restart. April 2, 2018, Microview announced the first major update in 2018.
In fact as early as vibrato and before the war, Tencent and graphic information on the byte stream beat competition has a disadvantage - Tencent in 2015 to launch the daily Express failed to stop the rise of today's headlines. In addition there are internal problems foreign aggression. At that time the much-anticipated game of chicken (large-scale escape kill games) proved its prospects did not "king of glory" so good.
. "During that time, high-level body to pass out of a sense of anxiety is the strongest" a Tencent on the "Financial" reporter recalls: every one of them who seems to forbear with anger.
Enjoy a stable life for several years Tencent ushered in the history of the most effective fighting provocateur, Tencent past the pride of product capabilities, the ability to lead the league, is facing unprecedented challenges, and this looks like some giant should be connected to nowhere .
Miscarriage of justice
In the short video field, Tencent was once a pioneer.
Since the second half of 2013, became a short video outlet. Sina Weibo has invested seconds to shoot with a small coffee show about science and technology; Mito, introduced in 2014, the United States beat. 2013, to give Tencent microblogging Tencent chose to establish a micro view, turned a short video.
Tencent last adjustment in 2014, Tencent Tencent microblogging news reverted, originally attached to Tencent Weibo micro view of the establishment of an independent product division.
"From the beginning, for micro vision, leadership rarely statement saying that we must make what are try holding the mentality, to become achievement." As micro former employee told the "Financial" reporter, the company also to discuss a few large strategic direction.
That time the micro view did not find a clear direction, is also good at operating the second beat and the United States beat repression main female market, has always been no improvement.
According to media from "Zhusi code in mind," it reported that Tencent has since then Microview in advertising, especially in the evening put the loss caused by the spring led to a miscarriage of justice - Mr. Ma that the worrying prospect of a short video, limited liquidity.
2015, Tencent only do simple maintenance of the micro view, to March 2017, Microview was completely closed.
"War is a short video of Tencent General Office of a miscarriage of justice." A source said Tencent. Martin Lau, President of Tencent is "top-down" thinking, a pawn first look at how big the market, GMV (total turnover) how much this thing has only identified the market, you can commercialize viable will send people to do.
Zhang Yiming, by contrast, often he is "bottom-up" thinking, he tends to look at the availability of the product itself, playability, again to determine whether the user can accept the product market will rise much.
" 'Top to bottom' of thinking sometimes see those opportunities that do not exist." Deft at that time not yet entered the public view, no one can expect such a great short video user base. So Tencent committed one of the biggest mistakes of empiricism - think short video is no market.
March 2017, Tencent D round of financing led a deft, when deft is already China's largest video platform with a short fourth-largest mobile phone traffic platform.
Also in early 2017, Tencent's hand tour "King Glory" ushered in the explosive growth: the first quarter of 2017, "King of glory" accumulated more than 200 million registered users, monthly water more than 3 billion yuan, equivalent to microblogging fiscal 2016 net revenue throughout the year.
And this was the proudest moment of Tencent: China holds the largest flow inlet, the most popular mobile games of all the people, the largest long video platform (Tencent video), has also invested in short largest video platform.
That is the moment, beating with watermelon byte video, video and volcanic small vibrato three products at the same time reached the short video.
"Tencent was under the Spirit, how many still see a little crisis." A former employee said the micro view, there are some internal teams to do a short video products, such as Tencent video made moka video (Yoo Video predecessor), but this is only the team who find their own way.
Until 2018 Spring Festival vibrato meteoric rise, Tencent was suddenly discovered, just more than a year, beating three bytes short video products have become ten million daily living products. According Questmobile data, in 2018 the Department of headlines Nikkatsu which accounts for 9% of the total amount of goods, rose 6.2% compared to last year, the Department of Tencent fell by 54.4% to 47.7%.
Vibrato is the direct cause of aggressive Tencent has decided to end well. April 2018, Tencent quickly organized a team, the resurrection of the micro view.
Personally from end to investment, Tencent convey to the outside world a clear signal: short video battlefield can not be lost.
A micro view on the "Financial" reporter recalled: As micro resurrection just when many people have some expectations, because it is rare in recent years a new strategic level business. As micro crowds for some time, there are also many people who want to job transfer. Just a few months, depending on the micro-team expanded to 400 people.
Scale and network effects vibrato has taken shape, outshining deft short video platform Tencent investment. "Chiefs could his mind, but at the state level executives, most people are still Mongolia circle, did not realize the extent of tough competition." The source said.
In the beginning, as the micro-reboot, the team offered to get rid of "micro-view" this sounds a little old-fashioned name.
