Some famous news application of North America are learnt from the experiences of WeChat recently. Kik, Tango, Snapchat and Facebook Messenger began to become more like WeChat.
WeChat function is relatively complete, you can use the WeChat purchase ticket, take a taxi, or reading the news, and this function is a western information application had no.
Now, they are followed by WeChat strategy. Tango last month to add the function of shopping, the user can be viewed on the shopping tag page wal-mart and alibaba global speed sell tong goods. Kik let brands for message interaction with users, users can also play games in the application. Snapchat increased the news column, and Discover in November last year to restore the function of payment.
Facebook stepped in to action. Facebook developers conference in March, introduced a Messenger platform, this platform allows developers to add Messenger function to the other applications, at the same time, Facebook is still in the test for the function of the users and businesses communicate directly. Information web site also reported that Facebook could also add gaming capabilities to Messenger.
Send and receive information developers are building seems to be the next big platform. Message application takes up a lot of time, people just WhatsApp send information article 30 billion every day. If people are already using this kind of application information with friends, why not let them use these applications do they want to do other things? Such as games and shopping.
This shift is quite similar with WeChat, Kik and Tango not afraid to admit that they got inspiration from WeChat.
Tango zhi-chao zhang, vice President of product (Chi - Chao Chang) said: "I guess that's like WeChat to achieve the size and number of users, WeChat's amazing influence in China. When we mention WeChat, we seldom use it as a competitor, we find it much more for us to guide the direction."
Kik, chief executive of Ted Livingston (Livingston) in November last year to write an article called "Become a western WeChat competition" (The Race to Become The WeChat of The West) blog article expounds The subject, he used a word to summarize Kik goal: "we want to be The western WeChat."
Why, then, to imitate WeChat is very important for these companies?
First of all, WeChat herald a message application development direction in the future. Unlike Kik and Tango, Facebook openly imitation of other products. At present, the Messenger allows users to send the application GIF images and stickers, but Facebook spokesman hinted that will soon have more features.
A Facebook spokesman told the Re/code website: "we launched Messenger platform, and open to all developers, one reason is that we want to see how you can use this platform to develop the product. Then, we'll consider it feasible plans next."
Another important factor is whether this strategy really works. It is obvious that people like to use a mobile phone to send information, but they will use the same application to do other things?
Kik or Tango whether can put the information platform into a successful business platform, we don't know. WeChat held a dominant position in China, but is defeated in North America, maybe this is a reason for that.
Livingston, chief executive of Kik discovereth the main challenges they faced is how to compete with SMS. "Text message () in the United States is free and useful, is the data package to be bundled with me." Livingston also believe that SMS is the biggest rival Kik, quality and service is much more than Kik.
In other parts of the world, the message will be charged extra. But in the United States, the text is included in the phone package. If people think of using the message from the start application is meaningless, and then add more functionality to message application becomes unnecessary.
Before trying to launch more service such as shopping, Kik focus is to help the brand and users communicate with each other. This approach seems to be very popular. Facebook is let users for message interaction with retailers, chief financial officer David weiner (David Wehner) said this week that Facebook's another message application WhatsApp is likely to launch similar services.
This is the core part of the new strategy. Add shopping button to application seems like a good idea, but want to do this business for a long time, you must have enough to deal with business users.
Livingston said: "our ultimate goal is to WeChat has done in China. If no one is using your message application, you have nothing."