A micro view of GM after listening dismissive, somewhat sarcastically said, "after the products are fire you just think the name sounds good, now you do not always think things change the name, this time it is better to have a temple Take a look inside to find feng shui masters may be more useful. "
A few months, came to a microscopic employees find themselves living not as a strategic business level employees. For example, what did not and they never talked about micro view of the objectives, strategies and style of play are even differences vibrato and what he does not know. After the addition of the micro view, there is no team more than any other sector incentives to boost morale, like a trivial changing of the guard.
Failure of the defense system
For any company, defense system has not only limited definition of appropriate strategies and tactics to deal with attacks when the company, including the company also flexible and effective organizational capacity, agile information systems and early warning mechanisms, and even the ability to control public opinion.
The first is the tactical level. Tencent face of competitors struck, almost all the same style of play set in the past - to follow a similar, high product completion, and then import the huge traffic (resources) will be able to base, such as application treasure, QQ browser. Victory Tencent QQ video and music in a way is the same logic.
Tencent mobilize all resources within the group almost to the micro-view support.
Starting from the second half of 2017, Tencent video traffic stop accepting headlines purchase requirements, Tencent early 2018 began to channel a full cessation of the current headlines can only be bought through non-point wide Tencent traffic. QQ, QQ browser, QQ Aspect, Tencent video, Tencent news for the entire family, as the micro-volume guide.
The same level as a strategic product Express every day, has not been substantially similar diversion support QQ system.
It is noteworthy that, when the person in charge of the daily Express vice president from OMG (online media business group) of Lin Songtao, where the SNG with the QQ is not the same system.
A micro view of former employees of the "financial" reporter said that Tencent is like a brave husband in the face of strong enemy, accustomed to being attacked on a roll up its sleeves and jumped off the field, with products hit products this point the way Ying Peng .
The sources said that from the beginning of 2018, as the resurrection of micro, micro depending on when a given policy meeting, the main attention is on the mark vibrato, including Nikkatsu, month to live, retention, duration.
"Today's headlines appeared, to deploy all the resources to play today's headlines, vibrato appeared, so the focus shifts to play vibrato." This play is a disadvantage when faced flexible than their enemies when, very easy He is dragged into a new war after another.
A sharp contrast to that, when Ali when challenged by Jingdong, Ali is not selected and Jingdong 3C confrontation on such a frontal battlefields, but for Jingdong short board, Costly resources pound Lynx supermarket for blocking Jingdong get the most wanted female tourists, between themselves and Jingdong burn out a trench in order to curb the further spread of the war.
"Tencent intelligence system is also a system of long-term neglect." The Internet company executives said.
Micro-up for the "enemy" requirement, each employee is only required to study and play as much as possible to understand their specific circumstances of vibrato. A Tencent told the "Financial" reporter, but this is not a mandatory requirement. In contrast, the US group and bytes beat this new forces in the understanding of more advanced competition, at the same time, they have the most powerful Internet industry intelligence network.
"Times have changed, as the Internet industry standards significantly improved, before Tencent rely on physical talent will be able to run faster than others, and now may have just any amateur and professional players under a high, Tencent former defense system now look look backward. "a Tencent PCG source said.
"Defense system?" Asked another Tencent middle, "defensive, but the system do?"
Organization and structure adjustment problems
As micro long been accused of algorithms are not allowed to push, not brush good content. And one of the reasons behind this is that the supply of micro-visual content is too small, no high-quality content, even with longer accurate algorithm is wasted. And a late start, so that too much focus on growth within communities UGC atmosphere is difficult to train together.
In early 2018 after the resurrection micro view, depending on the initial charge of the micro team from SNG (Social Networks Business Group), leader is vice president of Tencent beams. After the beams joined Tencent in 2003, he has served as head of social products and QQ space. He successfully created a universal K QQ music and song, both record let him assume the resurrection micro view of the task.
Beams initial strategy is to actively introduce MCN agencies and well-known head of a network of people on the platform, to enrich the platform more specialized premium content.
But this road encountered two problems. The first is the external competitive environment, vibrato MCN has a large number of people and the quality of the rise of the binding process; and vibrato effects of scale can provide up to people more space: for example, a huge amount of fans, mature commercialization of space.
Greater challenges from within, is the contradiction between the product and organizational structure.
Tencent penguin numbers are unified content distribution system in Taiwan, daily Express, micro view, QQ browser and content QQ penguin numbers are from Aspect. Penguin numbers also holds property rights, which determines whether and author signing, and carried into with the author, Subsidies settlement.
From a business point of view form, penguin numbers with the front end of the platform to play with is inevitable, but the organizational point of view, was the lead organization of each business can not avoid wrestling with each other during the mating process.
Head of penguin numbers are Hou Xiaonan, and then every day, Express, QQ browser flow of information products Report to belong to the vice president OMG (online media business group) of Lin Songtao; and micro view of the Report to the vice president of SNG pillars. Report to be responsible for up different results in different objects.
The most common contradiction is the content team and micro-view algorithm team of differences. Penguins push content number is a microscopic team long criticized for insufficient quality, leading to the platform difficult to crawl to the desired content; Penguin algorithm number will be the responsibility to the team, and in the process, the prolonged absence of a coordinator appears.
"Many times a thing if the direct decision-making and implementation of unified from top to bottom, many tangled probably would not exist." A source said Tencent PCG "financial" reporter.
As micro-later to set up a team of people operations, try to jump out of bound penguin numbers, take the initiative to find out who the introduction of high-quality platform. But the frustration is still around, but found that the number of penguins off.
"We find people are coming back, penguin numbers may not be willing to sign, because you have to prove your vision and it is a very complicated thing." A micro-operations team, as the people say, often end in order to determine the number of main penguin we can only give up their perceived quality of people, because we do not have money in their hands.
Tencent executives trying to integrate. After September 2018, Tencent had structural reforms a group level organization, SNG, OMG have been consolidated and integrated into the PCG (platform and content business group).
This is a positive signal, in this adjustment mechanism, all of the re-division of spheres of influence is, each product is re-integration in accordance with the type of business: Lin Songtao was elected dedicated micro view, including VP short video service; responsible beams QQ products, including the social and community; Yin Yu mainly take daily Express, QQ and QQ browser, Aspect flow of information products and live broadcast services.
But the difficulty is that, depending on micro and no flow of information and other services into a system, which means exactly to whom the Penguin became a high-level report number of things that need to balance, on the next plane we are now part of a unified PGC department, but the undercurrent of conflict between the various lines of business is always difficult to avoid.
At present, the content distribution center, head of penguin numbers, PCG content platform general manager of the Ministry of Hou Xiaonan Reporting is Lin Songtao. But "financial" reporter learned that, perhaps, or future penguin numbers to be responsible for the flow of information classified business Yin Yu team.
Yin Yu hands of more business information flow, he also bears Tencent to expand in advertising revenue tasks. But the disadvantages are also obvious, it is now the Group's strategy, as the micro-level business, if you can not grasp in terms of visual quality content for micro-injury like Brokeback.
Another typical example is the micro apparent DAU (daily active users) has not reached 5 million when he opened the commercialization, commercialization and vibrato is DAU it has reached about 17 million open, fully open deft business when, and its DAU has been close to 200 million.
Premature commercialization will affect the user experience, but the benefits can be explored in an earlier ecological platform, benefit content creators on the platform.
"To be blunt or the stock of competition for resources." A micro as the staff said that if, as the micro to the 17 million DAU, AMS will certainly take the initiative to do, Microview now his team is not up to the amount of time to take advantage of body , first insert foot, will be commercially raised, leading people to feel a lot of things.
AMS Group, Tencent advertising and marketing services line, set at 930 wide reform and micro-channel advertising point pass made responsible for group-wide advertising business.
A source close to the commercialization of micro view of staff told the "Financial" reporter. "DAU only 5 million of commercial time to do what it? Each team resources are limited, should be considered in the early how to do growth, optimize content and products fishes." A source close to the staff, as the commercialization of micro say.
And cognitive
Today micro view of a lot of practice and then the hand of Q is not fundamentally different.
Just then the phone QQ on the line, we added a lot of features, such as QQ Show, QQ space, while the PCQQ (QQ computer end), as also set up friend "online", "offline" function. But in the mobile phone side, the user does not need to actually just started so many complex functions, and the phone does not exist the concept of "instant messaging", the user need not know each other online, chat because it should be anytime, anywhere.
After the emergence of micro letter, Zhang Xiaolong chose cleaner and simpler product ideas. For example, the user does not choose to have the phone address book friends all at once poured into the micro-channel, but the user must manually add one by one. Bulk import address book appears to increase the number of users, but it is easy to make people feel afraid.
"Hand Q is a replica does not think the nature of the product, and do the PC version of QQ no difference, it is not a raw product for mobile phones." One told the "Financial" reporter Tencent years of working adults.
SNG's team took over after the micro view, SNG can fully mobilize resources, especially micro view is diversion through QQ. A typical example is that every QQ user during that time, friends list are automatically added to a buddy called "micro-view" of. The purpose is to allow users to see curious after this "friend" and point to open, it will automatically jump to the download page after the video finished playing some small.
By Tencent news in the promotion of micro view, one method used is the user "guide" with vulgar and exciting news headlines, when the user clicks into the jump directly to the download page for the micro-view.
These methods not only allow users to easily disgusted Tencent products he is using, depending on the micro user also has a very negative impression.
"Late LatePost" in the "Ma and Zhang Xiaolong, step not into the same river," one paper wrote, "Most of the team just completed the company's mission, which is the most horrible place. If the Leader says your goal is to get each user's QQ more than a few friends, they desperately need to do is to fill in the data. "but this goal will only make the product more quickly finished.
"The outside world is often said that Tencent force pour Group in support micro view, but strictly speaking, the flow of information browser push, depending on the application treasure the micro top download location, micro-channel is given 30 seconds short video rights, these measures are not really done everything, just to complete the task of leading a faction. "
Above PCG they say, because these methods are all methods "effortless", and they did not need to block a hail of bullets micro view, once their products have a negative evaluation, the team who will certainly be pressure transfer again to the micro view.
"To put it bluntly it was just a PCG defense, IEG and two micro-channel power sector did not deeply involved." A source said Tencent.
Success surface vibrato of view, is the quality of content, precision of algorithms, but fundamentally forward-thinking, Zhang Yiming found a new capacity and this ability to assign top companies, products and competition.
Zhang Yiming early to see the contents of the products because of the short chain, so low barriers to entry and very easy to subvert, the risk may be replaced at any time, so as a company, we must use the matrix product of the way to play, so he created a workshop app .
In byte beating app workshop, the growth of the team, technical team and the commercialization of Taiwan as an independent team, serving all the company's app, efficient integrally coordination of resources, such as growth team for all app developed growth strategy . This mode is suitable for both rapid iteration app, but also avoids the repetition of resources between team building and stock competition.
After 930 architecture reform, Tencent PCG information flow, as the business and micro businesses to build their own growth team. Among them, the flow of information by the team responsible for business growth QQ browser.
However, the data in the table with the technology of the process remains slow. Information flow of business set up in Taiwan own technology and data, but the overall product includes only the QQ browser information flow of business, and every day QQ Aspect Letters, slightly depending on where the business is a short video with its own set of .
Micro view of the future
Tencent person in charge of internal micro view the newly appointed Lin Songtao, there is a generally accepted view - he is able to fight Tencent few people, a strong desire to control, is a very strong and some popular leadership, which had warm tolerance the beams are entirely two styles. As micro-Lin Songtao under the rule eager to prove himself.
Lin Songtao recent record of success is to build the application treasure. After that he served as vice president, vice president of online media business group OMG, responsible for co-ordination, including daily Express, penguin numbers, etc., interested in reading and content management product platform business.
Integrated access to the interior Lin Songtao colleagues say, Lin Songtao like to pay attention to the results of the team, said Monday's program on Wednesday will see the data. "Lincker within the team is very competitive, because he encouraged competition and subordinate management up." One of the business group told the "Financial" reporter.
Tencent took over after the short video platform, the new team reconstructed, as the underlying micro-architecture systems, real-name authentication had been reached were significantly drained away, according to the new requirements and specifications of the culture of people. This initiative is a lot of people do not understand.
Lin Songtao strategy is nowadays hottest "interactive video" play + Tencent "social relationship chain", we tried to follow a route shaking and audio-visual differences.
"Financial" Reporters noted that the current Microview DAU just under 10 million, but by 2019 the goal is to develop Lin Songtao its 40 million DAU.
Today, as the team also sought to micro level to the independent content procurement authority and an independent settlement authority, even the contents of the interview will also delegated authority to sign the MCN agencies, content producers to release more energy. This also means that you can bypass Microview finally penguin numbers, decide their own content.
But for the current competitive micro view of the vibrato, Tencent odds are not high. "Short video in a way that has been vibrato defines product form, while the micro-view is a defensive product, so it is hard to see more innovation from the positioning above the beginning." From this point of view point of view, the figure of 40 million DAU significance.
"As micro people who work overtime every day, basically most of the night to find they will at any time online, but do not see what the feeling is particularly great momentum." A Tencent official said PCG "financial" reporter.
Tencent greater anxiety is with the growth of the Department of headlines, it could become a distribution platform, which will directly endanger Tencent's core business - gaming.
"Now the amount of micro letters and QQ on with the game already as before." A Tencent IEG (Interactive Entertainment Business Group) told the "Financial" reporter, "We have hope that we can help, as the micro-check vibrato games later discovered, we can only rely on themselves. "
A former employee of a microscopic "financial" lamented a change from the beginning of the year, the Spring Festival, Ma wearing a red sweater when profits start to distribute to employees, the company intranet will begin discussions with the boss money. "It was not previously do. Then you will find that they become more and more elite dry van, began to consciously wear Tide brand, such as overalls and shoes with a huge logo designer bags." He said. "Maybe the individual prejudice, but obvious change is the feeling is not so down to earth.
"But at least, out of control, racing ...... Ma within the company has been a long time not to mention the words of." A Tencent PCG source said. "Out of control" concept in the past period of time may be a very innovative, but in turn, think, now that you know what the direction is right, why did he choose it out of control?